RESUMO

Introduction: Wikidata is a free knowledge project maintained by the Wikimedia Foundation, with contributions from a community of volunteers, aiming to structure a database for the lexicographical representation of units of knowledge. Open data refers to information made freely available, without restrictions on use, redistribution, or modification, as part of the ontological organization of knowledge in the digital ecosystem. Several search engines and digital platforms use Wikidata as a reference source in search results for health information on the internet. Equitable and free access to knowledge is a fundamental step in promoting health literacy, favoring prevention and self-advocacy in health. Using semantic models for declaring information with properties, attributes, and reference sources, Wikidata enables information curation for the dissemination of health knowledge on the internet. The use of free knowledge projects to democratize access to scientifically grounded information about hearing health is an emerging trend and a model for digital health communication. For example, the global campaign Wiki4WorldHearingDay2023 reached over 16.5 million people worldwide, addressing topics related to hearing health. Therefore, it is crucial to explore the possibilities offered by Wikidata for data literacy and accessing information about hearing health. Objective: To report the experience of a training event on the use of the Wikidata open database as a tool for structuring and disseminating knowledge in hearing health on the internet. Methodology: A in-person Edit-a-thon event was organized to edit open data in the Wikidata database, with the objectives of: (i) promoting the use of Wikidata by audiologists; (ii) contributing to the structuring and creation of open data in hearing health, through editing information items in Wikidata in Audiology; (iii) contributing to the curation and insertion of scientific references on hearing health; (iv) editing, creating, and mapping the ontological organization of information in Wikidata on hearing health. All edits made during the event were monitored through the Outreach Dashboard educational tracking platform and using the Reasonator tool for mapping the ontological structure of knowledge in hearing health in Wikidata. Results: The event was attended by 19 undergraduate and graduate students affiliated with a Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology course and a multiprofessional residency program in hearing health. Four new data items were created, and 72 items were edited, totaling 444 edits by participants, and 277 bibliographic references were added to edited items from Outreach Dashboard data. Analysis of the ontological organization of knowledge using the Reasonator tool indicates 225 open data related to Audiology in Wikidata. Conclusions: The event highlighted the potential use of Wikidata as an effective tool for structuring and disseminating knowledge in hearing health on the internet, as well as serving as a training strategy for students and professionals in the context of digital health communication and data literacy based on free knowledge projects.