Short-Video Apps as a Health Information Source for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Information Quality Assessment of TikTok Videos

"Does My Kid Have an Ear Infection?" An Analysis of Pediatric Acute Otitis Media Videos on TikTok

INTRODUCTION

With the rise of social media, online platforms have become a common way to access healthcare information. This study examines the quality of pediatric acute otitis media (AOM) videos on TikTok, a popular short-form video social media platform.

METHODS

A TikTok search was conducted between 8/18 and 8/19/2023 using pediatric AOM hashtags: #pediatric acute otitis media management, #kid ear infections remedy, #child ear infections treatment, and #kid ear infection. Data collected include number of views/shares per day, uploader type (nonmedical influencer, lay individual, and medical professional), and content categories. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Material (PEMAT-AV) and DISCERN questionnaire measured understandability, actionability, and quality of videos. Multivariable linear regression models were used (significance set at ≤0.05).

RESULTS

Of 166 videos, 38.6% (64) of uploaders were medical professionals, and 32.5% (54) were nonmedical influencers. Nonmedical influencer videos were viewed and shared significantly more than those by medical professionals (p < 0.05). Controlling for covariates, physicians were more likely to produce more beneficial and higher quality videos as compared with nonmedical influencers (β = 2.4 and 1.3, p < 0.01, respectively). However, physicians did not have significantly different ratings for understandability compared with nonmedical influencers (β = 0.45, p > 0.05).

DISCUSSION

AOM content on TikTok is often geared toward caretakers of symptomatic children. Although physician-created AOM content was significantly higher quality, these videos reached a statistically smaller audience than those from nonmedical influencers. Addressing misinformation on social media platforms requires physicians to reach larger audiences by producing more actionable and understandable content.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

NA Laryngoscope, 2024.

COVID-19 Vaccines #ForYou: Analyzing COVID-19 Vaccine Videos on TikTok During the Early Phase of the Vaccine Rollout in the U.S

This study examined COVID-19 vaccine videos on TikTok (n = 216 collected in March 2021) during the early days of the vaccine rollout in the U.S., including video source, overall stance toward COVID-19 vaccines, Health Belief Model (HBM)-related content, message features (i.e. humor, video type, message sensation value, on-screen text, and unoriginal sound), and user engagement indices (number of views, shares, comments, and likes). Regarding source, health professionals and general users were two of the main sources, which varied depending on video stance. Pro-vaccine videos occurred the most often from health professionals whereas anti-vaccine videos occurred the most often from general users. Health professionals (vs. general users) generated more views, shares, comments, and likes. Regarding stance, we found more pro- than anti-vaccine videos (57.9% vs. 37.5%). Stance was not related with any user engagement index. Though many videos were pro-vaccine, the content corresponding to HBM-specified factors, which likely facilitate a positive behavioral change, was largely lacking, such as mentions of COVID-19 severity (5.6%), susceptibility (2.8%) and information boosting vaccination self-efficacy (3.7%). Mentions of side effects (34%) emerged as the major vaccination barrier. HBM-related mentions were not related with any user engagement index. COVID-19 vaccine videos used several features, which varied across stance. Pro-vaccine videos featured more musical performance, while anti-vaccine videos used more humor, playacting, sound effects, and unoriginal sound. Several message features (e.g. humor and on-screen text) were positively associated with users' engagement with a video. Practical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.

"Addiction is Not a Choice." #narcansaveslives: Collective Voice in Harm Reduction on TikTok

Using 100 videos posted to TikTok by harm reduction creators with the hashtags #narcansaveslives and #naloxonesaveslives, this study examines who is posting, what they are saying, and how they are explaining Narcan/naloxone to their followers. Incorporating the concept of reverse agenda setting, we examine how, through hashtags, TikTok creators can set the agenda for what is important to discuss in the harm reduction space. Findings demonstrate that harm reduction creators have developed a collective voice and created an affective public, attempting to educate others, shed stigma, and normalize the conversation around harm reduction. These creators are using TikTok to educate followers about the prevalence of opioid use, the availability of Narcan/naloxone, correcting misinformation, and discussing the reality of recovery. Echoing prior studies, this research illustrates how TikTok has become an essential resource for health questions, including opioid use. Practical implications are also discussed.

Quality assessment of health science-related short videos on TikTok: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this review are to clarify the current state of research in terms of assessment tools and assessors of the quality of health science-related short videos on TikTok, to identify limitations in existing research; and to provide a reference for future studies.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, EBSCO, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data, and CBM databases were searched from September 2016 to November 2022. Manual searching was also performed to identify additional eligible studies. A total of 2620 documents were initially retrieved, and 29 were ultimately included. The literature was screened and collected, and data were extracted and summarized by 2 researchers.

RESULTS

(1) The quality evaluation tools used in the 29 papers included the DISCERN, PEMAT(A/V), GQS, JAMA, HONcode, guidelines and self-developed tools. Twenty-four of the included articles used the DISCERN for quality assessment, which was the most frequently used evaluation tool. However, most of these tools were not developed to assess health science-related short videos, lacked credibility tests, and had poor applicability; therefore, the accuracy of the evaluation results might be biased. (2) The assessors of the quality of health science-related short videos on TikTok were mainly experts in related fields and medical students, with doctors (12/14) being the most common evaluators. Fifteen studies did not report the identity of the evaluators, and 12 studies did not report interrater reliability.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review found that there is a lack of specific quality assessment tools for health science-related short videos on TikTok. Second, the current quality assessors of health science-related short videos on TikTok are limited. Future research should focus on the development of reliable, scientific quality assessment tools for health science-related short videos; unifying the evaluation standards; inviting users with different backgrounds and different health literacy levels to conduct quality assessments; exploring the quality assessment of health science-related short videos on TikTok from different perspectives.

The status quo of short video as sources of health information on gastroesophageal reflux disease in China: a cross-sectional study

Background

Positive lifestyle adjustments have become effective methods in treating gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Utilizing short video platforms to encourage GERD patients for effective self-disease management is a convenient and cost-effective approach. However, the quality of GERD-related videos on short video platforms is yet to be determined, and these videos may contain misinformation that patients cannot recognize. This study aims to assess the information quality of GERD-related short videos on TikTok and Bilibili in China.

Methods

Search and filter the top 100 GERD-related videos on TikTok and Bilibili based on comprehensive rankings. Two independent gastroenterologists conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the video quality using the Global Quality Score and the modified DISCERN tool. Simultaneously, the content of the videos was analyzed across six aspects: definition, symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes.

Results

A total of 164 GERD-related videos were collected in this study, and videos from non-gastrointestinal health professionals constitute the majority (56.71%), with only 28.66% originating from gastroenterology health professionals. The overall quality and reliability of the videos were relatively low, with DISCERN and GQS scores of 2 (IQR: 2-3) and 3 (IQR: 2-3), respectively. Relatively speaking, videos from gastrointestinal health professionals exhibit the highest reliability and quality, with DISCERN scores of 3 (IQR: 3-4) and GQS scores of 3 (IQR: 3-4), respectively.

Conclusion

Overall, the information content and quality of GERD-related videos still need improvement. In the future, health professionals are required to provide high-quality videos to facilitate effective self-disease management for GERD patients.

TikTok as a Source of Health Information and Misinformation for Young Women in the United States: Survey Study

BACKGROUND

TikTok is one of the most-used and fastest-growing social media platforms in the world, and recent reports indicate that it has become an increasingly popular source of news and information in the United States. These trends have important implications for public health because an abundance of health information exists on the platform. Women are among the largest group of TikTok users in the United States and may be especially affected by the dissemination of health information on TikTok. Prior research has shown that women are not only more likely to look for information on the internet but are also more likely to have their health-related behaviors and perceptions affected by their involvement with social media.

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a survey of young women in the United States to better understand their use of TikTok for health information as well as their perceptions of TikTok's health information and health communication sources.

METHODS

A web-based survey of US women aged 18 to 29 years (N=1172) was conducted in April-May 2023. The sample was recruited from a Qualtrics research panel and 2 public universities in the United States.

RESULTS

The results indicate that the majority of young women in the United States who have used TikTok have obtained health information from the platform either intentionally (672/1026, 65.5%) or unintentionally (948/1026, 92.4%). Age (959/1026, 93.47%; r=0.30; P<.001), education (959/1026, 93.47%; ρ=0.10; P=.001), and TikTok intensity (ie, participants' emotional connectedness to TikTok and TikTok's integration into their daily lives; 959/1026, 93.47%; r=0.32; P<.001) were positively correlated with overall credibility perceptions of the health information. Nearly the entire sample reported that they think that misinformation is prevalent on TikTok to at least some extent (1007/1026, 98.15%), but a third-person effect was found because the young women reported that they believe that other people are more susceptible to health misinformation on TikTok than they personally are (t1025=21.16; P<.001). Both health professionals and general users were common sources of health information on TikTok: 93.08% (955/1026) of the participants indicated that they had obtained health information from a health professional, and 93.86% (963/1026) indicated that they had obtained health information from a general user. The respondents showed greater preference for health information from health professionals (vs general users; t1025=23.75; P<.001); the respondents also reported obtaining health information from health professionals more often than from general users (t1025=8.13; P<.001), and they were more likely to act on health information from health professionals (vs general users; t1025=12.74; P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that health professionals and health communication scholars need to proactively consider using TikTok as a platform for disseminating health information to young women because young women are obtaining health information from TikTok and prefer information from health professionals.

