Researchers explore the power of podcasts in fighting infectious disease misinformation

With legacy media cutting staff in the face of unprecedented financial challenges and critical science and health information scattered among unfamiliar digital platforms, how can people keep up with medical issues that might affect them?

Researchers in the Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine in the University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine are tapping into another way to share such data: podcasts. Their new study, Like and Subscribe: A Compendium of Infectious Diseases Audio Podcasts, appeared in Open Forum Infectious Diseases, a major open-access journal of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

The two lead authors are Richard Oehler, MD, professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine; and Ju Hee Katzman, MD, FACP, assistant professor and program director for the division's Infectious Disease Fellowship Program.

Their paper is the first ever peer-reviewed guide to audio podcasts dedicated to the topic of infectious diseases. Essentially, the study strikes a blow against medical misinformation by providing an expert guide to credible podcast sources – an especially valuable tool in infectious disease, where a host of conflicting and unreliable information circulates about COVID-19, vaccines and other topics.

The only way that we in the medical community can combat misinformation is to put more credible voices into social media, which includes podcasting. By now having a scientific article that identifies the most credible podcast offerings in infectious diseases, we know that podcast listeners will benefit from our study.''

Richard Oehler, MD,Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine

While medical podcasts need to be held to high professional standards − especially when it comes to questionable or misleading data − their effectiveness in reaching millions of listeners makes them a powerful tool, the authors said.

"Podcasts enable the sharing of medical information in a conversational format that can be enjoyed at the convenience of the listener, whether while driving in a car, walking or running," Oehler said. "Podcasts can also be listened to in shorter segments and then picked up and finished whenever it's convenient.''

Reading scientific journals or newspapers requires dedicated time and attention, the authors note, which is less convenient for many medical professionals or students. Publications also require subscriptions or have paywalls; most podcasts are freely distributed and can be listened to on a smart phone, tablet or computer.

"Podcasts can reach learners anytime and anywhere,'' Katzman said, adding that this form of asynchronous learning "is important given the increasing amount of information that needs to be shared in a timely and efficient manner.''

Findings in scientific journals can be summarized, explained and discussed in a more digestible form on a podcast. Although podcasts aren't meant to replace traditional forms, such as scientific journals, "they're presented more understandably,'' Katzman added.

In less than 15 years, the podcast format has gone from being virtually unknown to a multibillion-dollar industry with an estimated 500 million listeners worldwide, according to the study. Medical podcasts began with a desire among journals and academic institutions to share information on new clinical trials or publications, and among those committed to promoting a free and open access model of online education.

The COVID-19 outbreak led to an explosion in the availability of podcasts about infectious diseases, due to the need for regular information about SARS-CoV-2 and the pandemic-driven preference for virtual learning. However, many infectious disease experts and students have not yet been introduced to available infectious diseases podcast resources, the authors said.

But what about misleading data and information? Aren't podcasts susceptible to the flaws or ethical fluxes of any other medium? Podcasts aren't peer-reviewed, even though many provide references on their pages or websites, as well as podcast author credentials and their affiliations.

"Podcasts are no different from other broadcast media,'' Dr. Oehler said. "The user can review a series' descriptive information, listener ratings and seek peer-reviewed sources to help them determine whether a podcast is likely to provide credible information free of questionable data.

"In fact, it was our purpose in putting together this article to review a variety of different podcasts to be able to recommend the programs we mentioned. We also made sure to publish the paper in an open-access medical journal, making it accessible for anyone to freely download."

In their study, the authors highlight 38 of the most popular infectious disease–oriented audio podcasts, including:

• The widely distributed "This Podcast Will Kill You," featuring episodes about deadly infectious diseases.
• "Osterholm Update," a regular podcast by noted epidemiologist and public health expert Dr. Michael Osterholm, which updates listeners on current disease outbreaks across the country.

The list also includes a new USF Health series called Contagion: An Infectious Diseases Podcast, co-hosted by USF Health Infectious Disease faculty and clinicians Vivian Vega Rodriguez, MD, and Jacqueline Sherbuk, MD. In the series' first five episodes, the program has tackled diverse topics such as mosquito-borne infections, brain-eating amoeba disease, Influenza, RSV, COVID19 and food-borne outbreaks.

The study notes a number of advantages – and disadvantages – of the podcast format:

• Impact of COVID-19: The pandemic spurred a surge in infectious disease (ID)-focused podcasts, with 71% of reviewed shows launching post-COVID, highlighting the rising demand for accessible, timely medical information.
• Audience reach and diversity: Among 38 ID-focused podcasts analyzed, audience sizes ranged widely. Popular shows like This Podcast Will Kill You drew nearly half a million listeners per episode, while others had fewer than 25.
• Broad topic coverage: The podcasts address a variety of subjects, from current outbreaks and immunology to public health and infection control, catering to a range of medical and public interests.
• Educational value: Podcasts provide an efficient way for the medical community to stay current, as medical knowledge doubles every 73 days. They are easily accessible, cost-effective and adaptable to listeners' schedules.
• Challenges in podcast learning: Despite benefits, issues remain with content retention when multitasking, variable episode lengths and quality standards for accuracy and source verification.
• Future opportunities: The study suggests growth in podcasts combating misinformation and promoting careers in the infectious diseases field, adding depth to the educational resources available to medical professionals and students.