Health Misinformation and the Integrity of Data—What Is the Role of HI Professionals?

In 2018, Dictionary.com declared “misinformation” the word of the year. Initially referring to the realm of politics, misinformation can be used in any domain. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation has played an integral role in the world’s response to this scourge. Since “information” is health information management’s middle name, it is imperative that we endeavor to ensure that all health information that passes through our respective control or influence have the utmost integrity.

One of many new terms to become prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic is “infodemic.” The World Health Organization (WHO) defines infodemic as “too much information, including false or misleading information in digital and physical environments during a disease outbreak.”1 Due to the vast amount of information, good and bad, confusion about COVID-19 is rampant.