JMIR infodemiology最新文献

{"title":"Availability and Use of Digital Technology Among Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Scoping Review.","authors":"Pamela J Wright, Charlotte Burts, Carolyn Harmon, Cynthia F Corbett","doi":"10.2196/68469","DOIUrl":"10.2196/68469","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy among women that requires self-management to improve mental and physical health outcomes and reduce risk of comorbidity. Digital technology has rapidly emerged as a valuable self-management tool for people with chronic health conditions. However, little is known about the digital technology available for and used by women with PCOS.  .</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The purpose of this scoping review was to identify what is known about digital technology currently available and used by women with PCOS for PCOS-specific knowledge, self-management, or social support.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The databases PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Compendex were searched using Medical Subject Headings terms for PCOS, digital technology, health knowledge, self-management, and social support. Inclusion criteria were full-text, peer-reviewed publications of primary research from 2010 to 2025 in English about digital technology used for PCOS-specific knowledge, self-management, or social support by women aged 18 years and older with PCOS. Exclusion criteria were articles about pediatric populations and digital technology used for intervention recruitment or by health care providers to diagnose or treat patients.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 34 full-text articles met the inclusion criteria. Given the scope of digital technology, eligible studies were grouped into 7 domains: mobile apps (n=14), internet-based programs (eg, Google; n=6), social media (n=6), SMS text message (n=2), machine learning (n=2), artificial intelligence (eg, ChatGPT [OpenAI]; n=3), and web-based intervention platforms (n=1). Findings highlighted participants' varied perceptions of technology usefulness based on reliability of health care information, application features, accuracy of PCOS or fertility prediction, social group engagement, user-friendly interfaces, cultural sensitivity, and accessibility.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>There is potential for digital technology to transform PCOS self-management, but further design and development are needed to optimize the technologies for women with PCOS. Future research should focus on including end users during the design phase of digital technology, refining predictive models, improving app inclusivity, conducting frequent reliability testing, and enhancing user engagement and support via additional features to promote more comprehensive self-management of PCOS.   .</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e68469"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12178569/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144287459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the Reliability and Validity of Principles for Health-Related Information on Social Media (PRHISM) for Evaluating Breast Cancer Treatment Videos on YouTube: Instrument Validation Study.","authors":"Hiroki Kusama, Yoshimitsu Takahashi, Shunichiro Orihara, Kayo Adachi, Yumiko Ishizuka, Ryoko Semba, Hidetaka Shima, Yoshiya Horimoto, Hiroshi Kaise, Masataka Taguri, Sho Inoue, Takeo Nakayama, Takashi Ishikawa","doi":"10.2196/66416","DOIUrl":"10.2196/66416","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>There is breast cancer-related medical information on social media, but there is no established method for objectively evaluating the quality of this information. Principles for Health-Related Information on Social Media (PRHISM) is a newly developed tool for objectively assessing the quality of health-related information on social media; however, there have been no reports evaluating its reliability and validity.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The purpose of this study was to statistically examine the reliability and validity of PRHISM using videos about breast cancer treatment on YouTube (Google).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In total, 60 YouTube videos were selected on January 5, 2024, with the Japanese words for \"breast cancer,\" \"treatment,\" and \"chemotherapy,\" and assessed by 6 Japanese physicians with expertise in breast cancer. These evaluators independently evaluated the videos using PRHISM and an established tool for assessing the quality of health-related information, DISCERN, as well as through subjective assessments. We calculated interrater and intrarater agreement among evaluators with CIs, measuring agreement using weighted Cohen kappa.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The interrater agreement for PRHISM overall quality was κ=0.52 (90% CI 0.49-0.55), indicating that the expected level of agreement, statistically defined by the lower limit of the 90% CI exceeding 0.53, was not achieved. However, PRHISM demonstrated higher agreement compared with DISCERN overall quality, which had a κ=0.45 (90% CI 0.41-0.48). In terms of validity, the intrarater agreement between PRHISM and subjective assessments by breast experts was κ=0.37 (95% CI 0.14-0.60), while DISCERN showed an agreement of κ=0.27 (95% CI 0.07-0.48), indicating fair agreement and no significant difference in validity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>PRHISM has demonstrated sufficient reliability and validity for evaluating the quality of health-related information on YouTube, making it a promising new metric. To further enhance objectivity, it is necessary to explore the use of artificial intelligence and other approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e66416"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12175871/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144276931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global Surveillance of Public Interest in Cosmetic Tourism for Aesthetic Eyelid Surgery Abroad: Cross-Sectional Infodemiology Investigation of Internet Search Trends and Social Media Content.","authors":"Daniel B Azzam, Yi Ling Dai, Victoria S North, Alison B Callahan, Katrinka L Heher, Mitesh K Kapadia, M Reza Vagefi","doi":"10.2196/64639","DOIUrl":"10.2196/64639","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Global medical tourism for aesthetic surgery has become a popular phenomenon through ease of access in the digital era, though such services are not without potential risks. The application of infodemiology for global health surveillance may provide unique insights into unknown patient travel patterns and surgeon workforce dynamics abroad.