Myopia information on TikTok: analysis factors that impact video quality and audience engagement

BACKGROUND

TikTok is emerging as a vital platform for health information dissemination. Despite myopia being a global public health issue, the high-quality myopia information shared by health educators often fails to go viral. It is imperative to analyze the factors influencing video quality and popularity, especially from diverse perspectives of researchers, health educators, and audiences.

METHODS

TikTok myopia-related videos were retrieved using TikTok's default comprehensive search (DCS) and most liked search (MLS) strategies. Venn diagrams were employed to illustrate the relationships and commonalities between the two strategies across four sample sizes (top 200, 150, 100, and 50). Video metadata, including details such as creator information, production properties, upload time, video duration, and viewer engagement, were collected. Video quality was assessed using the DISCERN tool. Video content covering six aspects of myopia were evaluated. The impact of search strategies, video sample sizes, production properties, and myopia content on video quality and audience engagement was analyzed through single-factor or multi-factor analysis.

RESULTS

DCS and MLS retrieval strategies, as well as varying sample sizes, resulted in differences in audience engagement for myopia videos (P < 0.039), while The DISCERN quality scores remained comparable (P > 0.221). Videos published by healthcare professionals (HCPs) and non-profit organizations (NPOs) were associated with high-quality (P ≤ 0.014) but comparatively lower popularity (P < 0.033). Videos that reported contents of risk factors, management, and outcomes showed high popularity (P < 0.018), while longer video duration (> 60s) exhibited the opposite trend (P < 0.032). Content on myopia evaluation (P ≤ 0.001) and management (P ≤ 0.022) and video duration were positively correlated with higher DISCERN quality.

CONCLUSION

Videos created by HCPs and NPOs deserve greater attention. Rather than pursuing entertaining effects, professional educators should emphasize producing concise, and high-quality myopia content that readily resonates with the audience and has the potential to go viral on the platform.

Quality assessment of videos on social media platforms related to gestational diabetes mellitus in China: A cross-section study

Purpose

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the quality of content and information in videos related to gestational diabetes mellitus on Chinese social media platforms.

Methods

The videos on various platforms, TikTok, Bilibili, and Weibo, were searched with the keyword "gestational diabetes mellitus" in Chinese, and the first 50 videos with a comprehensive ranking on each platform were included for subsequent analysis. Characteristic information of video was collected, such as their duration, number of days online, number of likes, comments, and number of shares. DISCREN, JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association) Benchmark Criteria, and GQS (Global Quality Scores) were used to assess the quality of all videos. Finally, the correlation analysis was performed among video features, video sources, DISCERN scores, and JAMA scores.

Results

Ultimately, 135 videos were included in this study. The mean DISCERN total score was 31.84 ± 7.85, the mean JAMA score was 2.33 ± 0.72, and the mean GQS was 2.00 ± 0.40. Most of the videos (52.6%) were uploaded by independent medical professionals, and videos uploaded by professionals had the shortest duration and time online (P < 0.001). The source of the video was associated with numbers of "likes", "comments", and "shares" for JAMA scores (P < 0.001), but there was no correlation with DISCERN scores. Generally, videos on TikTok with the shortest duration received the most numbers of "likes", "comments", and "shares", but the overall quality of videos on Weibo was higher.

Conclusion

Although the majority of the videos were uploaded by independent medical professionals, the overall quality appeared to be poor. Therefore, more efforts and actions should be taken to improve the quality of videos related to gestational diabetes mellitus.

Short video platforms as sources of health information about cervical cancer: A content and quality analysis

BACKGROUND

The development of short popular science video platforms helps people obtain health information, but no research has evaluated the information characteristics and quality of short videos related to cervical cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality and reliability of short cervical cancer-related videos on TikTok and Kwai.

METHODS

The Chinese keyword "cervical cancer" was used to search for related videos on TikTok and Kwai, and a total of 163 videos were ultimately included. The overall quality of these videos was evaluated by the Global Quality Score (GQS) and the modified DISCERN tool.

RESULTS

A total of 163 videos were included in this study, TikTok and Kwai contributed 82 and 81 videos, respectively. Overall, these videos received much attention; the median number of likes received was 1360 (403-6867), the median number of comments was 147 (40-601), and the median number of collections was 282 (71-1296). In terms of video content, the etiology of cervical cancer was the most frequently discussed topic. Short videos posted on TikTok received more attention than did those posted on Kwai, and the GQS and DISCERN score of videos posted on TikTok were significantly better than those of videos posted on Kwai. In addition, the videos posted by specialists were of the highest quality, with a GQS and DISCERN score of 3 (2-3) and 2 (2-3), respectively. Correlation analysis showed that GQS was significantly correlated with the modified DISCERN scores (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the quality and reliability of cervical cancer-related health information provided by short videos were unsatisfactory, and the quality of the videos posted on TikTok was better than that of videos posted on Kwai. Compared with those posted by individual users, short videos posted by specialists provided higher-quality health information.

Characteristics, hotspots, and prospects of short video research: A review of papers published in China from 2012 to 2022

In recent years, due to the increase in their global popularity, short video applications have become an important topic of research. The number of users has now exceeded one billion in China; accordingly, Chinese researchers have conducted many studies on short videos. Their findings can serve as important references for both theoretical research on and the practical development of short videos worldwide. In this study, we used bibliometrics method and the CiteSpace application to analyze the content of 2163 representative research papers on short videos published in China from 2012 to 2022. The number of such papers is increasing annually in China; moreover, several core groups of authors and research institutions focusing on short video research have already been formed. Some popular topics of research on these videos include the main characteristics of short videos, phenomenon of media convergence based on short videos, and application scenarios of short videos. Over the years, research on the popular short video application Douyin has been increasing, as well. The research results indicate that issues such as the marketing of short knowledge videos, standardized management of short video platforms, and impact of these videos on the education of college students are expected to become popular subjects of scholarly research in the near future.

The status quo of short videos as a source of health information regarding bowel preparation before colonoscopy

Background

For high-quality colonoscopies, adequate bowel preparation is a prerequisite, closely associated with the diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic safety of colonoscopy. Although popular-science short videos can help people quickly access health information, the overall quality of such short videos as a source of health information regarding bowel preparation before colonoscopy is unclear. Therefore, we intend to conduct a cross-sectional study to investigate the quality of bowel preparation information before colonoscopy through short videos taken on TikTok and Bilibili.

Methods

The Chinese phrases "colonoscopy" and "bowel preparation" were used as keywords to search for and screen the top 100 videos in the comprehensive rankings on TikTok and Bilibili. The Global Quality Score (GQS) and the modified DISCERN score were used to assess the quality of the information provided in these short videos.

Results

A total of 186 short videos were included in this study; 56.5% of them were posted by health professionals, whereas 43.5% of them were posted by nonhealth professionals. The overall quality of these videos was unsatisfactory, with a median DISCERN score of 3 (2-4) and a median GQS of 3 (3-4). The radar maps showed that videos posted by gastroenterologists had higher completeness scores regarding outcomes, management, and risk factors, while nongastroenterologists had higher completeness scores concerning adverse effects, symptoms, and definitions of bowel preparation. Additionally, the median DISCERN score and GQS of the videos posted by gastroenterologists were 3 (3-4) and 3 (3-4), respectively, whereas the quality of the videos posted by patients was the worst, with a median DISCERN score of 2 (1-2) and a median GQS of 2 (1.25-3).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the overall quality of health information-related videos on bowel preparation before colonoscopy posted on specified short video platforms was not satisfactory. Gastroenterologists provide more information on the outcomes, management, and risk factors for bowel preparation before colonoscopy, while nongastroenterologists focus on adverse effects, symptoms, and definitions of bowel preparation.

Assessment of the reliability and quality of breast cancer related videos on TikTok and Bilibili: cross-sectional study in China

Background

As the most common malignant tumor in the world, breast cancer also brings a huge disease burden to China. Ordinary people are increasingly inclined to use the Internet, especially video social platforms, as a source of health information. Educating the public to obtain correct information is important to reduce the incidence of breast cancer and improve the prognosis. However, the quality and reliability of breast cancer-related video content have not been fully studied.

Objective

This study aims to evaluate the quality of the information of breast cancer-related videos on TikTok and Bilibili video sharing platforms and factors related to video quality.

Methods

We collected the top 100 videos about breast cancer on TikTok and Bilibili, respectively. Categorize videos according to video source and video content. Video quality and reliability were assessed using Global Quality Score (GQS) and modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) tools. We also analyzed the correlation between video quality and video likes, comments, saves, and shares.

Results

Although the quality and reliability of Bilibili's breast cancer videos were higher than TikTok (p = 0.002 and p = 0.001, respectively), the video quality of both video sharing platforms was not satisfactory, with a median GQS scores of 2.00 and 3.00 and mDISCERN scores of 1.00 and 2.00, respectively. In general, the quality and reliability of videos released by medical practitioners were higher than those of non-medical practitioners, and the quality and reliability of videos covering disease-related knowledge were higher than those of news reports (all p < 0.001). Among medical practitioners, the quality of videos uploaded by doctors in breast disease was significantly lower than that of doctors in other areas (p < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between video quality and duration (r = 0.240, p < 0.001), a weak negative correlation between video quality and likes (r = 0.191, p < 0.01), video quality and comments (r = 0.256, p < 0.001), video reliability and likes (r = 0.198, p < 0.001), video reliability and comments (r = 0.243, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Our study shows that the quality and reliability of breast cancer-related videos on TikTok and Bilibili are poor, and the overall quality is unsatisfactory. But videos uploaded by medical practitioners covering disease knowledge, prevention and treatment are of higher quality. Medical practitioners are encouraged to publish more high-quality videos, while video social platforms should formulate relevant policies to censor and supervise health education videos, so as to enable the public to obtain reliable health information.

