Polarization of dental scientific content on social media: scoping review, infodemiology and qualitative study.

• Grant number: 22/12885-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2023
• End date: April 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Pediatric Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Thiago Cruvinel da Silva
• Grantee: Ana Maria Jucá Novaes Ramalho
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Polarization is a process that occurs deliberately in a group of people in which, after internal discussions, they tend to support more extreme opinions. It is possible to observe the impacts of polarization on science and dissemination of content on social media. However, little is known about the polarized scientific dental content found on social media, and also about the impacts of its consumption on the population and professional practice. Therefore, this research project aims to study the process of polarization of scientific digital content, specifically in the field of Dentistry. This study will consist of three stages: 1) a scoping review of the literature to define the theoretical framework on scientific polarization on health topics, (2) a longitudinal and retrospective infodemiology study to analyze and characterize posts with dental polarized content published in Portuguese and English languages on Facebook, and (3) a qualitative study based on focus groups composed of professionals and university students, to survey the specific perceptions of the production and consumption of polarized content by individuals, as well as the impact of the phenomenon on the acquisition of knowledge and decision making for dental care.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

RAMALHO, Ana Maria Jucá Novaes. Polarization of dentistry scientific content in digital midia: scoping review and qualitative study. 2024. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB/SDB) Bauru.