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Media Literacy and Resistance to Health Misinformation: Doctors’ Perspectives in Casablanca


Sr No:
Page No: 73-96
Language: English
Authors: Dounia El Mamsaoui*
Received: 2026-02-04
Accepted: 2026-03-12
Published Date: 2026-03-24
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Abstract:
The fast development of digital platforms has transformed how individuals in Morocco access and interpret health-related information. This actually contributes to what the World Health Organization terms an “infodemic”. This study examines the perspectives of practicing medical doctors in Casablanca regarding patient exposure to health misinformation and its effects on clinical practice. Guided by an integrated theoretical framework combining the Information Disorder Framework, the Health Belief Model, and Media Literacy Theory, the research adopts a quantitative descriptive design using a structured questionnaire administered to 60 practicing physicians selected through purposive sampling. The instrument covers demographic profiles, exposure to misinformation, types and sources of misleading content, patient behavior, doctors’ communication strategies, the role of media literacy, institutional trust, and recommended interventions. Findings show that health misinformation has become a routine feature of clinical encounters, with a majority of doctors reporting frequent exposure to patients influenced by false or misleading health content, most commonly involving self-medication, vaccine hesitancy, and chronic disease management. Social media and messaging applications emerge as the dominant channels of dissemination. Doctors report that misinformation contributes to patient resistance to medical advice, delayed care-seeking, and a perceived erosion of trust in medical authority, partly attributed to algorithm-driven content amplification. Physicians frequently engage in corrective communication, primarily through scientific explanation and trust-building dialogue. However, their efforts are constrained by limited consultation time. A strong majority of respondents view media literacy as a protective factor against misinformation and advocate for its integration into public health and educational initiatives, alongside stronger platform regulation and improved health communication campaigns. The study concludes that health misinformation in Casablanca constitutes a multidimensional challenge with informational, behavioral, and institutional dimensions, which show the need for coordinated interventions involving healthcare providers, educators, policymakers, and digital platforms to strengthen public resilience against misleading health content.
Keywords: Health misinformation, Media literacy, Infodemic, Health Belief Model, Doctor– patient communication.

Journal: IRASS Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies
ISSN(Online): 3049-0073
Publisher: IRASS Publisher
Frequency: Monthly
Language: English

Media Literacy and Resistance to Health Misinformation: Doctors’ Perspectives in Casablanca