The status quo of short videos as a health information source of Helicobacter pylori: a cross-sectional study

Background

Health education about Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the most effective methods to prevent H. pylori infection and standardize H. pylori eradication treatment. Short videos enable people to absorb and remember information more easily and are an important source of health education. This study aimed to assess the information quality of H. pylori-related videos on Chinese short video-sharing platforms.

Methods

A total of 242 H. pylori-related videos from three Chinese short video-sharing platforms with the most users, TikTok, Bilibili, and Kwai, were retrieved. The Global Quality Score (GQS) and the modified DISCERN tool were used to assess the quality and content of videos, respectively. Additionally, comparative analyzes of videos based on different sources and common H. pylori issues were also conducted.

Results

The median GQS score and DISCERN score was 2 for H. pylori-related videos analyzed in this study. Non-gastroenterologists posted the most H. pylori-related videos (136/242, 56.2%). Videos from gastroenterologists (51/242, 21.0%) had the highest GQS and DISCERN scores, with a median of 3. Few videos had content on family-based H. pylori infection control and management (5.8%), whether all H. pylori-positive patients need to undergo eradication treatment (27.7%), and the adverse effects of H. pylori eradication therapy (16.1%).

Conclusion

Generally, the content and quality of the information in H. pylori-related videos were unsatisfactory, and the quality of the video correlated with the source of the video. Videos from gastroenterologists provided more correct guidance with higher-quality information on the prevention and treatment of H. pylori infection.

Prediction of drug-drug interactions between roflumilast and CYP3A4/1A2 perpetrators using a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) approach

This study aimed to develop a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model to predict changes in the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD, PDE4 inhibition) of roflumilast (ROF) and ROF N-oxide when co-administered with eight CYP3A4/1A2 perpetrators. The population PBPK model of ROF and ROF N-oxide has been successfully developed and validated based on the four clinical PK studies and five clinical drug-drug interactions (DDIs) studies. In PK simulations, every ratio of prediction to observation for PK parameters fell within the range 0.7 to 1.5. In DDI simulations, except for tow peak concentration ratios (Cmax) of ROF with rifampicin (prediction: 0.63 vs. observation: 0.19) and with cimetidine (prediction: 1.07 vs. observation: 1.85), the remaining predicted ratios closely matched the observed ratios. Additionally, the PBPK model suggested that co-administration with the three perpetrators (cimetidine, enoxacin, and fluconazole) may use with caution, with CYP3A4 strong inhibitor (ketoconazole and itraconazole) or with dual CYP3A41A2 inhibitor (fluvoxamine) may reduce to half-dosage or use with caution, while co-administration with CYP3A4 strong or moderate inducer (rifampicin, efavirenz) should avoid. Overall, the present PBPK model can provide recommendations for adjusting dosing regimens in the presence of DDIs.

Quality assessment of online osteosarcoma-related videos in Mainland China: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Information about orthopedics diseases on the Internet has not been extensively assessed. Our purpose was to evaluate the quality of online information of osteosarcoma on current video-sharing platforms in mainland China.

METHOD

TikTok and Bilibili were independently queried from June to July 2023 by four independent researchers using the Microsoft Edge web browser. Information about the videos and creators was recorded, and descriptive analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

After data extraction, a total of 95 videos were included, in which 43 videos were uploaded by certified doctors (45.3%), with 35 videos (36.8%) uploaded by certified orthopedic surgeons. Of the content of these videos, 78.9% were introduction (n = 75), 64.2% were on professional knowledge (n = 61), 28.4% were on treatment (n = 27), while 5.3% were on surgical techniques (n = 5). The mean DISCERN total score was 43.8 ± 13.4, and the mean JAMA score was 3.8 ± 0.3.

CONCLUSIONS

Videos about osteosarcoma on current video-sharing platforms were extensive, but were not comprehensive and professional. Although current online videos have the potential to improve public awareness on osteosarcoma, due to their quality and content, were not assessed to be good sources for medical education.

Gluten-free diet on video platforms: Retrospective infodemiology study

Background

Video platform is an important approach for individuals to access and adopt health information. Online information on gluten-free diet (GFD) videos remains underinvestigated.

Methods

GFD videos were identified by hashtag-based searching strategy. Videos' basic information, engagement metrics, and content were recorded. Mann-Kendall test was performed to examine time trends of submitting videos and engagement metrics. Video quality was evaluated by the DISCERN instrument and the HONcode.

Results

A total of 822 videos were included in the analysis, with the majority focusing on gluten-free food recipes. The number of videos related to GFD was showing an upward trend. Engagement metrics varied between platforms and video types, with non-recipe videos receiving higher user engagement. The average DISCERN score was 50.20 out of 80 and the average HONcode score was 1.93 out of 8. Videos submitted by health professionals demonstrated better quality compared to those submitted by patients or general users.

Conclusion

There was a rise in the number of videos related to GFD on Chinese video platforms. The overall quality of these videos was poor, most of them were not rigorous enough. Highlighting using social media as a health information source has the potential risk of disseminating one-sided messages and misleading. Efforts should be made to enhance the transparency of advertisements and establish clear guidelines for information sharing on social media platforms.

Information quality of videos related to Helicobacter pylori infection on TikTok: Cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) poses serious threats to human health. TikTok (Douyin in Chinese), a major social media platform focused on sharing short videos, has demonstrated great potential in spreading health information, including information related to H. pylori infection. This study aims to evaluate the content and quality of the information shared in TikTok videos about H. pylori infection in mainland China.

METHODS

We collected a sample of 116 videos in Chinese related to H. pylori infection from TikTok. Video contents were evaluated by the coding schema proposed by Goobie et al., and the Hexagonal Radar Schema was used to intuitively display the spotlight and weight of each aspect of the videos. The DISCERN questionnaire was used to evaluate the quality of the videos.

RESULTS

We identified two major sources of videos related to H. pylori: individual users (n = 89) and organizational users (n = 27). Regarding content, the Hexagonal Radar Charts showed that more than 35% of the videos delivered moderate to high quality content (>1 point) in terms of definition, symptoms and management of the disease, whereas risk factors, evaluation and outcomes of the disease were less discussed. The DISCERN classification data showed that 0.9% of the videos were "very poor," 5.2% "poor," 68.7% "fair," 20.0% "good," and only 5.2% "excellent". Regarding total DISCERN scores, videos published by nonprofit organizations had the highest scores, followed by videos uploaded by health professionals.

CONCLUSION

Although the overall quality of TikTok videos related to H. pylori infection was medium, users should be careful when obtaining information related to H. pylori infection on TikTok and opt for videos uploaded by nonprofit organizations and health professionals.

TikTok video as a health education source of information on heart failure in China: a content analysis

Background

Heart failure (HF) is a complex and life-threatening syndrome associated with significant morbidity and mortality. While TikTok has gained popularity as a social media platform for sharing HF-related information, the quality of such content on TikTok remains unexplored.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on TikTok videos related to HF in China. The sources of the videos were identified and analyzed. The content comprehensiveness of the videos was evaluated using six questions that covered definition, signs and symptoms, risk factors, evaluation, management, and outcomes. The reliability and quality of the videos were assessed using three standardized evaluation instruments: DISCERN, JAMA benchmarks, and the Global Quality Scale. Additionally, the correlation between video quality and video characteristics was further investigated.

Results

Among the video sources, 92.2% were attributed to health professionals, while news agencies and non-profit organizations accounted for 5.7% and 2.1%, respectively. The content comprehensiveness score for the videos was 3.36 (SD 3.56), with news agencies receiving the highest scores of 4.06 (SD 3.31). The median DISCERN, JAMA, and GQS scores for all 141 videos were 26.50 (IQR 25.00-28.750), 2.00 (IQR 2.00-2.00), and 2.00 (IQR 2.00-2.00), respectively. Videos from health professionals had significantly higher JAMA scores compared to those from non-profit organizations (P < 0.01). Correlation analysis between video quality and video characteristics showed positive correlations between content comprehensiveness scores and video duration (r = 0.420, P < 0.001), number of comments (r = 0.195, P < 0.05), and number of shares (r = 0.174, P < 0.05). GQS scores were negatively or positively correlated with the number of days since upload (r = -0.212, P < 0.05) and video duration (r = 0.442, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The overall quality of the videos was found to be unsatisfactory, with variations in quality scores observed across different video sources. Content comprehensiveness was inadequate, the reliability and quality of the information presented in the videos was questionable. As TikTok continues to grow as a platform for health information, it is essential to prioritize accuracy and reliability to enhance patients' self-care abilities and promote public health.

Analyzing the Quality, Reliability, and Educational Value of ACL Rehabilitation Exercises on TikTok: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Videos relating to rehabilitation exercises for common injuries relevant to younger populations such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear receive high view counts on social media platforms such as TikTok.

Purpose/Hypothesis

The purpose of this study was to analyze the quality, reliability, and educational value of TikTok videos among the patient population for ACL injury. It was hypothesized that TikTok videos related to ACL rehabilitation exercises would lack quality, reliability, and educational value.

Study Design

Cross-sectional study.

