Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41269748›Full record

SynthesisJMIR public health and surveillance2025

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

Javier Alvarez-Galvez, Jesus Carretero-Bravo, Carolina Lagares-Franco, Begoña Ramos-Fiol, Esther Ortega-Martin

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in JMIR public health and surveillance, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Javier Alvarez-GalvezComputational Social Science DataLab (CS2 DataLab), University Research Institute for Sustainable Social Development (INDESS), Universidad de Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-9512-7853
Jesus Carretero-BravoComputational Social Science DataLab (CS2 DataLab), University Research Institute for Sustainable Social Development (INDESS), Universidad de Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-3524-9565
Carolina Lagares-FrancoDepartment of Statistics and Operative Research, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Andalusia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-8715-7419
Begoña Ramos-FiolComputational Social Science DataLab (CS2 DataLab), University Research Institute for Sustainable Social Development (INDESS), Universidad de Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-0233-7208
Esther Ortega-MartinComputational Social Science DataLab (CS2 DataLab), University Research Institute for Sustainable Social Development (INDESS), Universidad de Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-5182-1824

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite the wide variety of studies that have focused on the recent COVID-19 infodemic, defining health mis- or 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.

objectiveIn 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.

methodsWe conducted a systematic review of reviews to develop a conceptual framework for health misinformation during the pandemic context as a case study.

resultsThis 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.

conclusionsOur 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.

Indexed as

CommunicationCOVID-19HumansPandemicsSocial Mediaconceptual frameworkcoronavirusCOVID-19digital healthdisease surveillancedisinformationhealth informaticsinfectiousinfodemicinternetmanagementmisinformationpublic healthrespiratoryreviewSARS-CoV-2scoping reviewsocial mediasocial networkstechnologiestechnology

Identifiers

PMID41269748
PMCPMC12680940

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.