Characteristics, Influence, Prevention, and Control Measures of the Mpox Infodemic: Scoping Review of Infodemiology Studies.
XiangYu Yan, Zhuo Li, Chunxia Cao, Longxin Huang, Yongjie Li, Xiangbin Meng, Bo Zhang, Maohe Yu, Tian Huang, Jiancheng Chen, Wei Li, Linhui Hao, Dongsheng Huang, Bin Yi, Ming Zhang, Shun Zha, Haijun Yang, Jian Yao, Pengjiang Qian, Chun Kai Leung, Haojun Fan, Pei Jiang, Tiejun Shui
Author Information
XiangYu Yan: School of Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China. ORCID
Zhuo Li: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China. ORCID
Chunxia Cao: School of Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China. ORCID
Longxin Huang: Department of Clinical Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China. ORCID
Yongjie Li: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China. ORCID
Xiangbin Meng: Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China. ORCID
Bo Zhang: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, China. ORCID
Maohe Yu: Tianjin Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Tianjin, China. ORCID
Tian Huang: Yunnan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming, China. ORCID
Jiancheng Chen: Xiamen Peiyang BCI & Smart Health Innovation Research Institution, Xiamen, China. ORCID
Wei Li: Yunnan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China. ORCID
Linhui Hao: Yunnan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming, China. ORCID
Dongsheng Huang: Baoshan Prefecture Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Baoshan, China. ORCID
Bin Yi: Lincang Prefecture Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Lincang, China. ORCID
Ming Zhang: Department of Radiation Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University & Tumor Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China. ORCID
Shun Zha: Yunnan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming, China. ORCID
Haijun Yang: Yan'An Hospital of Kunming City, Kunming, China. ORCID
Jian Yao: School of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China. ORCID
Pengjiang Qian: School of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China. ORCID
Chun Kai Leung: Department of Public and International Affairs, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. ORCID
Haojun Fan: School of Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China. ORCID
Pei Jiang: Department of Public Health, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China. ORCID
Tiejun Shui: Yunnan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming, China. ORCID
BACKGROUND: The mpox pandemic has caused widespread public concern around the world. The spread of misinformation through the internet and social media could lead to an infodemic that poses challenges to mpox control. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to summarize mpox-related infodemiology studies to determine the characteristics, influence, prevention, and control measures of the mpox infodemic and propose prospects for future research. METHODS: The scoping review was conducted based on a structured 5-step methodological framework. A comprehensive search for mpox-related infodemiology studies was performed using PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus, with searches completed by April 30, 2024. After study selection and data extraction, the main topics of the mpox infodemic were categorized and summarized in 4 aspects, including a trend analysis of online information search volume, content topics of mpox-related online posts and comments, emotional and sentiment characteristics of online content, and prevention and control measures for the mpox infodemic. RESULTS: A total of 1607 articles were retrieved from the databases according to the keywords, and 61 studies were included in the final analysis. After the World Health Organization's declaration of an mpox public health emergency of international concern in July 2022, the number of related studies began growing rapidly. Google was the most widely used search engine platform (9/61, 15%), and Twitter was the most used social media app (32/61, 52%) for researchers. Researchers from 33 countries were concerned about mpox infodemic-related topics. Among them, the top 3 countries for article publication were the United States (27 studies), India (9 studies), and the United Kingdom (7 studies). Studies of online information search trends showed that mpox-related online search volume skyrocketed at the beginning of the mpox outbreak, especially when the World Health Organization provided important declarations. There was a large amount of misinformation with negative sentiment and discriminatory and hostile content against gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. Given the characteristics of the mpox infodemic, the studies provided several positive prevention and control measures, including the timely and active publishing of professional, high-quality, and easy-to-understand information online; strengthening surveillance and early warning for the infodemic based on internet data; and taking measures to protect key populations from the harm of the mpox infodemic. CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive summary of evidence from previous mpox infodemiology studies is valuable for understanding the characteristics of the mpox infodemic and for formulating prevention and control measures. It is essential for researchers and policy makers to establish prediction and early warning approaches and targeted intervention methods for dealing with the mpox infodemic in the future.