Methods

TikTok was queried for relevant videos using the hashtags "#ACLrehab" and "#ACLexercises." For each included video, the type of uploader (general user or health care professional) was identified. In addition, the number of views, likes, shares, comments, and favorites for each included video was recorded, and the content of each video was graded using the DISCERN (a well-validated informational analysis tool) and the ACL exercise education score (ACLEES - a custom-designed tool for the evaluation of ACL-related exercises).

Results

A total of 111 videos with 5,520,660 cumulative views were included; the median number of views per video was 9801.0 (interquartile range [IQR], 3583.0-28,000.0). Of these videos, 84 and 27 were created by the general public and health care professionals, respectively. The videos collectively received 335,577 likes, 2969 comments, 22,856 favorites, and 6142 shares, with a median of 439 (IQR, 111-1374), 10 (IQR, 2.5-25.5), 54 (IQR, 18-172.5), and 12 (IQR, 2-36), respectively. The tabulated scores for the DISCERN and ACLEES between general users and health care professionals were all statistically nonsignificant. Health care professionals had a higher percentage of videos with a "very poor" DISCERN score in comparison with the general public (66.67% vs 53.57%, respectively).

Conclusion

The overall educational value of the TikTok videos related to ACL rehabilitation exercises was very poor. Health care professionals should be aware of the broad distribution of ACL rehabilitation exercise videos that are accessible on TikTok and raise awareness of the deficiencies of the platform as a medium for educational medical-related information.

Quality of Spine Surgery Information on Social Media: A DISCERN Analysis of TikTok Videos

OBJECTIVE

The use of social media applications to disseminate information has substantially risen in recent decades. Spine and back pain-related hashtags have garnered several billion views on TikTok. As such, these videos, which share experiences, offer entertainment, and educate users about spinal surgery, have become increasingly influential. Herein, we assess the quality of spine surgery content TikTok from providers and patients.

METHODS

Fifty hashtags encompassing spine surgery ("#spinalfusion," "#scoliosissurgery," and "#spinaldecompression") were searched using TikTok's algorithm and included. Two independent reviewers rated the quality of each video via the DISCERN questionnaire. Video metadata (likes, shares, comments, views, length) were all collected; type of content creator (musculoskeletal, layperson) and content category (educational, patient experience, entertainment) were determined.

RESULTS

The overall DISCERN score was, on average, 24.4. #Spinalfusion videos demonstrated greater engagement, higher average likes (p = 0.02), and more comments (p < 0.001) compared to #spinaldecompression and #scoliosissurgery. #Spinaldecompression had the highest DISCERN score (p < 0.001), likely explained by the higher percentage of videos that were educational (p < 0.001) and created by musculoskeletal (MSK) professionals (p < 0.001). Compared to laypersons, MSK professionals had significantly higher quality videos (p < 0.001). Similarly, the educational category demonstrated higher quality videos (p < 0.001). Video interaction trended lower with MSK videos and educational videos had the lowest interaction of the content categories (likes: p = 0.023, comments: p = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

The quality of spine surgery videos on TikTok is low. As the influence of the new social media landscape governs how the average person consumes information, MSK providers should participate in disseminating high-quality content.

The quality of information provided by the most popular dementia videos on TikTok

Summary of background

Dementia is among the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, having a major impact not only on the affected person but also on all of society. The Internet is a popular and growing source of health-related information for patients, family members, carriers, and physicians. TikTok, one of the most popular social media platforms, is an important source for knowledge access and adoption. However, the quality of health information on TikTok has not been sufficiently studied.

Objective

To evaluate the quality of the information provided in the most popular videos on dementia shared on TikTok.

Study design

A cross-sectional study.

Methods

The top 100 most popular videos on TikTok obtained by searching the hashtag "dementia" were included in the study and grouped based on their source and content. The popularity of the videos was estimated based on the numbers of likes, comments, and shares. The quality of health-related information was evaluated using the DISCERN score and the Global Quality Score (GQS).

Results

Videos had a median duration of 33.29 s; the median number of likes was 635,100, with a total of 93,698,200 likes, 903,859 comments, and 5,310,912 shares. The source (uploader) of 65% of the videos was family members, while only 4% were uploaded by doctors. The content was lifestyle-related in 62% of the videos, while 12% of the videos were for fun. Videos had a median DISCERN score of 22.5 (IQR 20-27) and a median GQS of 2 (IQR 1-3). The videos uploaded by doctors had the highest quality scores and the lowest popularity.

Conclusion

The most popular dementia videos on TikTok are mostly shared by family members and are of poor quality. Given the major public health issues associated with dementia, experts must provide appropriate and active assistance to patients in interpreting the information identified.

Evaluation of the quality and reliability of anal cancer and its precancerous lesions-related content on YouTube: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

This research aims at evaluating the quality of anal cancer and its precancerous lesions-related videos on YouTube.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey design.

SETTING

USA.

PARTICIPANTS

The top 150 videos on YouTube were selected for analysis based on three search terms. The duplicate, irrelevant, commercial, operation-related and audio-free videos were excluded. Finally, 105 relevant videos were included.

METHODS

We assessed the completeness of video content from six dimensions and marked the men having sex with men (MSM)-related videos. To measure the video quality, DISCERN, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Benchmark Criteria, Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) and Global Quality Scale (GQS) were used. The correlation between DISCERN classification and duration, JAMA, PEMAT and GQS scores were recorded.

RESULTS

The video content was mainly about the management of the disease (mean score 1.086). Overall, the quality of videos uploaded by the non-profit organisation was relatively high. A correlation existed between each other of the JAMA, DISCERN and GQS scores (p<0.001). Moreover, they were positively correlated with video duration and PEMAT scores (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the overall quality of information about anal cancer and its precancerous lesions videos on YouTube is acceptable, it might not fully meet the health information needs of patients. Therefore, they should exercise caution when using YouTube as a source of anal cancer-related information, especially the MSM population.

The quality and reliability of TikTok videos on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a propensity score matching analysis

Background

Lifestyle modification is the cornerstone of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) prevention and treatment. Short video platforms can facilitate easier access to health information for patients, thereby influencing lifestyle changes. An increasing number of individuals rely on online platforms to acquire health-related information about NAFLD. However, the quality of information regarding NAFLD on these platforms remains unclear.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the quality of information about NAFLD on TikTok.

Methods

A total of 497 videos were retrieved from TikTok. The basic video information, including the video source, was extracted. Two independent raters evaluated the quality and reliability of the videos using the Global Quality Score system and a modified DISCERN tool. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to compare video quality across sources.

Results

NAFLD-related videos on TikTok were divided into three groups according to the uploader: health professionals, medical institutions, and science bloggers. Overall, the quality of NAFLD videos on TikTok was not satisfactory. Before PSM, there were no significant differences in video quality or content between the three groups. After PSM, the quality of NAFLD videos from health professionals was significantly better than the videos created by other groups. Besides, the videos of health professionals outperformed those of medical institutions and science bloggers in terms of the definition of disease, risk factors, and treatment, but were inferior to those of medical institutions considering the symptoms and tests of NAFLD.

Conclusion

The quality of NAFLD-related videos on TikTok needs improvement. Compared with videos created by science bloggers and medical institutions, videos from health professionals may provide accurate guidance on the treatment and prevention of NAFLD.

Can Videos on TikTok Improve Pap Smear Attitudes and Intentions? Effects of Source and Autonomy Support in Short-Form Health Videos

This study was designed to test the effects of two message features (source and level of autonomy support) that are commonly found in short-form social media (e.g. TikTok) videos about Pap tests. The source is defined as who is communicating the message, and autonomy support refers to providing an individual with the independence, respect, and choice to make their own decision. In an online experiment, 636 females aged 21-29 viewed TikTok videos about Pap tests varying in source (doctor vs. peer) and level of autonomy support (either using controlling language to demand getting a Pap test or being supportive of one's choice of whether they receive a Pap test) and then responded to outcomes measures including perceived source credibility, perceived message effectiveness, attitude toward the message, attitude toward Pap tests, intention to engage with the videos, and intention to get a Pap test. Doctors were perceived as more credible than peers, and doctor videos were perceived to be more effective than peer videos. Autonomy support interacted with source, such that autonomy-supportive videos delivered by a doctor improved attitude toward the messaging and attitude toward Pap tests. Regardless of the source, autonomy-supportive videos increased intention to engage with the content on social media. As Pap test rates have recently declined among young women in the United States and viewing of Pap test-related videos has skyrocketed on the TikTok platform, short-form social media sites like TikTok may be an effective health communication tool for health professionals.

Quality and Reliability of Liver Cancer-Related Short Chinese Videos on TikTok and Bilibili: Cross-Sectional Content Analysis Study

BACKGROUND

Liver cancer incidence has been increasing in China in the recent years, leading to increased public concern regarding the burden of this disease. Short videos on liver cancer are disseminated through TikTok and Bilibili apps, which have gained popularity in recent years as an easily accessible source of health information. However, the credibility, quality, and usefulness of the information in these short videos and the professional knowledge of the individuals uploading health information-based videos in these platforms have not yet been evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

Our study aims to assess the quality of the information in Chinese short videos on liver cancer shared on the TikTok and Bilibili short video-sharing platforms.

METHODS

In March 2023, we assessed the top 100 Chinese short videos on liver cancer in TikTok and Bilibili (200 videos in total) for their information quality and reliability by using 2 rating tools, namely, global quality score (GQS) and the DISCERN instrument. Correlation and Poisson regression analyses were applied to discuss the factors that could impact video quality.

