Confronting Media Misrepresentation and Misunderstanding in Digital Health Communication

A Review of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Doctoral Research Forum University

Abstract

On July 10, 2025, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University session of the 8thInternational Conference on “Medicine, Humanity, and Media” (MHM2025) was heldat Peking University's School of Journalism and Communication. The session,themed “Exploring Authenticity and Truth: Confronting Media Misrepresentation andMisunderstanding in Digital Health Communication,” featured presentations fromseveral research teams, leading by Professor Yungeng Li. The team's work focusedon the intersection of media representation, health risks, and digital trust, addressinghow misrepresentation and misunderstanding in health communication can distortpublic perceptions and influence behavioural outcomes. Drawing on interdisciplinaryframeworks from communication studies, psychology, and data science, their studieshighlighted the mechanisms through which media narratives amplify or mitigate riskperceptions, and examined strategies for reconstructing audience trust in digital healthenvironments. By integrating both qualitative and quantitative methods, the teamprovided novel insights into the challenges of ensuring authenticity in healthcommunication and proposed innovative approaches for fostering transparent and effective engagementin the digital age.