ABSTRACT:
WORKSHOP Outline This workshop addresses the intersection of trust, information integrity, and emergency preparedness in an era defined by overlapping crises—from pandemics to climate change to geopolitical instability and digital platform disruption. We begin from the premise that the "information environment" is a determinant of health, as vital as the physical and social environment. Grounded in the findings of the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, we identify a global "trust recession" in traditional media and government institutions, contrasted by the resilience of trust in "Scientists" (76%) and "My Employer" (78%) [1-2]. The findings reframe misinformation on social media as a significant operational obstacle to disaster response, rather than a minor communication issue. Misinformation undermines trust, amplifies fear and anxiety, encourages risky behaviors, and diverts emergency resources. The workshop integrates these findings to show how erosion of trust impacts emergency communications, vaccine confidence, climate adaptation strategies, and coordinated response capacity. We present potential tools and solutions, such as a "Rapid Risk Assessment Framework" using AI (Large Language Models and social listening) to quantify narratives, and discuss potential biases this approach could introduce [3]. We also focus on strategies to help us move toward "brokering trust", emphasize the importance of trusted messengers, such as physicians and community peers, in safeguarding information integrity. This is particularly important for marginalized older adults (e.g. those with multimorbidity, disabilities, or living in geographically isolated areas), who are disproportionately affected by power imbalances and digital divides [4]. Finally, we present evidence of effective age-friendly interventions, such as social prescribing, which emphasize integrated social and healthcare through trusted community hubs to combat fatigue and rebuild resilience [5]. The session closes with a collaborative discussion and exchange of experience on applying various tools and trust-building strategies in participants' own national contexts.