5 ways of dealing with health information overload
Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash
The daily government briefings, death toll counts, that weird WhatsApp message about drinking lemon juice. It’s hard to keep away from health information at the moment, it comes in so many forms and from all angles.
Prior to the crisis, as a health communications specialist reading, researching and following health news on social media, I was exposed to more health messaging than most.
At times this could be overwhelming, so I started to develop ways to make sure I wasn’t bombarded with more than I could handle.
When coronavirus hit the UK, I got sucked back in and found myself scrolling through the BBC news website on an hourly basis. As my anxiety levels spiked I realised I needed to do something about it.
Over the past few weeks I have put some strategies in place that I feel have helped and wanted to share in case they can also help you.
We do need health information
Of course, I believe that clear, factual health content is vital. There is even research to show that poor or confusing information during quarantine can lead to increased stress.
At the moment, whilst we need clear information a lot of what we are consuming is obviously worrying. In fact, the British Psychological Society’s guidance for optimising communication during the pandemic, actually advises that messages need to be worrying to provoke behaviour change, “research from other pandemics, such as swine flu, shows that low uptake of protective behaviours such as hand washing and social distancing were linked to a lack of public worry.”
We probably do all need to be a little bit worried then. However, a recent study has shown that coronavirus related ‘information overload’ can have a negative effect on self-efficacy. This means that you may less confident that you can control your own behaviour and environment.
How can you make sure that you are getting the health information that is right for you, so that you still feel positive about life?
Here are my five suggestions:
Curate your own content
I now avoid rolling news updates and analysis. I don’t want to bury my head in the sand but I want to avoid a deluge. I particularly use LinkedIn to follow people and organisations commenting on the situation, in a way that feels positive.
Helpfully, the qualitative researcher Dr Juliet Rayment and Medical Statistician Dr Danielle Bodicoat are publishing a series of summaries of the latest breakthroughs and progress in COVID-19 related research. Like this summary of the Recovery Trial, which is testing potential drug treatment for the virus.
Focusing on possible solutions and useful research developments, has the knock-on effect of making me feel more hopeful about the future.
2. Learn to spot fake news.
Like many, over the past few weeks I have been forwarded messages from well-meaning people that are not from reputable sources and contain incorrect medical information. The NHS are fighting back against fake news and working with social media providers to verify accounts and direct people to factual information.
Full Fact and Snopes are great sites to do some fact checking, if you are concerned about any advice or news you receive that doesn’t feel right.
I am not a scientist but I do specialise in producing evidence-based health information, and so feel a responsibility to ‘battle against the bunk.’ If I come across anything that looks dodgy, I let people know where they can get health information that they can trust to counteract it.
3. Only use trusted content
If you need clear information about coronavirus I highly recommend the NHS website.
NHS digital are doing an amazing job and have been fine tuning their messaging and the detail they are giving. For example, they recently clarified the 'new, continuous cough' symptom. It's now qualified with ‘this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours.’
If you have a health condition, then it may help to find the appropriate health charity and use their guidance. Most charities will have robust procedures in place to make sure everything is evidence-based.
For example, the Stroke Association have recently published a dedicated webpage of coronavirus resources for stroke survivors, jointly produced with NHS England. The Asthma UK team are regularly updating their advice and the British Lung Foundation have lots of positive stories about how people with lung problems are coping.
4. Share self-care and support information
Kings College London and Ipsos MORI recently reported that half of the people they surveyed said they felt more anxious or depressed as a result of coronavirus.
So, before you forward that suspicious article about how lemon juice can cure COVID-19, pause. Instead, why not pass on some self-care tips to your friends and family or suggest ways they can get support if they need it?
The government have updated their Every Mind Matters Campaign, to include more information about looking after your well-being during the coronavirus, including tips on coping with anxiety.
You may be very familiar with a lot of these tips, especially if you are a big consumer of self-care support like I am. I am not sure how many more times I can be told how important it is to get a good night’s sleep, especially as I have two little kids who won’t let me sleep!
If you’re looking for something a bit different then The Blurt Foundation have a coronavirus helpful hub, including a lovely article on self-soothing. Anxiety UK also have a series of helpful webinars, from coping with health anxiety to using mindfulness techniques.
5. Give your brain a treat
Obviously, you could put down your phone or step away from your laptop and do something that is definitely good for you. You know what I am going to say: read a book, go for a walk, meditate or have a chat.
But sometimes your mind also needs to do some meandering.
As an anecdote to all the health and science information I am still consuming (despite the limits I have set myself), I have also been signing up to some off-beat, up-beat newsletters.
At the moment I am reading:
· Gretchen Rubin’s 5 things making me happy this week
· Reasons to be cheerful (a self-help magazine for people who hate self-help magazines)
· The Slowdown - a newsletter to stimulate your senses
· Ann Friedman’s brilliant curation of fascinating long reads
(PS - I think these are all American, let me know if you subscribe to any UK based ones!)
I have also indulged in my old love of reading poetry and treated myself to a new poetry book. My partner is a gardener and has started reading online botanical encyclopedias whenever he has an urge to go on Facebook.
Develop some strategies that work for you
None of these things might be your cup of tea - I definitely don’t want to read plant encyclopedias!
But I have found that it helps to find the things that let my brain breathe out.
Over the past few months, having some focus on what is still good, fun and pleasurable about life has really helped me. I hope you discover what works for you.