4.K. Scientific session: The realm of the information ecosystem and its public health impact
Authors:   Organised by: EUPHA-HL, -GH, -WGGE, WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Literacy, Technical University of Munich (Germany), University of West Attica (Greece), Harvard University (UK),   Chair persons: Orkan Okan (EUPHA-HL), Elena Petelos (EUPHA-HTA, EUPHA-GH)
Published: October 2024

Workshop background

As a field of science, study, practice, and policy, infodemic management has emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic but has since been emancipated and can be translated to any topic where information ecosystems play a vital role. In particular relevant to public health, infodemic managers have grown in the ranks of institutes of public health, academic institutions, UN agencies and civil society organizations, tackling outbreaks and public health issues as wide as mpox, Marburg, teen mental health, chronic diseases, seasonal influenza, Ebola and routine immunization. Aiming at improving public health strategies, they are responsible for exploring and investigating personal and organizational (health) information ecosystem, generating evidence, identifying patterns of communication and information flow, tackling the onset and distribution of circulating mis- and disinformation, better understanding information voids, and respond to citizen needs concerning information demands around emergencies.

In this workshop, we will focus on several common challenges associated with implementing whole-of-society interventions and strategies for resilience to health misinformation. Solving these challenges, which often are too big just for the health system to solve, will sometimes require creativity, out-of-the-box thinking as well as cross-disciplinary perspectives and new partnerships. Infodemics are also a global challenge that can easily cross borders, which is why country-to-country discussions of experiences by participants is encouraged-while no previous infodemic management experience is required.

Workshop objectives

The workshop will be organized as a research symposium with five speakers from infodemic management, health information, and health literacy. They will provide a solid introduction to infodemic management from different perspectives and angles.

(i) The first presentation will introduce a study on health information seeking and health literacy in midwife-led care and the modern information environment.

(ii) The second presentation will discuss how fact-checking organizations can partner within public health for a healthier internet.

(iii) The third presentation will focus on unravelling misinformation by investigating the associations between health literacy and resilience.

(iv) The fourth presentation will present a novel web-platform for credible health information and tackling misinformation.

(v) The fifth presentation focuses on the impact of misinformation on social media in the context of natural disasters.

The format of this workshop will be 5x8-minute presentations, including Q&A with the audiences, followed by a 20-minute panel discussion, reflecting the relevance of the results to public health research, practice and policy.

Key messages

• Infodemic management seeks to quickly understand the public’s information and health needs improve future public health responses, especially during emergencies.

• Whole-of-society approaches are needed to address and mitigate harms caused by infodemics by developing closer partnerships and understanding between health systems and the public.