Developing a scalable framework for partnerships between health agencies and the Wikimedia ecosystem

Area of Science:

• Digital Health Communication
• Public Health Information Dissemination
• Online Knowledge Management

Background:

• Information overload and misinformation pose challenges to public health communication.
• Wikipedia is a widely accessed, multilingual platform with established quality control for health information.
• Users increasingly rely on Wikipedia for health guidance, especially during health crises like Ebola and COVID-19.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a strategy for health institutions to enhance their global reach through Wikimedia platforms.
• To develop an interactive guide for efficiently distributing critical health messages during emergencies.
• To leverage Wikipedia and Wikidata for broader and faster public access to evidence-based health information.

Main Methods:

• Conceptualizing a strategy based on experiences of leading health organizations (WHO, CDC, Cancer Research UK, etc.).
• Proposing an interactive guide on Wikipedia and Wikidata platforms.
• Outlining a phased approach: curriculum development, pilot testing, and final dissemination.

Main Results:

• The proposed guide will cover Wikipedia features for content integration, sourcing, translation, and media sharing.
• It will address data structuring via Wikidata for querying and reuse, and offline content accessibility.
• The strategy aims to expedite the distribution of key health messages by health agencies.

Conclusions:

• An interactive guide can empower health agencies to effectively utilize Wikipedia and Wikidata for crisis communication.
• This initiative can significantly increase the speed and reach of evidence-based health information to the public.
• Optimizing content on Wikimedia platforms is crucial for global health preparedness and response.