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to evaluate American cosmetic tourism trends in oculofacial plastic surgery, including demand profile and qualifications of the most sought-after international eyelid surgeons on social media.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional infodemiology study queried Google Trends to assess US interests in aesthetic eyelid surgery abroad in 25 destination countries from 2013 to 2023. The highest-rated content posted by 55 eyelid surgeons (US: n=11; international: n=44) on a social media platform (Instagram; Meta Platforms) was evaluated. The main outcomes included Google search volumes for aesthetic eyelid surgery for each destination country, as well as specialty training and professional medical society affiliations of popular eyelid surgeons on social media in each of these countries.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The top 5 destinations Americans sought for aesthetic eyelid surgery abroad were South Korea, Mexico, Canada, Turkey, and China. Interest in eyelid surgery abroad remained stable over the last decade despite 118% growth in blepharoplasty searches. Social media indicated eyelid surgeons abroad were more often general plastic surgeons than in the United States (30/44, 68% vs 2/11, 18%; P=.003). US surgeons more frequently completed oculofacial plastics, facial plastics, or aesthetic plastics fellowships compared with international surgeons (9/11, 82% vs 10/44, 23%; P<.001) and had membership in professional medical societies (11/11, 100% vs 22/44, 50%; P=.002).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>American demand for international eyelid surgery remained stable over the past decade despite a 2-fold increase in the US interest for blepharoplasty. Digital epidemiology data reveal a shortage of international surgeons with specialized aesthetic eyelid fellowship training or professional society affiliations on social media among the preferred destinations for Americans seeking aesthetic eyelid surgery. These findings may provide beneficial insights for patients interested in traveling abroad for eyelid surgery, as well as for surgeons or academic societies seeking to increase social media presence or patient-directed educational content via social media engagement.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e64639"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12148249/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144210417","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Role of Digital Health Equity Audits in Preventing Harmful Infodemiology.","authors":"Massimiliano Biondi, Fabio Filippetti, Giorgio Brandi, Elsa Ravaglia, Sofia Filippetti, Pamela Barbadoro","doi":"10.2196/75495","DOIUrl":"10.2196/75495","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Health disparities persist and are influenced by digital transformation. Although digital tools offer opportunities, they can also exacerbate existing inequalities, a problem amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and the related infodemic. Health equity audit (HEA) tools, such as those developed in the United Kingdom, provide a framework to assess equity but require adaptation for the digital context. Digital determinants of health (DDoH) are increasingly recognized as crucial factors influencing health outcomes in the digital era.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This editorial proposes an approach to extend HEA principles to create a specific framework, the digital health equity audit (DHEA), designed to systematically assess and address health inequities within the design, implementation, and evaluation of digital health technologies, with a focus on DDoH.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We propose a cyclical DHEA model based on existing HEA principles, integrating them with digital health equity frameworks. The DHEA cycle comprises six phases: (1) scoping the audit and mobilizing the team (including community members); (2) developing the digital health equity profile and identifying inequities (assessing DDoH at individual, interpersonal, community, and societal levels); (3) identifying high-impact actions to address DDoH and inequities; (4) prioritizing actions for maximum equity impact; (5) implementing and supporting change; and (6) evaluating progress and impact, and refining. This method emphasizes multilevel interventions and stakeholder engagement.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The main result is the articulation of the DHEA framework: a structured, 6-phase cyclical model to guide organizations in the analysis and proactive mitigation of digital health-related disparities. The framework explicitly integrates the assessment of DDoH across multiple levels (individual, interpersonal, community, societal) and promotes the development of targeted interventions to ensure digital solutions promote equity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The DHEA model offers an integrated approach to consider social, epidemiological, health, and technological variables, aiming to reduce health inequities through the conscious use of new technologies. It is emphasized that digital technologies can be the cause or the solution to inequalities; DHEAs are proposed as a tool to foster equity. Its systematic adoption, along with a collaborative approach (co-design) and trust building, can help ensure that the benefits of health digitization are equitably distributed while strengthening trust in institutions. Continued attention is needed to manage emerging challenges such as infodemiology in the era of big data and artificial intelligence.