We have learned many examples of misinformation and false beliefs, from several countries: Dominican Republic, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Somalia and elsewhere. Each country appears to have its own pattern of belief, with some beliefs being ubiquitous.
Two questions we can ask:
1. Where do these beliefs originate and how do they spread? Is this all indavertent misinformation or is there an element of deliberate disinformation.
2. Can we identify any examples where women changed their minds after receiving reliable information? Stories of successful communication, where a woman was reassured and subsequently attended screening or accepted treatment, could be valuable.
Best wishes, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org