INTRODUCTION:
Health misinformation poses a critical threat to global public health, undermining disease prevention and trust in health systems¹⁻³. Health ombudsman services, at the interface of communities and health, receive communications revealing misinformation spread, communication failures, and public knowledge of diseases and health policies. This study explores ombudsman data as an early flagging system to identify misinformation patterns, guiding targeted communication to improve reliable health policy information and enhance public trust.

METHODS:
We analyzed data from 128074 records classified as information requests within the SUS Ombudsman Network⁴, covering the period from 1st January 2020 to July 18, 2025. These records were categorized and typified using the ‘OuvidorSUS system. Quantitative analysis assessed patterns in health information requests that may represent misinformation, communication failures, and demand of reliable information by the population over specific topics.

RESULTS:
During the study period, 128074 health information requests were recorded by the National SUS Ombudsman Network across municipalities, states and the Ministry of Health. Topics related to management processes and health surveillance accounted for 56.82%. Among subtopics, vaccination, COVID-19, vaccination schedules, and pharmaceuticals were reported as the most frequent findings. The most inquired-about medication in this regard was hydroxychloroquine in the context of the SARS Covid 19 pandemic. In the DAPS (Diseases, Actions, and Health Programs) field, the top two topics were vaccination (COVID-19) and coronavirus (COVID-19).

CONCLUSIONS:
Health ombudsman services provide valuable real-time information on community health information needs⁵, cometimes revealing misinformation. Data demonstrated that topics related to COVID-19 and vaccination represented a significant portion of the information requests. Integrating ombudsman data into public health communication strategies enables targeted and effective interventions, supporting decision-making by managers for the promotion of campaigns and training of health professionals⁶. This approach strengthens bidirectional communication, builds trust, and enhances health literacy, serving as an essential tool to combat misinformation.