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e75495"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12143845/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144188642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social Media and the Evolution of Vaccine Preferences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Discrete Choice Experiment.","authors":"Robbie Maris, Zack Dorner, Stephane Hess, Steven Tucker","doi":"10.2196/66081","DOIUrl":"10.2196/66081","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Vaccine information and misinformation are spread through social media in ways that may vary by platform. Understanding the role social media plays in shaping vaccine preferences is crucial for policymakers and researchers.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to test whether social media use is associated with changes in vaccine preferences during the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, and whether trust in sources of information has a moderating role.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Our data consist of a balanced panel of 257 web-based respondents in New Zealand in August 2020, October-November 2020, and March-April 2021. We use a novel approach with stated choice panel data to study transitions between different vaccine preference groups. We analyze the associations between these transitions and social media use. We classify respondents as resistant (never chose a vaccine), hesitant (chose a vaccine between 1 and 5 times), and provaccine (chose a vaccine 6 out of 6 times) in each wave of data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found a positive or neutral association between social media use and vaccine uptake. Facebook, Twitter (pre-2022), and TikTok users who are provaccine are less likely to become hesitant or resistant. Facebook and Instagram users who are hesitant are more likely to become pro. Some social media platforms may have a more positive association with vaccine uptake preferences for those who do not trust the government.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The paper contributes to the wider literature, which shows social media can be associated with reinforcing both pro and antivaccination sentiment, and these results depend on where individuals get their information from and their trust in such sources.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e66081"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12165271/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144176011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tracking Public Interest in Rare Diseases and Eosinophilic Disorders in Germany: Web Search Analysis.","authors":"Michael Hindelang, Sebastian Sitaru, Alexander Zink","doi":"10.2196/69040","DOIUrl":"10.2196/69040","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Eosinophilia and hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) are rare disorders grouped under the term hypereosinophilic disorders. They are diagnosed based on an increased number of eosinophils. They can also cause serious symptoms, including skin, lung, and gastrointestinal problems. These disorders are very rarely recognized due to their rarity and misdiagnosis.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study analyzes public interest in hypereosinophilic disorders using data on internet search volume in Germany between 2020 and 2023. Objectives include identifying frequently searched terms, evaluating temporal trends, analyzing seasonal patterns, evaluating geographic differences in search behavior, and identifying unmet information needs and frequently searched risk factors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective analysis using Google Ads Keyword Planner gathered monthly search volume data for 12 German terms related to hypereosinophilic disorders. These terms were selected based on their medical relevance and common usage identified from medical literature. Data were analyzed descriptively, with trends, seasonal variations, and geographical distributions examined. Chi-square tests and correlation analysis assessed statistical significance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 178 keywords were identified, resulting in a search volume of 1,745,540 queries. The top keyword was \"eosophile,\" a misspelling, followed by \"eosinophilia\" and \"HES.\" The main categories included \"Eosinophilia,\" \"Eosinophils,\" and \"Churg-Strauss syndrome.\" Temporal analysis showed seasonal growth in search volumes, peaking in January 2023, with higher interest during winter. Geographical analysis showed regional variations.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This research shows a growing public interest in eosinophilic diseases, reflected by a steadily increasing search volume over time. This is particularly evident in searches for basic definitions and diagnostic criteria, such as \"eosinophils\" or \"symptoms of eosinophilic diseases.\" This increase in search volume, which peaked in January 2023, indicates an increased interest in accurate and readily available information for rare conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e69040"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12152774/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144152892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Postpartum Depression and Maternal-Infant Bonding Experiences in Social Media Videos: Qualitative Content Analysis.","authors":"Kunmi Sobowale, Jamie Sarah Castleman, Sophia Yingruo Zhao","doi":"10.2196/59125","DOIUrl":"10.2196/59125","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>While the negative effects of postpartum depression on maternal-infant bonding are well-documented, our understanding of how it exerts these effects remains incomplete. A better understanding of how maternal postpartum depression affects bonding can enable clinicians to better identify and support mothers with difficulties bonding with their children.