Community participation in responding to health misinformation

Responses to health misinformation increasingly emphasize the importance of community engagement, yet the role of participation and power sharing remains under-theorized and inconsistently described in the peer-reviewed literature. Drawing on findings from the systematic review Overcoming Health Misinformation in Marginalized Groups, which examined 32 studies evaluating approaches to tackling health misinformation, we reflect on how the depth and quality of community participation shape trust, engagement, and intervention success. We argue that sustained partnership, shared decision-making, and local ownership enhance message credibility and reach by embedding health information within trusted social contexts. We propose strengthening equity-focused responses through structured reporting tools that center power, trust, and co-production as practical design principles rather than implementation add-ons. Making participation visible is critical if community engagement is to move beyond rhetoric and contribute meaningfully to addressing health misinformation in contexts of low institutional trust.