RESULTS

Compared to Bilibili, TikTok is more popular, although the length of the videos on TikTok is shorter than that of the videos on Bilibili (P<.001). The quality of the short videos on liver cancer in TikTok and Bilibili was not satisfactory, with median GQS of 3 (IQR 2-4) and 2 (IQR 1-5) and median DISCERN scores of 5 (IQR 4-6) and 4 (IQR 2-7), respectively. In general, the quality of videos sourced from professional institutions and individuals was better than that of those sourced from nonprofessionals, and videos involving disease-related knowledge were of better quality than those covering news and reports. No significant differences were found in the quality of videos uploaded by individuals from different professions, with the exception of those uploaded by traditional Chinese medicine professionals, which demonstrated poorer quality. Only video shares were positively correlated with the GQS (r=0.17, P=.01), and no video variables could predict the video quality.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that the quality of short videos on health information related to liver cancer is poor on Bilibili and TikTok, but videos uploaded by health care professionals can be considered reliable in terms of comprehensiveness and content quality. Thus, short videos providing medical information on TikTok and Bilibili must be carefully considered for scientific soundness by active information seekers before they make decisions on their health care management.

Content Quality of Web-Based Short-Form Videos for Fire and Burn Prevention in China: Content Analysis

BACKGROUND

Web-based short-form videos are increasingly popular for disseminating fire and burn prevention information, but their content quality is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to systematically assess the characteristics, content quality, and public impact of web-based short-form videos offering primary and secondary (first aid) prevention recommendations for fires and burns in China between 2018 and 2021.

METHODS

We retrieved short-form videos offering both primary and secondary (first aid) information to prevent fire and burn injuries published on the 3 most popular web-based short-form video platforms in China: TikTok, Kwai, and Bilibili. To assess video content quality, we calculated the proportion of short-form videos that included information on each of the 15 recommendations for burn prevention education from the World Health Organization (WHO; P1) and that correctly disseminated each recommendation (P2). High P1 and P2 indicated better content quality. To assess their public impact, we calculated the median (IQR) of 3 indicators: the number of comments, likes, and saves as a favorite by viewers. Chi-square test, trend chi-square test, and Kruskal-Wallis H test examined differences in indicators across the 3 platforms, years, content, and time duration of videos and between videos disseminating correct versus incorrect information.

RESULTS

Overall, 1459 eligible short-form videos were included. The number of short-form videos increased by 16 times between 2018 and 2021. Of them, 93.97% (n=1371) were about secondary prevention (first aid) and 86.02% (n=1255) lasted <2 minutes. The proportion of short-form videos including each of the 15 WHO recommendations ranged from 0% to 77.86% (n=1136). Recommendations 8, 13, and 11 had the highest proportions (n=1136, 77.86%; n=827, 56.68%; and n=801, 54.9%, respectively), whereas recommendations 3 and 5 were never mentioned. Among the short-form videos that included the WHO recommendations, recommendations 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 were always disseminated correctly, but the other 9 recommendations were correctly disseminated in 59.11% (120/203) to 98.68% (1121/1136) of videos. The proportion of short-form videos including and correctly disseminating the WHO recommendations varied across platforms and years. The public impact of short videos varied greatly across videos, with a median (IQR) of 5 (0-34) comments, 62 (7-841) likes, and 4 (0-27) saves as a favorite. Short-form videos disseminating correct recommendations had larger public impact than those disseminating either partially correct or incorrect knowledge (median 5 vs 4 comments, 68 vs 51 likes, and 5 vs 3 saves as a favorite, respectively; all P<.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the rapid increase in the number of web-based short-form videos about fire and burn prevention available in China, their content quality and public impact were generally low. Systematic efforts are recommended to improve the content quality and public impact of short-form videos on injury prevention topics such as fire and burn prevention.

Evaluating the Distribution, Quality, and Educational Value of Videos Related to Shoulder Instability Exercises on the Social Media Platform TikTok

BACKGROUND

Because of the lack of scientific oversight, the quality, applicability, and consistency of healthcare-related TikTok videos have become a focus of research exploration. The orthopaedic surgery literature lags behind other medical fields in analyzing the widespread utilization of TikTok videos for medical information delivery.

METHODS

TikTok was queried using the hashtag #shoulderstabilityexercises, and 109 videos were included. The videos were collected by two authors and independently evaluated using DISCERN (a well-validated informational analysis tool) and shoulder stability exercise education score (a self-designed tool for the evaluation of shoulder instability-related exercises).

RESULTS

DISCERN scores of videos uploaded by general users had significantly lower scores in all four categories than those uploaded by healthcare professionals (P < 0.001, P = 0.005, P = 0.002, and P < 0.001). For the shoulder stability exercise education score, general users had a significantly lower score than the healthcare professionals at 3.36 and 4.91 on a 25-point scale, respectively (P = 0.034). General users had more videos graded as very poor (84.2%) in comparison to the number of videos uploaded by healthcare professionals deemed very poor (51.5%). However, the remainder of healthcare professionals had their videos graded as poor (48.5%).

CONCLUSION

Despite slightly improved video quality from healthcare professionals, the overall educational of the videos related to shoulder instability exercises was poor.

A New Trend in Social Media and Medicine: The Poor Quality of Videos Related to Ankle Sprain Exercises on TikTok

Background

Social media platforms, like TikTok, have become popular options for the distribution of health care information. Because of the lack of scientific oversight, the quality of health care-related videos has become a focus of the current literature. However, orthopaedic surgery has lagged behind other fields in acknowledging the widespread utilization of TikTok videos for medical information consumption. This study aims to assess the quality and educational benefits of ankle sprain-related TikTok videos.

Methods

TikTok was queried using the hashtag "#anklesprainexercises." One hundred videos were included after applying the exclusion criteria. The number of views, likes, shares, comments, and favorites was recorded. The content was graded using DISCERN (a well-validated informational analysis tool) and ASEES (a self-designed tool for exercise evaluation). We hypothesized that information on TikTok related to ankle sprain exercises would be poor in quality.

Results

The total number of views of the 100 videos was 6 483 412, with a median of 5377.5 (IQR = 1074-20 275). The videos collectively received 385 847 likes, 3642 comments, 55 574 favorites, and 14 918 shares with a median of 267.5 (IQR = 41.5-1678.0), 4.0 (IQR = 0.0-23.0), 42.0 (IQR = 4.8-264.5), and 13.0 (IQR = 1.8-67.8), respectively. General users had a higher percentage of their videos graded as "very poor" (61.8%) in comparison to the number of videos uploaded by health care professionals deemed "very poor" (34.4%). Neither general user nor health care professionals had videos graded as "good" or "excellent." There were significant differences between the 2 groups for DISCERN 1, 3, and ASSES scores.

Conclusion

Although TikTok is a powerful tool for information distribution, the educational value of the videos related to ankle sprain injury exercises was poor. With only 2% of videos receiving a grade of "fair," and no videos reaching a score of "good" or "excellent," health care professionals should be aware of the low-quality content easily accessible on TikTok.

Level of Evidence

Level III, cross-sectional study.

Analyzing the quality and educational value of Achilles tendinopathy-related videos on TikTok

BACKGROUND

Social media platforms, like TikTok, have become popular options for the consumption and distribution of healthcare information. Due to the lack of scientific oversight, the consistency of healthcare-related videos has become a focus of the current literature. However, orthopaedic surgery has lagged behind other specialties in acknowledging the widespread utilization of TikTok videos for medical information. This study aims to assess the quality and educational benefits of Achilles tendinopathy-related TikTok videos.

METHODS

TikTok was queried using the hashtags "#achillestendonexercises", "achillestendonitisexercises", "achillestendinosisexercises", and "achillestendinopathyexercises". 100 videos (25 for each term) were included after applying the exclusion criteria. The number of views, likes, shares, comments, and favorites was recorded. The content was graded using DISCERN (a well-validated informational analysis tool) and ATEES (a self-designed tool for exercise evaluation).

RESULTS

The total number of views of the 100 videos was 1647,148, with a median of 7562.5 (IQR = 2,281- 19,575). The videos collectively received 73,765 likes, 1125 comments, 14,491 favorites and 6897 shares with a median of 283 (IQR= 73.8-957.8), 7 (IQR= 1.8-16.0), 61.5 (IQR= 8.8-184.3), and 18.5 (IQR= 2.0-49.8), respectively. General users uploaded slightly less (48%) when compared to healthcare professionals (52%). Healthcare professionals had more videos graded as "very poor" (43.4%) in comparison to the general users (36.2%). General users had more videos graded as "poor" (63.8%) in comparison to healthcare professionals (54.7%). However, there were no significant differences between the groups on either of the video grading scales.

CONCLUSION

Although TikTok is a powerful tool for information distribution, the educational value of the videos related to Achilles tendinopathy exercises was poor. With only 1% of videos receiving a grade of 'fair,' and no videos reaching a score of 'good' or 'excellent', healthcare professionals should be aware of the high viewership of low-quality content easily accessible on TikTok.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3

A quality analysis of thyroid cancer videos available on TikTok

Background

Thyroid cancer (TC) is becoming an increasing public health problem worldwide. TikTok is a global video-sharing social media app, which can be a source of information on TC. However, the information quality of these videos remains unknown.

Methods

A search of TikTok was performed with the term ""and "" ("thyroid cancer" and "thyroid neoplasm" in Chinese). Videos included were independently assessed using six predefined questions for content scores and DISCERN scale for information quality, while the video popularity index (VPI) was also calculated. A correlation analysis was performed among duration, presence of animation, VPI, DISCERN scores, and content scores.