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to describe the bonding experiences of mothers with postpartum depression through an analysis of short-form videos and user engagement.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We collected publicly available highly-viewed TikTok videos using hashtags associated with postpartum depression and associated engagement metrics in May 2023. After manual screening, we extracted 533 videos related to the mother-infant bond, from which we analyzed a random subset of 159 videos. We abstracted categories from videos using a hybrid deductive and inductive approach. Negative binomial regression models of video likes, views, shares, and comment count were used with content categories and the creator's numbers of followers as independent variables.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Abstraction of content from mother-infant bond videos resulted in six categories: (1) navigating anxiety and anger, (2) creating physical and emotional boundaries, (3) overwhelmed by demands of caregiving, (4) subverted expectations, (5) enduring and finding strength through the challenge of postpartum depression, and (6) can't remember early life. Subverted expectations and navigating anxiety and anger categories were associated with increased views (rate ratio [RR] 1.72, 95% CI 1.22-2.43; RR 1.61, 95% CI 1.09-2.38, respectively), likes (RR 3.61, 95% CI 2.55-5.11; RR 3.96, 95% CI 2.69-5.85, respectively), shares (RR 2.95, 95%CI 2.09-4.18; RR 2.45, 95% CI 1.66-3.61, respectively), and comments (RR 2.78, 95% CI 1.97-3.94; RR 1.89, 95% CI 1.28-2.79, respectively). Sensitivity analysis with creators with fewer followers mostly aligned with these results.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This qualitative content analysis of short-form videos identified specific ways postpartum depression impacts the mother-infant bond, highlighting strategies for clinicians to support bonding. Analysis of engagement metrics further demonstrated the types of experiences that most resonate with viewers. Our findings demonstrate the potential of this qualitative method to augment understanding of lived experiences.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e59125"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12122829/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144082639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shifting Narratives in Media Coverage Across a Decade of Drug Discourse in the Philadelphia Inquirer: Qualitative Sentiment Analysis.","authors":"Layla Bouzoubaa, Ramtin Ehsani, Preetha Chatterjee, Rezvaneh Rezapour","doi":"10.2196/56004","DOIUrl":"10.2196/56004","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;The media has immense power in shaping public narratives surrounding sensitive topics such as substance use. Its portrayals can unintentionally fuel harmful stereotypes and stigma, negatively impacting individuals struggling with addiction, influencing policy decisions, and hindering broader public health efforts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;This study aimed to examine how the regional newspaper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, covered events related to illicit drug use between 2013 and 2022, focusing on linguistic patterns and themes associated with specific types of substances.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;We collected a dataset of 157,476 articles published in The Philadelphia Inquirer between 2013 and 2022 and categorized mentioned substances into 8 classes: stimulants, narcotics, cannabis, hallucinogens, depressants, designer drugs, drugs of concern, and treatment medications. From these 157,476 articles, we identified 3661 (2.32%) that mentioned at least 1 substance with potential for misuse. Using dynamic topic modeling, we analyzed thematic evolution in coverage across different drug classes. We then applied aspect-based sentiment analysis to extract the most significant phrases mentioned in each distinct drug class annually and examined the sentiments around these aspects to understand shifting discourse patterns.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Cannabis (1575/3661, 43.02%) and narcotics (1361/3661, 37.17%) dominated the coverage, with 2018 showing peak drug-related reporting (666/3661, 18.19%). Our substance co-occurrence analysis revealed that heroin was most frequently discussed alongside treatment medications (methadone, naloxone, and buprenorphine), reflecting evolving approaches to opioid use disorder. Topic modeling revealed distinct themes across drug classes: legislative and medical aspects dominated cannabis coverage, while narcotics coverage focused heavily on overdose deaths and safe injection sites, particularly during 2017 to 2018. Stimulant coverage centered on feature news and crime-related reporting, while treatment coverage showed an increasing focus on overdose prevention by 2021. The aspect-based sentiment analysis showed that 74.3% (165/222) of extracted aspects were portrayed negatively across all drug classes, with narcotics maintaining consistently negative sentiment throughout the period. However, some drug classes showed notable evolution: hallucinogens demonstrated a marked shift in sentiment score (SS) from negative coverage in 2013 (-0.79 SS) to positive coverage of therapeutic applications by 2021 (+0.47 SS), while cannabis coverage reflected complex societal debates, with industry and business aspects showing strong positive sentiment score peaks (0.64 SS in 2019) even as legislation and policy aspects remained volatile (-0.76 SS in 2013 to 0.61 SS in 2019 and declining to -0.31 SS by 2022).