Do alcohol industry-funded organisations act to correct misinformation? A qualitative study of pregnancy and infant health content following independent analysis

Abstract

Background Access to reliable, accurate, and up-to-date health information is a crucial component of global population health. Like other health-harming industries, the alcohol industry is known to provide misinformation to the public, including on alcohol, pregnancy, and infant health. It is unknown whether industry information changes following independent public health analysis. Methods We extracted data using the homepage, menu, and search tool functions (where available) from seven industry-funded charity and nonprofit company websites (Aware, South Africa; Drinkaware, Ireland; Drinkaware, United Kingdom; Éduc’alcool, Canada; DrinkWise, Australia; Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, United States; and International Alliance for Responsible Drinking) that have previously been found to misrepresent the evidence on alcohol, pregnancy, and infant health. We conducted a qualitative, thematic analysis using a published framework of ‘dark nudges and sludge’ misinformation techniques. Results Omission of information, functionality problems, and the positioning and sequencing of information in ways that framed or obfuscated its meaning were the most common forms of misinformation identified. These types of misinformation were often mixed with (limited) relevant information and were most often found in combination. We found pregnancy and infant health information for the consumer on five of the seven websites studied (Drinkaware, Ireland; Drinkaware, United Kingdom; DrinkWise; Éduc’alcool; and Aware). Information on pregnancy and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder was found on these five sites, although they did not all provide information on miscarriage, breastfeeding, or fertility. We could not find any pregnancy and infant health information directed to the consumer on the remaining sites (Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility and International Alliance for Responsible Drinking). Six of the seven websites had a search tool function; these often produced irrelevant information. Conclusions Following independent public health analysis of their informational outputs, misinformation about pregnancy and infant health remains present on alcohol industry-funded websites. Warnings to the public to avoid alcohol industry-funded information sources should form an essential part of the global effort to tackle health misinformation.