Results

A total of 56 videos were finally included, of which 49 were uploaded by physicians, 4 by health organizations, and 3 by hospitals. While 43 were real content videos, 13 were animated. The mean of DISCERN score and content score was 3.44 ± 0.72 and 5.19 ± 0.95, respectively. Good consistency was found between the two reviewers in terms of both DISCERN scores and content scores. The video duration and presence of animation were positively correlated with VPI, while DISCERN scores and content scores were not correlated with VPI.

Conclusion

The overall quality of TC-related videos was satisfactory, although the quality varies greatly depending on the type of source. Patients should be cautious when using TikTok as a source of TC-related information.

Exposure to Healthy Weight Information on Short-Form Video Applications to Acquire Healthy Weight-Control Behaviors: A Serial Mediation Model

This study explored the effects of Chinese college students' (20-34 years old) exposure to healthy weight information on short-form video applications on their intention to acquire healthy weight-control behaviors (reducing high-fat diet intake, accessing physical activity to control body weight, etc.). Specifically, this study investigated the direct and mediated effect on such a relationship via healthy weight awareness, the first-person effect, and perceived herd. The data were collected using a web-based survey and thoroughly tested questionnaire with a sample of 380 Chinese college students. Hierarchical regression, parallel mediation, and serial mediation analysis were applied to test the hypotheses. The results indicated that healthy weight awareness, first-person effect, and perceived herd all played mediator roles that induced the relationship between Chinese college students' exposure to healthy weight information and their intention to acquire healthy weight-control behaviors. In addition, healthy weight awareness and the first-person effect sequentially mediated this relationship.

Is TikTok a high-quality source of information on thyroid cancer?

PURPOSE

Increased Internet users tend to use online video platforms as a source of medical information. There are many thyroid cancer-related videos on TikTok, the most popular short-video application in China. However, quality evaluation of these videos remains absent. The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of thyroid cancer-related videos on TikTok.

METHODS

A search was performed on TikTok with the keyword "thyroid cancer". The top 100 videos in the search results were selected. Characteristics of videos including video length, duration on TikTok, thumbs up, thumbs up/day, comments, comments/day, favorites, favorites/day, reposts, and reposts/day were collected. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT), modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), Video Information and Quality Index (VIQI), and Global Quality Score (GQS) were applied to assess the quality of videos.

RESULTS

Among the 100 videos in this study, most were uploaded by surgical physicians (n = 50), and the most common topic was anatomy/basic facts (n = 21). The mean scores of the PEMAT, PEMAT-U, and PEMAT-A were 71.18 ± 16.56, 82.23 ± 15.00, and 44.00 ± 37.57, respectively. Among the five questions of the mDISCERN tool, 71, 90, 82, 9, and 28 videos were evaluated as "yes", respectively. The mean scores of mDISCERN, VIQI, and GQS were 2.80 ± 1.03, 14.87 ± 2.27, and 3.72 ± 1.00, respectively. The characteristics and quality of videos are significantly different based on the uploader and content.

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of thyroid cancer information on TikTok is unsatisfactory. There is a need for high-quality thyroid cancer-related information on short-video platforms for patient education.

Popular science and education of cosmetic surgery in China: Quality and reliability evaluation of Douyin short videos

BACKGROUND

Douyin APP is the short video APP with the largest number of users in China.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the quality and reliability of short videos about cosmetic surgery on Douyin.

METHODS

In August 2022, we retrieved and screened 300 short videos related to cosmetic surgery from Douyin, extracted basic video information, encoded the content and identified the video source. The quality and reliability of short video information were evaluated using the DISCERN instrument.

RESULTS

A total of 168 short videos of cosmetic surgery were included in the survey, and the video sources included personal accounts and institutional accounts. Overall, the total proportion of institutional accounts (47/168, 27.98%) is significantly less than that of personal accounts (121/168, 72.02%); nonhealth professionals received the most praises, comments and even collections and reposts, while for-profit academic organizations or institutions received the least. The DISCERN scores of 168 short videos of cosmetic surgery were 3.74-4.58 (average 4.22). Content reliability (p = .04) and overall short video quality (p = .02) are significantly different, but short videos published from different sources have no significant difference in treatment selection (p = .052).

CONCLUSION

The overall information quality and reliability of short videos about cosmetic surgery on Douyin are satisfactory in China.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

The participants were involved in developing research questions, study design, management and conduct, interpretation of evidence and dissemination.

The Reliability and Quality of Short Videos as a Source of Dietary Guidance for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Dietary management is considered a potential adjunctive treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Short-video sharing platforms have enabled patients to obtain dietary advice more conveniently. However, accessing useful resources while avoiding misinformation is not an easy task for most patients.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of the information in IBD diet-related videos on Chinese short-video sharing platforms.

METHODS

We collected and extracted information from a total of 125 video samples related to the IBD diet on the 3 Chinese short-video sharing platforms with the most users: TikTok, Bilibili, and Kwai. Two independent physicians evaluated each video in terms of content comprehensiveness, quality (rated by Global Quality Score), and reliability (rated by a modified DISCERN tool). Finally, comparative analyses of the videos from different sources were conducted.

RESULTS

The videos were classified into 6 groups based on the identity of the uploaders, which included 3 kinds of medical professionals (ie, gastroenterologists, nongastroenterologists, and clinical nutritionists) and 3 types of non-medical professionals (ie, nonprofit organizations, individual science communicators, and IBD patients). The overall quality of the videos was poor. Further group comparisons demonstrated that videos from medical professionals were more instructive in terms of content comprehensiveness, quality, and reliability than those from non-medical professionals. Moreover, IBD diet-related recommendations from clinical nutritionists and gastroenterologists were of better quality than those from nongastroenterologists, while recommendations from nonprofit organizations did not seem to be superior to other groups of uploaders.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall quality of the information in IBD diet-related videos is unsatisfactory and varies significantly depending on the source. Videos from medical professionals, especially clinical nutritionists and gastroenterologists, may provide dietary guidance with higher quality for IBD patients.

Quality of Information in Gallstone Disease Videos on TikTok: Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND

TikTok was an important channel for consumers to access and adopt health information. But the quality of health content in TikTok remains underinvestigated.

OBJECTIVE

Our study aimed to identify upload sources, contents, and feature information of gallstone disease videos on TikTok and further evaluated the factors related to video quality.

METHODS

We investigated the first 100 gallstone-related videos on TikTok and analyzed these videos' upload sources, content, and characteristics. The quality of videos was evaluated using quantitative scoring tools such as DISCERN instrument, the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, and Global Quality Scores (GQS). Moreover, the correlation between video quality and video characteristics, including duration, likes, comments, and shares, was further investigated.

RESULTS

According to video sources, 81% of the videos were posted by doctors. Furthermore, disease knowledge was the most dominant video content, accounting for 56% of all the videos. The mean DISCERN, JAMA, and GQS scores of all 100 videos are 39.61 (SD 11.36), 2.00 (SD 0.40), and 2.76 (SD 0.95), respectively. According to DISCERN and GQS, gallstone-related videos' quality score on TikTok is not high, mainly at fair (43/100, 43%,) and moderate (46/100, 46%). The total DISCERN scores of doctors were significantly higher than that of individuals and news agencies, surgery techniques were significantly higher than lifestyle and news, and disease knowledge was significantly higher than news, respectively. DISCERN scores and video duration were positively correlated. Negative correlations were found between DISCERN scores and likes and shares of videos. In GQS analysis, no significant differences were found between groups based on different sources or different contents. JAMA was excluded in the video quality and correlation analysis due to a lack of discrimination and inability to evaluate the video quality accurately.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the videos of gallstones on TikTok are mainly provided by doctors and contain disease knowledge, they are of low quality. We found a positive correlation between video duration and video quality. High-quality videos received low attention, and popular videos were of low quality. Medical information on TikTok is currently not rigorous enough to guide patients to make accurate judgments. TikTok was not an appropriate source of knowledge to educate patients due to the low quality and reliability of the information.

Perceived Information Overload and Intention to Discontinue Use of Short-Form Video: The Mediating Roles of Cognitive and Psychological Factors

The current study investigated the effects of Chinese young adult users' perceived information overload (i.e., the daily perception of exposure to excessive information) on their intention to stop using short-form video applications. Specifically, this study accomplished this by measuring the direct and indirect effects of social media fatigue, maladaptive coping, and life dissatisfaction in relation to users' intention to discontinue their use of short-form video applications. The data were collected using a web-based survey and validated questionnaire, with a sample of 340 young adult (18-26 years old) respondents. The results indicated that perceived information overload had a direct effect on the intention to discontinue the use of short-form video applications. Moreover, short-form video fatigue, maladaptive coping, and life dissatisfaction all played mediating roles in the relationship between perceived information overload and the intention to discontinue the use of short-form video applications among young adults in China.

TikTok and adolescent vision health: Content and information quality assessment of the top short videos related to myopia

Background

Despite the increasing recognition of the public health value of social media platforms, TikTok short videos focusing on adolescent vision health have not received much attention. We aimed to evaluate the content, sources, and information quality of myopia-related videos on TikTok.

Methods

The top 200 most-liked myopia-related videos on the Chinese version of TikTok were queried and screened on March 12, 2022. The descriptive characteristics, contents, and sources of the selected 168 videos were obtained, and their overall quality, reliability, understandability, and actionability were assessed using the validated scoring instruments DISCERN and PEMAT-A/V.