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;Our analysis revealed a predominance of negat","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e56004"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12117267/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144032207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Infodemic Versus Viral Information Spread: Key Differences and Open Challenges.","authors":"Matteo Cinelli, Francesco Gesualdo","doi":"10.2196/57455","DOIUrl":"10.2196/57455","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Unlabelled: </strong>As we move beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of future infodemics remains significant, driven by emerging health crises and the increasing influence of artificial intelligence in the information ecosystem. During periods of apparent stability, proactive efforts to advance infodemiology are essential for enhancing preparedness and improving public health outcomes. This requires a thorough examination of the foundations of this evolving discipline, particularly in understanding how to accurately identify an infodemic at the appropriate time and scale, and how to distinguish it from other processes of viral information spread, both within and outside the realm of public health. In this paper, we integrate expertise from data science and public health to examine the key differences between information production during an infodemic and viral information spread. We explore both clear and subtle distinctions, including context and contingency (ie, the association of an infodemic and viral information spread with a health crisis); information dynamics in terms of volume, spread, and predictability; the role of misinformation and information voids; societal impact; and mitigation strategies. By analyzing these differences, we highlight challenges and open questions. These include whether an infodemic is solely associated with pandemics or whether it could arise from other health emergencies; if infodemics are limited to health-related issues or if they could emerge from crises initially unrelated to health (like climate events); and whether infodemics are exclusively global phenomena or if they can occur on national or local scales. Finally, we propose directions for future quantitative research to help the scientific community more robustly differentiate between these phenomena and develop tailored management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e57455"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12077852/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144058730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring Topics, Emotions, and Sentiments in Health Organization Posts and Public Responses on Instagram: Content Analysis.","authors":"Abigail Paradise Vit, Avi Magid","doi":"10.2196/70576","DOIUrl":"10.2196/70576","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Social media is a vital tool for health organizations, enabling them to share evidence-based information, educate the public, correct misinformation, and support a more informed and healthier society.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to categorize health organizations' content on social media into topics; examine public engagement, sentiment, and emotional responses to these topics; and identify gaps in fear between health organizations' messages and the public response.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Real data were collected from the official Instagram accounts of health organizations worldwide. The BERTopic algorithm for topic modeling was used to categorize health organizations' posts into distinct topics. For each identified topic, we analyzed the engagement metrics (number of comments and likes) of posts categorized under the same topic, calculating the average engagement received. We examined the sentiment and emotional content of both posts and responses within the same topic, providing insights into the distributions of sentiment and emotions for each topic. Special attention was given to identifying emotions, such as fear, expressed in the posts and responses. In addition, a linguistic analysis and an analysis of sentiments and emotions over time were conducted.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 6082 posts and 82,982 comments were collected from the official Instagram accounts of 8 health organizations. The study revealed that topics related to COVID-19, vaccines, and humanitarian crises (such as the Ukraine conflict and the war in Gaza) generated the highest engagement. Our sentiment analysis of the responses to health organizations' posts showed that topics related to vaccines and monkeypox generated the highest percentage of negative responses. Fear was the dominant emotion expressed in the posts' text, while the public's responses showed more varied emotions, with anger notably high in discussions around vaccines. Gaps were observed between the level of fear conveyed in posts published by health organizations and in the fear conveyed in the public's responses to such posts, especially regarding mask wearing during COVID-19 and the influenza vaccine.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study underscores the importance of transparent communication that considers the emotional and sentiment-driven responses of the public on social media, particularly regarding vaccines. Understanding the psychological and social dynamics associated with public interaction with health information online can help health organizations achieve public health goals, fostering trust, countering misinformation, and promoting informed health behavior.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e70576"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12084776/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144043373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}