Psychological effects of social media misinformation on cancer patients’ families: A systematic literature review

Fake health information on social media has become a major public health issue, especially in cancer-related communication. Misleading cancer information online can negatively affect the emotions, psychological well-being, and treatment-related decisions of cancer patients’ families. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the psychological effects of fake cancer information on social media on cancer patients’ families and to explore the challenges associated with controlling cancer misinformation in digital environments. A systematic literature review (SLR) methodology was employed to address the study objectives. Relevant peer-reviewed studies were retrieved from seven major digital databases and Google Scholar through a comprehensive search strategy. The selected studies were systematically analyzed to identify the major psychological consequences and misinformation-related challenges experienced by families of cancer patients. The findings revealed that fake cancer information on social media causes anxiety, uncertainty, emotional distress, distrust in healthcare professionals, financial losses, mental health problems, and poor treatment-related decision-making among patients’ families. The review further identified several barriers to combating cancer misinformation, including low digital health literacy, rapid dissemination of sensational content, financial motives of misinformation creators, and inadequate collaborative efforts among stakeholders. Based on the evidence-based findings, the study developed a conceptual framework to combat fake cancer information on social media platforms. The study contributes significantly to the existing literature by providing theoretical, managerial, and social implications for healthcare professionals, policymakers, digital platform regulators, and relevant stakeholders seeking to reduce the harmful psychological effects of cancer misinformation in digital environments.