Keywords
COVID-19
Social Networking
Health Behavior
Health Policy
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction Information epidemics, called “infodemics”, are common during health emergencies. Social media and in particular WhatsApp notably spread mis/disinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic; the use of these disinformation channels has persisted and continues to expand. Objective: This study critically analyses the infodemic discourses disseminated on WhatsApp in Mexico during the first three months of the pandemic, providing insights into the nature of these discourses and highlighting key elements for enhancing responses to infodemics. Methodology: We conducted a mixed-methods study and collected a convenience sample of 124 qualitative observations consisting of WhatsApp messages. A descriptive quantitative, and thematic qualitative analysis was conducted using an infodemics framework and categorizing by topic, type, and authorship. Results: Out of the 107 messages analyzed, most were fabricated (43%), misleading (34%), or impostered (19%). Conspiracy as an argumentative thread was a key qualitative finding across all themes and explained the infodemic from different angles. A conceptual map of conspiracy in health and detailed dendrograms explain the mis/disinformation on topics such as virus origin, prevention, and care in infodemics. False medical authorship attributes authority and credibility to the messages, and self-medication with non-proven remedies was a key recommendation. Conclusions: The findings reveal types of mis/disinformation shared during the pandemic, highlight main public health concerns, and reveal conspiratorial narratives and their mechanisms of dissemination in Mexico and Latin America. Understanding WhatsApp discourse can guide effective institutional and AI-driven interventions and public policies for future health emergencies.
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