Elsevier launches new India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub to help curb the spread of misinformation and support clinicians

NEW DELHI, INDIA - News Direct - 21 May 2021 - Elsevier, a global leader in research publishing and information analytics, has launched its India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub for frontline healthcare workers and members of the public in India. Featuring complimentary resources and online learning tools, the India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub offers the latest evidence-based information on the novel coronavirus, with materials on the prevention and management of COVID-19 to help limit the spread of misinformation.

Recent research has shown that 67.2% of misinformation in India involves health-related topics, such as falsehoods on the COVID-19 vaccine, other forms of medical treatments, medical institutions and healthcare facilities¹. The same study found that online media was responsible for higher volumes of inaccurate news (94.4%) compared to mainstream media (5.6%), with false claims being distributed mainly on social media platforms. As India continues to grapple with COVID-19 cases, it is imperative to address the threat of misinformation and its impact on the public health response.

To help support an overwhelmed healthcare system and combat the spread of misinformation, Elsevier's India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub contains the latest fact-based information on COVID-19, including approved treatments and guidelines, along with other useful tools to help doctors, nurses and healthcare workers provide patient care. This resource aims to meet the increasing need for standardized, credible and accurate information around the pandemic and allow healthcare professionals to provide consistent and safe patient care.

Kok Keng Lim, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Elsevier, said: "As a trusted partner to healthcare workers, we believe that Elsevier has a responsibility to provide high quality evidence-based information and tools on COVID-19 and the newly approved vaccines. By aligning these localized resources to global care standards, we aim to support frontline workers with credible data and patient discussion tools that can bolster their confidence to address concerns, dispel vaccine falsities and quickly make critical decisions for better patient outcomes. The India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub also provides patients with a single source of accurate data to help curb the spread of misinformation on the disease."

In addition to the India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub, Elsevier is also supporting Swasth Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that promotes universal and affordable healthcare for the people of India. Together with the RELX Group, Elsevier's parent company, the two organizations have contributed approximately 22 high-flow oxygen concentrators to support more than 12,000 critically ill patients in India.

Shankar Kaul, Managing Director, India, Elsevier, said: "The COVID-19 pandemic has been a global health crisis for over a year and our teams across the United Kingdom and Latin America have conducted extensive research around thee variants of coronavirus. These global insights are now available through the India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub, providing the public and healthcare professionals with access to the latest resources to manage the new strain of the virus.

"The India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub provides support to healthcare institutions, hospitals and healthcare professionals through evidence-based resources that can educate patients while protecting others in their communities. We urge all frontline workers and members of the public to utilize these resources to remain well informed about the prevention and management of COVID-19."

Notes for editor

¹ Sourced from: Al-Zaman, M.S. 2021. "COVID-19-Related Social Media Fake News in India," Journalism and Media, vol 2 (1); https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia2010007.

About the India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub

The India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub is an extension of the Global COVID-19 Healthcare Hub which was launched in April 2020. Available in English, Spanish and Portuguese, the Hub provides free access to toolkits, expert insights, research and COVID-19 guidelines. Today, it has received over 300,000 visits from physicians, nurses, clinicians, patients and researchers who are seeking the latest information and trustworthy resources on the pandemic.

The Vaccines Toolkit features the latest curated evidence-based information about vaccines approved for use to prevent COVID-19 infections. It also provides responses to pressing questions about how the vaccines work, as well as the active ingredients, dosage and regimen of the approved vaccines. At the same time, patients can access the toolkit to clarify common misconceptions surrounding the vaccines. The toolkit will be continuously updated as additional vaccines receive approval from regulatory authorities and as new information on the vaccines is released.

Patient resources are available to inform and educate the public on the prevention and management of the disease, as well as share knowledge around the COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, the Hub also provides resources on the various treatments and recovery plans that patients with COVID-19 will undergo to dispel misconceptions around the disease.

To further support nurses, the ICU Nursing Refresher Toolkit brings curated, key Nursing Skills and eLearning lessons to ICU nurses managing high volumes of COVID patients, as well as nurses called from other units to assist with COVID care in the ICU. The standards align with the guidelines from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) and serves to provide as a point-of-reference for nurses during such times.

Additional resources available on the COVID-19 Healthcare Hub include evidence-based clinical overviews, drug monographs, care plans, order sets and procedure videos for clinicians delivering care and information to patients. Healthcare professionals will also find the latest information and guidelines from government health agencies, medical societies and public health organizations for diagnosis, testing and treatment of patients with COVID-19.

To get the latest content from Elsevier's COVID-19 Healthcare Hub, connect with them on WhatsApp. Additional resources can be found by visiting the India COVID-19 Healthcare Hub.

About Elsevier

As a global leader in information and analytics, Elsevier helps researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. We do this by facilitating insights and critical decision-making for customers across the global research and health ecosystems.

In everything we publish, we uphold the highest standards of quality and integrity. We bring that same rigor to our information analytics solutions for researchers, health professionals, institutions and funders.

Elsevier employs 8,100 people worldwide. We have supported the work of our research and health partners for more than 140 years. Growing from our roots in publishing, we offer knowledge and valuable analytics that help our users make breakthroughs and drive societal progress. Digital solutions such as ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath support strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and health education. Researchers and healthcare professionals rely on our 2,500+ digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell; our 40,000 eBook titles; and our iconic reference works, such as Gray's Anatomy. With the Elsevier Foundation and our external Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Board, we work in partnership with diverse stakeholders to advance inclusion and diversity in science, research and healthcare in developing countries and around the world.

Elsevier is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. www.elsevier.com

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