%0 Journal Article
%@ 1438-8871
%I JMIR Publications
%V 27
%N 
%P e70108
%T Effects of the Modern Digital Information Environment on Maternal Health Care Professionals, the Role of Midwives, and the People in Their Care: Scoping Review
%A Wilhelm,Elisabeth
%A Vivilaki,Victoria
%A Calleja-Agius,Jean
%A Petelos,Elena
%A Tzeli,Maria
%A Giaxi,Paraskevi
%A Triantiafyllou,Elena
%A Asimaki,Eleni
%A Alevizou,Faye
%A Purnat,Tina D
%+ Department of Midwifery, School of Healthcare and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, Agiou Spiridonos 28, Egaleo, Athens, 122 43, Greece, 30 21 0538 510, ewilhelm@uniwa.gr
%K digital health
%K midwifery
%K misinformation
%K information-seeking midwifery
%K health information seeking
%K social media
%K medical misinformation
%D 2025
%7 25.2.2025
%9 Review
%J J Med Internet Res
%G English
%X Background: The digital information environment poses challenges for pregnant women and other people seeking care, as well as for their midwives and other health care professionals (HCPs). They can encounter questions, concerns, information gaps, and misinformation, which can influence health care decisions. Objective: This scoping review examines how HCPs are affected by the modern digital information environment including health misinformation, its effects on the women and people they care for, and its implications for care provision. Methods: English-language peer-reviewed literature, published from January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2024, with keywords related to midwifery, misinformation, and health equity collected and analyzed by a team of midwives and maternal care professionals and mapped onto a patient-centered conceptual model. Results: A total of 105 studies were ultimately included. Further, 95 papers identified specific digital information environment issues that affected clients; 58 specifically highlighted digital information environment issues impacting HCPs; 91 papers identified specific topics of common questions, concerns, misinformation, information voids, or narratives; 57 papers identified patient or population vulnerability; and 75 included mentions of solutions or recommendations for addressing a digital information environment issue around clients seeking care from midwives and other HCPs. When mapped onto the Journey to Health model, the most prominent barrier was access to care and information. Individual-level issues dominate the step related to knowledge, awareness, and belief, with more social norms and wider engagement appearing at steps related to intent. Client-specific themes dominate the left-hand side of the model and provider-specific issues dominate the right-hand side of the model. Conclusions: Misinformation, information voids, unaddressed questions and concerns, and lack of access to high-quality health information are worldwide prevalent barriers that affect both patients and HCPs. We identified individual, provider-level, health systems, and societal-level strategies that can be used to promote healthier digital information environments. 
%M 39998875
%R 10.2196/70108
%U https://www.jmir.org/2025/1/e70108
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/70108
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39998875