Results

Medical professionals were the main source (45.8%, 77/168) of videos. Misinformation (10.1%, 17/168) was mainly attributable to for-profit organizations (20%, 3/15) and individual non-medical users (31.3%, 10/32). However, their videos enjoyed the highest numbers of "likes," "comments," and "shares" (P < 0.05). The mean reliability and overall quality regarding treatment choice were (2.5 ± 0.5) and (3.1 ± 0.9), respectively. Videos on TikTok showed relatively high understandability (84.7%) and moderate actionability (74.9%). Video producers tended to partly or fully provide information regarding management (81.5%, 137/168) and outcome (82.1%, 138/168), and to ignore or only slightly mention content related to definition (86.9%, 146/169) and signs (82.1%, 138/168). The five video sources showed significant differences in the prevalence of misleading information (P < 0.001), publication reliability (P < 0.001), overall quality (P = 0.039), content score (P = 0.019), and understandability (P = 0.024).

Conclusion

Considering the moderate-to-poor reliability and variable quality across video sources, the substantial myopia-related content on TikTok should be treated with caution. Nevertheless, TikTok videos may serve as a surrogate or supplement for information dissemination if providers can ensure more comprehensive and accurate content.

#Neurosurgery: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Neurosurgical Content on TikTok

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

The Assessment of TikTok as a Source of Quality Health Information on Varicoceles

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the quality of varicocele information on TikTok, a popular video platform that adolescent patients are now turning to as a source of medical information before visiting a doctor.

METHODS

Using the key word "varicocele," we retrieved the top 225 videos listed on TikTok in May 2022. We extracted general video and engagement data. Video information was coded and analyzed for the completeness of different types of content (definition, symptoms, evaluation, management, and outcomes). The quality of consumer health information was rated using the DISCERN instrument.

RESULTS

Thirty-six videos met inclusion criteria; 17 were created by general users, 16 by healthcare professionals or systems (2 by urologists), and 3 by scientific communities. Healthcare professionals had more views than non-healthcare (P = .05). The quality of health information using the DISCERN instrument was "poor" from health care professional videos and "very poor" from non-health care professionals. However, the quality of information provided by healthcare professionals was statistically better than that of non-healthcare (P< .05). Video content mainly focused on symptoms: 50% of videos from healthcare providers had some or extensive content and 41% of non-healthcare had some content. 23% of videos had misinformation.

CONCLUSION

The overall quality of information for varicoceles on TikTok is not acceptable and does not meet patient needs. It is imperative that urologists create robust, accurate content, and partner with these platforms to connect users with higher quality information. TikTok users should also be mindful that information may not be medically accurate.

Evidence-based health information about pulmonary embolism: Assessing the quality, usability and readability of online and offline patient information

Objective

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third most common cardiovascular disease worldwide. However, public awareness is considerably lower than for myocardial infarction or stroke. Patients suffering from PE complain about the lack of (understandable) information and express high informational needs. To uncover if reliable information is indeed scarce, this study evaluates the quantity and quality of existing patient information for tertiary prevention using an evidence-based health information paradigm.

Methods

We conducted a quantitative content analysis (n = 21 patient information brochures; n = 67 websites) evaluating content categories addressed, methodical quality, usability, and readability.

Results

Results show that there is not enough patient information material focusing on PE as a main topic. Existing patient information material is mostly incomplete, difficult to understand, and low in actionability as well as readability.

Conclusion

Our systematic analysis reveals the need for more high-quality patient information on PE as part of effective tertiary prevention.

Innovation

This is the first review analyzing content, methodical quality, readability, and usability of patient information on PE. The findings of this analysis are guiding the development of an innovative, evidence-based patient information on PE aiming to support patients' informational needs and their self-care behavior.

Health information sharing on social media: quality assessment of short videos about chronic kidney disease

Introduction

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), which affects about 10% of global population, has become a global public health crisis in recent decades. It is well recognized that health information dissemination could change health behaviors, thereby greatly improving the early diagnosis and prevention of diseases. Due to fast dissemination, wide audience, intuitive and vivid, popularization through short videos has rapidly developed into the new main battlefield of health information. The objective of this study was to describe the properties of the CKD-related health information on short video apps.

Methods

Searching on short video apps with high-frequency words in kidney disease as keywords, the basic information of the uploaders was retrieved and extracted short video. Five quality dimensions, awareness, popularity, utility, validity and quality, of each video were assessed with numeric rating scale (NRS) by five volunteers with CKD and three nephrologists.

Results

From the platform of douyin, 65 uploaders and their 3973 short videos of CKD-related health information were investigated in this study. Most information of short videos had relatively high level in awareness, popularity and utility assessment, but some information had relatively low level in validity and quality assessment; 24 (36.9%) uploaders were from governmental hospital (tertiary hospital); 19 uploaders (29.2%) uploaded more than 100 short videos and 49 uploaders (75.4%) updated their videos weekly, and 16 uploaders (24.6%) didn’t update short videos more than one month. There were 4 uploaders (6.2%) have more than 1 million follows, and 39 uploaders (60%) had follows less than 10,000. “Lifestyles”, “Common symptoms of kidney disease” and “Nephritis or kidney disease” were the three main contents of these short videos. The comprehensive data of uploaders with millions of follows in nephrology specialty were much lower than that of orthopedics and other specialty.

Conclusion

The validity and quality of short video is still unsatisfactory, and CKD-related health information also need to be led and improved, although the awareness, popularity, and utility of health information about CKD is acceptable. The public should be selective and cautious in seeking CKD information on social media.

Quality and accuracy of gastric cancer related videos in social media videos platforms

Background

Gastric cancer is a major public health problem worldwide. Social media has affected public’s daily lives in ways no one ever thought possible. Both TikoTok and its Chinese version Douyin are the most popular short video posting platform. This study aimed to evaluate the quality, accuracy, and completeness of videos for gastric cancer on TikTok and Douyin.

Methods

The terms “gastric cancer” was searched on TikTok in both English and Japanese, and on Douyin in Chinese. The first 100 videos in three languages (website’s default setting) were checked. QUality Evaluation Scoring Tool (QUEST) and DISCERN as the instrument for assessing the quality of the information in each video. Content was analysed under six categories (aetiology, anatomy, symptoms, preventions, treatments, and prognosis). The educational value and completeness were evaluated with a checklist developed by the researchers.

Results

A total of 78 videos in English, 63 in Japanese, and 99 in Chinese were analyzed. The types of sources were as follows: 6.4% in English, 4.8% in Japanese, and 57.6% in Chinese for health professionals; 93.6% in English, 95.2% in Japanese, and 3.0% in Chinese for private users; none in English and Japanese, but 39.4% in Chinese for other sources. In all, 20.5% in English, 17.5% in Japanese, and 93.9% in Chinese of videos had useful information about gastric cancer. Among the useful videos, the videos published in Chinese had the highest QUEST(p < 0.05) and DISCERN scores(p < 0.05), followed by those published in Japanese. Among the educational videos, prognosis in English (37.5%), symptoms in Japanese (54.5%), and prevention in Chinese (47.3%) were the most frequently covered topic.

Conclusions

TikTok in English and Japanese might not fully meet the gastric cancer information needs of public, but Douyin in Chinese was the opposite.

TikTok and YouTube as sources of information on anal fissure: A comparative analysis

Introduction

Anal fissure is a common colorectal disease impacting patients' life quality with high incidence. Social media platforms are becoming a kind of health information source nowadays. This study aims to evaluate and compare the quality of anal fissure-related videos on TikTok and YouTube.

Materials and methods

One hundred videos were sourced from TikTok and YouTube, respectively and videos were screened further. The completeness of six types of content within the videos is assessed, including the definition of disease, symptoms, risk factors, evaluation, management and outcomes. Finally, the DISCERN instrument, Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool and Global Quality scale are used to assess video display quality and content. A correlation analysis is undertaken considering the video features, DISCERN, PEMAT and GQS scores.

Results

Physicians and non-profit organizations contributed almost all video content among selected videos. A statistically significant correlation between DISCERN classification and duration, PEMAT understandability, PEMAT actionability and GQS scores is recorded. DISCERN total scores were significantly positively correlated with video duration, PEMAT understandability, PEMAT actionability and GQS scores. GQS scores were significantly positively correlated with duration, PEMAT understandability and PEMAT actionability scores. For content, the videos mainly described management and symptoms while containing limited information on the disease evaluation, and outcomes.

Conclusions

The sources of uploaders on YouTube are more diverse than TikTok, and the quality of videos is also relatively higher on YouTube. Even so, the video quality of the two platforms still needs to be further improved. Health information without integrity, reliability and practicability impacts patients' disease perception and health-seeking behavior, leading to serious consequences. Much effort must be taken to improve the quality of videos regarding anal fissures on the two platforms, which will facilitate the development of public health education on this issue.

Online Health Information Seeking Among Patients With Chronic Conditions: Integrating the Health Belief Model and Social Support Theory

BACKGROUND

Chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability. With the growing patient population and climbing health care expenditures, researchers and policy makers are seeking new approaches to improve the accessibility of health information on chronic diseases while lowering costs. Online health information sources can play a substantial role in effective patient education and health communication. However, some contradictory evidence suggests that patients with chronic conditions may not necessarily seek online health information.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to integrate 2 theories (ie, the health belief model and social support theory) and a critical health literacy perspective to understand online health information seeking (OHIS) among patients with chronic conditions.

