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Living with COVID-19-triggered pseudoscience and conspiracies

Author

Listed:
  • Takele T. Desta

    (Kotebe Metropolitan University)

  • Tewodros Mulugeta

    (Kotebe Metropolitan University)

Abstract

Objective This piece of work proposes a way for the wise management of pseudoscience and conspiracy theories. Methods This work encompassed a review of relevant literature and synthesized the critical thoughts on the proper management of pseudoscience and conspiracy theories. Result The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) overwhelmingly challenges the competency of the digital generation. Consequently, public had been left stranded, helpless and anxious, especially during the peak season of the pandemic. However, this crisis creates a conducive environment for pseudoscience and conspiracy theories to proliferate. Pseudoscience and conspiracy theories negatively impacted the effort made to contain COVID-19. Conclusion This piece of work, however, argues that although pseudoscience and conspiracy theories are real threats to conventional science, effort needs to be made to develop a sort of database to archive and curate them for downstream use.

Suggested Citation

  • Takele T. Desta & Tewodros Mulugeta, 2020. "Living with COVID-19-triggered pseudoscience and conspiracies," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 65(6), pages 713-714, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ijphth:v:65:y:2020:i:6:d:10.1007_s00038-020-01412-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s00038-020-01412-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Heidi J. Larson, 2020. "Blocking information on COVID-19 can fuel the spread of misinformation," Nature, Nature, vol. 580(7803), pages 306-306, April.
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    RePEc Biblio mentions

    As found on the RePEc Biblio, the curated bibliography for Economics:
    1. > Economics of Welfare > Health Economics > Economics of Pandemics > Specific pandemics > Covid-19 > Behavioral issues > Information

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    Cited by:

    1. Jack P Hughes & Alexandros Efstratiou & Sara R Komer & Lilli A Baxter & Milica Vasiljevic & Ana C Leite, 2022. "The impact of risk perceptions and belief in conspiracy theories on COVID-19 pandemic-related behaviours," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(2), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Damian J. Rivers & Giancarla Unser-Schutz & Nathanael Rudolph, 2023. "Vaccine Hesitancy and Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Misinformation in Japanese Youth: The Contribution of Personality Traits and National Identity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(1), pages 1-20, December.
    3. Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez & Eduardo Navarro-Jiménez & Juan Antonio Simón-Sanjurjo & Ana Isabel Beltran-Velasco & Carmen Cecilia Laborde-Cárdenas & Juan Camilo Benitez-Agudelo & Álvaro Bustamante-, 2022. "Mis–Dis Information in COVID-19 Health Crisis: A Narrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-24, April.
    4. David Ortega-Paredes & Jeannete Zurita & Camilo Zurita & Paula Leoro-Garzón & Galo Leoro-Monroy & César Marcelo Larrea-Álvarez & Karen Loaiza & Esteban Fernandez-Moreira & Gabriel Molina-Cuasapaz & Ma, 2021. "An On-Line Cross-Sectional Questionnaire to Assess Knowledge of COVID-19 Pandemic among Citizens Tested for the SARS-CoV-2 Virus in Quito and Ibarra, Ecuador," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-15, February.
    5. David Ortega-Paredes & César Marcelo Larrea-Álvarez & Santiago Isaac Jijón & Karen Loaiza & Miroslava Anna Šefcová & Gabriel Molina-Cuasapaz & Pedro Barba & Christian Vinueza-Burgos & Esteban Fernande, 2021. "A Cross-Sectional Study to Assess Knowledge of COVID-19 among Undergraduate Students in North-Central Ecuador," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-15, August.

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    11. Takele T. Desta & Tewodros Mulugeta, 0. "Living with COVID-19-triggered pseudoscience and conspiracies," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 0, pages 1-2.

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