Development of a Conceptual Framework of Health Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review of Reviews

Abstract

Background: Despite the wide variety of studies that have focused on the recent COVID-19 infodemic, defining health misor disinformation remains a challenge due to the dynamic nature of the social media ecosystem and, in particular, the different terminologies from different fields of knowledge. Objective: In this work, we aim to develop a conceptual framework of health misinformation during pandemic contexts that will enable the establishment of an interoperable definition of this concept and consequently a better management of these problems in the future. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of reviews to develop a conceptual framework for health misinformation during the pandemic context as a case study. Results: This review comprises 51 reviews from which we developed a conceptual framework that integrates 6 key domains—sources, drivers, content, dissemination channels, target audiences, and health-related effects of mis- or disinformation—offering a structured approach to analyze and categorize health misinformation. These 6 domains collectively form the basis of our proposed conceptual framework. Conclusions: Our results highlight the complexity and multifaceted nature of health disinformation and underscore the need for a common language across disciplines addressing this global problem in order to use interoperable definitions and advance this evolving field of study. By offering a structured conceptual framework, we also provide a valuable foundation for interventions aimed at surveillance, public communication, and digital content moderation in future health emergencies.