Emergence logic of true or false health information and optimization strategies: an evolutionary game considering dual-attribute

Purpose The intermingling of true and false health information poses a significant challenge, confusing the audience, disrupting public order and jeopardizing societal stability. This study aims to uncover the underlying logic behind the emergence of true or false health information and to develop optimization strategies for effective health information management. Design/methodology/approach Leveraging the dual-attribute hypothesis encompassing “economic” and “social” agendas, along with imitation theory, the study establishes a dynamic evolutionary game model between opinion leaders and followers to reveal the emergence logic of true or false health information. MATLAB simulations evaluate the stability of strategic evolution and scrutinize the emergence of true or false information. Findings The results reveal that under a “social agenda” preference, strategic evolution is resilient, favoring the emergence of true information. In contrast, under an “economic agenda” preference, the evolutionary convergency is sensitive to the influence of leadership, imitation costs, false dissemination and imitation risks, thereby influencing the emergence of true or false information. Research limitations/implications Because the factors influencing the spread of health information are complex and multifaceted, the study only considers the dual attributes of opinion leaders and the imitation behavior of followers, and we hope to broaden the perspective in future research. Practical implications Based on these insights, we propose optimization strategies such as targeted immunization, media literacy education and citizen journalism experiments to foster a transparent online space and enhance health information governance in China. Originality/value This paper reveals how the dual attributes of opinion leaders and the imitative behavior of followers affect health information emergence.