Rumor management in public health: a system dynamics analysis based on social trust

Background With the rapid development of digital society and the Internet, public health systems are increasingly confronted with novel phenomena and emergent challenges originating from cyberspace. Single medical interventions often prove insufficient to address the complex and multifaceted nature of contemporary health issues, necessitating the integration of interdisciplinary expertise. Methods This study focuses on the propagation mechanisms of online rumors during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting their intricate interactions with social trust. Using a system dynamics approach, a comprehensive “generation–diffusion–dissipation” model of rumors was constructed, revealing the differentiated role of social trust across stages. Results Trust deficits create fertile ground for rumor emergence, while the impersonation and exploitation of trust facilitate rapid rumor diffusion beyond the bounds of rational skepticism. Conversely, trust reconstruction serves as a critic