METHODS

We used the survey method to collect data from online chronic disease communities and groups on social media platforms. Eligible participants were consumers with at least 1 chronic condition and those who have experience with OHIS. A total of 390 valid questionnaires were collected. The partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the data.

RESULTS

The results suggested that perceived risk (t=3.989, P<.001) and perceived benefits (t=3.632, P<.001) significantly affected patients' OHIS. Perceived susceptibility (t=7.743, P<.001) and perceived severity (t=8.852, P<.001) were found to influence the perceived risk of chronic diseases significantly. Informational support (t=5.761, P<.001) and emotional support (t=5.748, P<.001) also impacted the perceived benefits of online sources for patients. In addition, moderation analysis showed that critical health literacy significantly moderated the link between perceived risk and OHIS (t=3.097, P=.002) but not the relationship between perceived benefits and OHIS (t=0.288, P=.774).

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that the health belief model, when combined with social support theory, can predict patients' OHIS. The perceived susceptibility and severity can effectively explain perceived risk, further predicting patients' OHIS. Informational support and emotional support can contribute to perceived benefits, thereby positively affecting patients' OHIS. This study also demonstrated the important negative moderating effects of critical health literacy on the association between perceived risk and OHIS.

Reliability, Quality, and Educational Suitability of TikTok Videos as a Source of Information about Scoliosis Exercises: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study aimed to systematically assess the informational reliability, quality, and educational suitability of videos introducing scoliosis exercises on TikTok. We retrieved and screened 1904 TikTok videos with the hashtags: “#scoliosis”, “#scoliosisexercise”, and “#scoliosistips”, before collecting a final sample of 171 scoliosis exercises in March 2022. Then, two independent raters assessed the reliability and quality of the videos using the DISCERN instrument and evaluated the educational suitability of the information using “Scoliosis Exercise Education Score” (SEES; exercise cycle, target, effect, precaution, and rationale). None of the videos were rated as excellent or good according to DISCERN. The mean SEES score was 2.02 out of 5. Videos uploaded by health organizations had significantly lower DISCERN and SEES scores than those by general users and healthcare professionals. Regarding the propriety of physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises (PSSE), DISCERN and SEES scores were significantly higher in the PSSE proper group than in the PSSE non-proper group. Although TikTok has become a popular source of scoliosis-related information, the overall information quality, reliability, and educational suitability of videos on scoliosis exercises in TikTok appear to be low, suggesting that TikTok is not suitable source for obtaining scoliosis exercise information.

Assessing the Quality of Hearing Aids-Related Videos on TikTok

Hearing aids are effective at improving listening ability and health-related quality of life. Recently, we observed that there are many hearing aids-related videos published on TikTok. However, the quality of the information they offer remains unstudied. This study aimed to evaluate the information quality of hearing aids videos on TikTok. We collected a sample of 155 hearing aids-related videos in Chinese and extracted the basic information. First, we identified the source of each video. Two independent raters assessed the quality of the information in the videos, using the PEMAT-A/V tool and DISCERN instrument. Regarding content, the results showed that the video contents on TikTok mainly about features, functionalities, and suggestions of purchase or fitting of hearing aids, while the information about the disadvantages and complications of hearing aids was limited. The overall quality of the hearing aids-related videos was acceptable on average, although the quality varies greatly depending on the type of source. Patients should be cautious in obtaining information about hearing aids on TikTok.

Takotsubo syndrome on TikTok: An analysis of information quality and audience engagement (Preprint)

Background

The incidence of Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), also known as the broken heart syndrome or stress cardiomyopathy, is increasing worldwide. The understanding of its prognosis has been progressively evolving and currently appears to be poorer than previously thought, which has attracted the attention of researchers. An attempt to recognize the awareness of this condition among the general population drove us to analyze the dissemination of this topic on TikTok, a popular short-video–based social media platform. We found a considerable number of videos on TTS on TikTok; however, the quality of the presented information remains unknown.

Objective

The aim of this study was to analyze the quality and audience engagement of TTS-related videos on TikTok.

Methods

Videos on the TikTok platform were explored on August 2, 2021 to identify those related to TTS by using 6 Chinese keywords. A total of 2549 videos were found, of which 80 met our inclusion criteria and were evaluated for their characteristics, content, quality, and reliability. The quality and reliability were rated using the DISCERN instrument and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) criteria by 2 reviewers independently, and a score was assigned. Descriptive statistics were generated, and the Kruskal-Wallis test was used for statistical analysis. Multiple linear regression was performed to evaluate the association between audience engagement and other factors such as video content, video quality, and author types.

Results

The scores assigned to the selected video content were low with regard to the diagnosis (0.66/2) and management (0.34/2) of TTS. The evaluated videos were found to have an average score of 36.93 out of 80 on the DISCERN instrument and 1.51 out of 4 per the JAMA criteria. None of the evaluated videos met all the JAMA criteria. The quality of the relayed information varied by source (All P<.05). TTS-related videos made by health care professionals accounted for 28% (22/80) of all the evaluated videos and had the highest DISCERN scores with an average of 40.59 out of 80. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that author types that identified as health professionals (exponentiated regression coefficient 17.48, 95% CI 2.29-133.52; P=.006) and individual science communicators (exponentiated regression coefficient 13.38, 95% CI 1.83-97.88; P=.01) were significant and independent determinants of audience engagement (in terms of the number of likes). Other author types of videos, video content, and DISCERN document scores were not associated with higher likes.

Conclusions

We found that the quality of videos regarding TTS for patient education on TikTok is poor. Patients should be cautious about health-related information on TikTok. The formulation of a measure for video quality review is necessary, especially when the purpose of the published content is to educate and increase awareness on a health-related topic.

Association between ethnicity and health knowledge among the floating population in China

Background

Health equity remains a priority concerns by central government in China. This study aimed to explore ethnic gaps in access to health knowledge categories and sources based on the survey data from a publicly available dataset.

Methods

Data were from 2015 China Migrants Dynamic Survey issued by The National Health Commission in China. Descriptive analyses were performed to reflect geodemographic differences in the floating population of ethnic minority (EMFP) and Han majority (HMFP) with Chi-square test. Ethnic gaps in access to health knowledge categories and sources were explored with Poisson regressions, logistic regressions, and bivariate ordered probit regressions.

Results

In the sample, most of participants had inadequate health information literacy. There were significant differences regarding geodemographic factors between EMFP and HMFP. Illiterate EMFP had likelihood to obtain less health knowledge categories (IRR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.77–0.84) and sources (IRR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.80–0.86) as compared to illiterate HMFP. Most of correlations between health knowledge categories and sources were weak in the samples of EMFP and HMFP.

Conclusion

Ethnic disparities in access to health knowledge categories and sources among the floating population in China were confirmed. Further effective efforts should be provided to reduce ethnic disparities in access to health knowledge under the ethnicity-orientated support of public health resource.

Analysis of Acute Non-specific Back Pain Content on TikTok: An Exploratory Study

Introduction

In this study, we evaluated the scope of acute non-specific back pain (ANSBP) content available on TikTok (ByteDance Ltd, Beijing, China) in 2021. It is plausible that TikTok’s popularity among teenagers, adolescents, and young adults may influence decision-making about what constitutes appropriate ANSBP self-care among a younger age cohort.

Methods

We examined 157 of the most viewed videos available through the hashtag #backpain available on TikTok in September 2021. We examined the following research questions: (1) What are the metadata characteristics of the videos in the final data set?, (2) What are the creator identities reflected in the final data set in this study?, (3) What are the ANSBP self-care content themes in the final data set?, and (4) What are the characteristics of the data set based on a low back pain reference checklist based on consensus guidelines?.

Results

We identified clear differences based on TikTok creator identity in our data set of most popular videos. We examined videos created by chiropractors, fitness professionals, influencers, physicians, physiotherapists, and other creator identities. We found that the TikTok videos created by chiropractors were consistently among the most viewed, most commented, and most shared. Conversely, chiropractic TikTok videos consistently had the lowest self-care reference checklist scores relative to all other disciplines. That is, TikTok videos created by chiropractors were least likely to reflect the scientific consensus on treating ANSBP.

Discussion

TikTok is an increasingly popular medium for disseminating short health messages. The main cohort using TikTok is young and at risk of ANSBP. However, we postulate that the messages reaching young TikTok users overall do not generally reflect the self-care advice described in consensus guidelines. 

Conclusion

TikTok is a popular social media channel among young people. However, the most viewed TikTok videos about ANSBP are not produced by mainstream health professionals and the videos featuring the #backpain hashtag do not generally reflect contemporary evidence-based practice. There is considerable scope for mainstream health professionals to provide evidence-informed self-management and self-care content for ANSBP on TikTok.

Rabies-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Primary School Students in Chonburi Province, Thailand

In Thailand, rabies is an endemic fatal viral zoonosis where 40% of those infected are under age 15. The aim of this rabies KAP study (Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices) is to examine preventive behaviors. A multistage sampling technique was employed for selecting the sample. Of 290 primary school students, 52.1% of them had poor knowledge, 89% had favorable attitudes, and 52.1% exercised proper preventive behaviors. We employed structural equation modeling to verify the systemic relationships and found rabies knowledge (β = .157, se=.059, P = .008) and attitude (β = .206 se=.054, P < .001) were associated with rabies preventive behaviors. Moreover, children in school No.4 statistically had less adept at rabies prevention than others. (β = - .232, se=.054, P < .001). This study highlights the need to strengthen rabies education programs, especially for rabies risk situations among school-aged children.