Diffusion of knowledge and urban legends: the case of internments due to sanitation conditions - DOI: 10.3395/reciis.v2i2.152en

The statement that in Brazil “68% of the internments are due to the lack of sanitation” is diffused on the Web pages. The weight of the diseases related with water in the internment is clearly overestimated. If one considers just the hydric transmission diseases, this proportion falls to 4.8%. 204 websites of environment defense organizations and institutions, professional associations, universities and research centers quoting this statement were found upon a search on the Internet. The transmission standards of false information characterize this as one additional urban legend among those that impair the establishment of priorities. As the public policies are established from an accumulation of knowledge, the transmission of information in reports, scientific papers and texts on the Internet may represent the longing of pressure groups to alter priorities of the sanitation area.