This document discusses what may be the first documented infodemic and infodemiological study from 1994. It describes a mass fainting epidemic in Egypt in 1993 where there was an overabundance of misinformation in mass media that may have caused spikes in cases similar to an epidemic curve. The document discusses how an Egyptian study from 1994 analyzed the spread of misinformation in media during this event, which could potentially be considered the first infodemiological study for examining the epidemiology of misinformation. However, the document notes this claim would need further confirmation.

1. The First Ever
Infodemiological Study
1994
Dr. Ahmed-Refat A.G Refat
FOM ZU Nov. 2021

2. “an overabundance of
information – some accurate
and some not
(Mis & DIS) –
occurring during an epidemic”
W.H.O (2020)
Information overflow… overload
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 2

3. Mis-, Dis- , & Mal- Information
Misinformation is
false information
which is being shared
without any purpose to make
harm to anyone .
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 3

4. Mis-, Dis- , & Mal- Information
Disinformation is
false information
that shared consciously to
make harm intentionally.
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 4

5. Mis-, Dis- , & Mal- Information
Mal-information;
is authentic private information
shared with the public to
cause harm by creating hate
speech and harassment
T y p e s
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 5

6. Types of Disinformation
‫المحتوى‬ ‫ناع‬ُ‫ص‬= creators
An intent to DECEIVE = DIS
1. Misleading content,
2. False content,.
3. Fabricated content,.
4. Manipulated content,
5. False CONTEXT,
6. Imposter content,
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 6

7. Origin of “Infodemic”
& “Infodemiology”
The word “ Infodemic “ was
c o i n e d i n 2 0 0 3
by a journalist called David Rothkopf in a Washington Post
column,
• The new term was largely unused and forgotten until
we reached the era of COVID-19
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 7
merriam-webster.com

8. Infodemiology &
Infoveillance
Prof. Gunther Eysenbach is credited as having coined the
term "infodemiology" in 2002.
Later in 2009, he modified the definition to…
“the study of distribution and
determinants of information in the
Internet, with the aim to inform public
health and public policy.”
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 8

9. Gunther Eysenbach 2002
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 9

10. Trending !!: the infodemiological studies
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 10

11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=infodemic
Search query:
infodemic
Year Count
2021 203
2020 151
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 11
2 5 y a

12. Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 12
“Is it truly the first infodemic ?”

13. 1994‫االولي‬ ‫بالدرجة‬ ‫معلوماتي‬ ‫وباء‬
‫بعنوان‬ ‫دراسة‬ ‫نشر‬ ‫تم‬
«
‫الجماعي‬ ‫اإلغماء‬ ‫وباء‬
:
‫وبائي‬ ‫تحليل‬
‫الحدث‬ ‫ألسرار‬
»
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 13
Internet (public) Egypt 1997
Google 1998
Facebook 2004
1994
Infodemic: Overabundance of misinformation …..……2020
Infodemiology: Epidemiology of misinformation 2013

14. • 3100 cases
• 15 Governorates …
• Two weeks
• ….spot map……info curve…
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 14
Infodemic: Overabundance of misinformation
…..……2020
Infodemiology: Epidemiology of misinformation
2013

15. Page 16
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 15
1994
Misinformation in Mass media in
an Egyptian study “M.F.Ep. 1993”

16. Misinformation in Mass media in
an Egyptian study “M.F.Ep. 1993”
‫مسببات‬
‫المرض‬ ‫الحالة‬ ‫وصف‬
‫غاز‬
…
‫غامض‬ ‫غيبوبه‬
......
‫بيولوجية‬ ‫حرب‬ ‫غيبوبه‬
...
‫تامة‬
‫االنوثة‬ ‫هرمون‬ ‫غيبوبه‬
......
‫كاملة‬
‫المدارس‬ ‫فوق‬ ‫غاز‬ ‫بالونات‬ ‫مرض‬
....
‫غريب‬
‫قالعية‬ ‫حمي‬ ‫عجيب‬ ‫مرض‬
‫الكربون‬ ‫اكسيد‬ ‫اول‬ ‫غامض‬ ‫مرض‬
‫الكواكب‬ ‫و‬ ‫النجوم‬ ‫تأثير‬ ‫مؤامرة‬
‫الرادون‬ ‫غاز‬ ‫محير‬ ‫لغز‬
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 16

17. Misinformation in Mass media in
an Egyptian study “M.F.Ep. 1993”
Epi Curve……. Contagious disease
pattern - multiple peaks
Temporality----- dose response
Mass Hysteria/ fainting
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 17

18. Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 18
Epidemic curve Mis-information Mass media spike
=
infodemiological study
1994
Infodemiological study
May be The First
I n f o d e m i c
C u r v e 1994
temporality
Peak/spike
misinformation Epi. Curve
Page 23

19. Page 15
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 19
1994
Infodemic ‫معلوماتي‬ ‫وباء‬
1994
Nonsense !!
2021
Accepted ..Infodemic
Page 15

20. Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 20

21. Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 21
Mass -Media
Mis & dis information
infodemic

22. 1996
(
‫قرن‬ ‫ربع‬
)
‫بعنوان‬ ‫بحث‬
:
‫كارثة‬
‫أغماء‬
....
‫األزمة‬ ‫علي‬ ‫الصحفي‬ ‫الطرح‬ ‫أثر‬
Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 22
This epidemic may be
the first
Infodemic,
and this study may be
the first
Infodemiolo-
gical study
Opinion- needs further
confirmation

23. Ahmed-Refat AG Refat 23
Thank You
https://www.slideshare.net/AhmedRefat/
infodemic-inmassfaintingepidemic1993
https://archive.org/details/MassHys
teriaAmongSchoolGirlsEgypt1993An
EpidemiologicStudy-
In/page/n29/mode/2up