Fake news and youngsters’ decision journey: An evaluation of the influence of misinformation on social media

Purpose: Social media has changed the way users interact with each other, and has become an important part of numerous lives. However, there is an increasing flow of implausible content circulating on social media, which points to the need for some categorization and regulation. This study will examine how the proliferation of fake news on social media impacts students and their choice of university. To answer this question, market research was conducted on the precedents that affect the acceptance of fake news among university students when choosing to study for a master's degree that will help them in their professional careers. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a quantitative method. A parsimonious model of causal relationships was proposed based on scales taken from the literature, assessed by a convenience sample of students, and adjusted by structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings: Results show that the parsimonious model explains 35% of fake news acceptance and that media dependency (ISMD) and parasocial interaction (PSI) are the main direct effects, while perceived media richness (PR) has a significant indirect influence on the attitude towards fake news and, consequently, on its acceptance. Furthermore, fake news literacy plays a correct moderating role with the most relevant source of influence, SNS dependency. Research limitations: A convenience sample was used, and a parsimonious model with three antecedent factors and one mediating factor was proposed. Other social factors could have been considered, including multicultural variables. Practical implications: The results point to students' expressed dependence on social networks as the main factor explaining their attitude towards fake news, negatively moderated by students' level of knowledge about the importance of this phenomenon in social networks. Therefore, it is relevant to promote knowledge about this phenomenon among students to reduce its influence on decision-making processes. Originality/value: This paper provides a novel context for the study of the proliferation of fake news on social networks: the process of choosing a university by students addicted to the news circulating on social media

An interregional measles outbreak in Spain with nosocomial transmission, November 2017 to July 2018

Given sustained high vaccination coverage and enhanced surveillance for measles, Spain has been free of endemic measles transmission since 2014, achieving elimination certification from the World Health Organization in 2017. In November 2017, measles was introduced through an imported case travelling to the Valencian Community, causing an interregional outbreak. Here, we describe the outbreak using data reported to the national epidemiological surveillance network. The outbreak involved 154 cases (67 males, 87 females) notified in four regions; 148 were laboratory-confirmed and six epidemiologically linked. Most cases were adults aged 30-39 (n = 62, 40.3%) years. Sixty-two cases were hospitalised (40.3%) and 35 presented complications (22.7%). Two thirds of the cases (n = 102) were unvaccinated including 11 infants (≤ 1 year) not yet eligible for vaccination. The main route of transmission was nosocomial; at least six healthcare facilities and 41 healthcare workers and support personnel were affected. Sequencing of the viral nucleoprotein C-terminus (N450) identified genotype B3, belonging to the circulating MVs/Dublin.IRL/8.16-variant. Control measures were implemented, and the outbreak was contained in July 2018. The outbreak highlighted that raising awareness about measles and improving the vaccination coverage in under-vaccinated subgroups and personnel of healthcare facilities are key measures for prevention of future outbreaks.This work was funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) (PI19ICIII/0041).S

Fake news and youngsters' decision journey: evaluation of misinformation influence on social media

Social media has changed the way users interact with each other, and has become an important part of numerous lives. However, there is an increasing flow of implausible content circulating on social media, which points to the need for some categorisation and regulation. This study proposes to examine the impact of the proliferation of fake news on social media on students and its effect on their choice of university. To answer this question, market research was conducted on the precedents that affect the acceptance of fake news among university students in choosing to study a master's degree that will help them in their professional career (...

Switching TNF antagonists in patients with chronic arthritis: An observational study of 488 patients over a four-year period

The objective of this work is to analyze the survival of infliximab, etanercept and adalimumab in patients who have switched among tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists for the treatment of chronic arthritis. BIOBADASER is a national registry of patients with different forms of chronic arthritis who are treated with biologics. Using this registry, we have analyzed patient switching of TNF antagonists. The cumulative discontinuation rate was calculated using the actuarial method. The log-rank test was used to compare survival curves, and Cox regression models were used to assess independent factors associated with discontinuing medication. Between February 2000 and September 2004, 4,706 patients were registered in BIOBADASER, of whom 68% had rheumatoid arthritis, 11% ankylosing spondylitis, 10% psoriatic arthritis, and 11% other forms of chronic arthritis. One- and two-year drug survival rates of the TNF antagonist were 0.83 and 0.75, respectively. There were 488 patients treated with more than one TNF antagonist. In this situation, survival of the second TNF antagonist decreased to 0.68 and 0.60 at 1 and 2 years, respectively. Survival was better in patients replacing the first TNF antagonist because of adverse events (hazard ratio (HR) for discontinuation 0.55 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34-0.84)), and worse in patients older than 60 years (HR 1.10 (95% CI 0.97-2.49)) or who were treated with infliximab (HR 3.22 (95% CI 2.13-4.87)). In summary, in patients who require continuous therapy and have failed to respond to a TNF antagonist, replacement with a different TNF antagonist may be of use under certain situations. This issue will deserve continuous reassessment with the arrival of new medications. © 2006 Gomez-Reino and Loreto Carmona; licensee BioMed Central Ltd