Effects of the modern digital information environment on maternal healthcare professionals, the role of midwives and the people in their care : a scoping review

Abstract

The digital information environment poses challenges for pregnant women and other people seeking care and to their midwives and other maternal health providers. They can encounter questions, concerns, information gaps and misinformation, which can influence healthcare decisions. Objective: This literature review examines how healthcare providers are affected by the modern digital information environment, including health misinformation, its effects on their clients and implications it has on care provision. Methods: Screened English-language peer-reviewed literature published from Jan 1, 2020 to May 31, 2024 in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Google Scholar with keywords related to midwifery, misinformation and health equity. Results: 105 studies were ultimately included and themes extracted and mapped onto a patient-centered conceptual model to understand digital information environment barriers and enablers. Conclusions: Misinformation, information voids, unaddressed questions and concerns, and lack of access to high-quality health information are globally prevalent barriers that affect both patients and healthcare providers (HCPs). The review identified individual, provider-level, health systems and societal-level strategies that can be used to promote healthier digital information environments.