Quality of information about oral cancer in Brazilian Portuguese available on Google, Youtube, and Instagram

Assessment of patterns and related factors in using social media platforms to access health and oral health information among Sri Lankan adults, with special emphasis on promoting oral health awareness

BACKGROUND

Social media has evolved beyond its conventional purpose of communication and information sharing to become a potent tool for disseminating health and oral health awareness. This study seeks to assess the patterns and related factors of using social media platforms to access health and oral health information among Sri Lankan adults, with special emphasis to promotion of oral health awareness.

METHODS

In March 2023, individuals aged ≥ 18 years residing in Sri Lanka, who are users of social media participated in this electronic questionnaire-based survey. Statistical analyses of the collected data were done using the SPSS version 21 software, with a p-value of < 0.05 set to determine the level of statistical significance.

RESULTS

A total of 421 persons participated in this survey. Majority (68.4%) belonged to the age category of 18 to 30 years, and 55.5% were females. WhatsApp (96.8%) was the most frequently used social media platform across all age groups and both genders. Statistically significant differences were identified between genders in the usage of Telegram, Twitter, and Viber within the 18-30 years age category, with a higher percentage of males using these platforms (p ≤ 0.05). Similar significant differences were observed in the 31-40 years age group for WhatsApp and Telegram (p ≤ 0.05). Among 95.4% of online health information seekers, YouTube (74.9%) was the most popular platform. One-quarter of the respondents preferred social media platforms, and 22.3% preferred websites for obtaining oral health information. Furthermore, 74.9% had positive opinions on obtaining oral health information via social media, while only 17% reported pleasant experiences with social media platforms for oral health promotion. In assessing the reliability of oral health information on social media, 48% relied on the quality of the information. The most preferred source of oral health information was short videos from professionals (43.1%). Additionally, 69.5% reported changes in their oral health behaviours after accessing information through social media.

CONCLUSION

Social media is a viable platform for promoting public oral health awareness in Sri Lankan; hence, workable strategies need to be employed, to further ensure its effective and wider use in a culturally and socioeconomically diverse country like Sri Lanka.

Oral cancer: analysis of the clarity of publications in Instagram profiles of official health agencies in Brazil

This article aims to analyze the clarity and engagement measures of publications on oral cancer in the Instagram profiles of official health agencies in Brazil. An infodemiological study was conducted with 81 profiles. Data collected concerned content classification, account and media, manner of addressing the topic, number of posts, likes, comments, views and hashtags. The clarity of the educational publications was assessed with the Brazilian version of the Clear Communication Index (BR-CDC-CCI). Data analysis involved Spearman's correlation and the Mann-Whitney test (α = 5%). A total of 775 publications on oral cancer were found. The average BR-CDC-CCI score was 69.8 (SD = 15.5). The clarity of the information was adequate in 9.5% of the educational publications. Positive correlations were found between the number of likes and engagement (comments [r = 0.49], views [r = 0.96]), number of hashtags (r = 0.13) and year of publication (r = 0.21). Publications from the Health Ministry had a significantly higher BR-CDC-CCI score compared to the other profiles. Publications on oral cancer were correlated with engagement, year of publication and number of hashtags. Public agencies increased publications to reach the population, but the clarity of the content was low.

Mobile Health System for Meeting Health Information Needs in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Radiotherapy: Development and Feasibility Study

Patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy encounter physical and psychosocial challenges, indicating unmet needs. Mobile health technology can potentially support patients. This single-armed feasibility study included 30 patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy. Patients were asked to use the Health Enjoy System, a mobile health support system that provides a disease-related resource for 1 week. We assessed the usability of the system and its limited efficacy in meeting patients' health information needs. The result showed that the system was well received by patients and effectively met their health information needs. They also reported free comments on the system's content, backend maintenance, and user engagement. This study supplies a foundation for further research to explore the potential benefits of the Health Enjoy System in supporting patients with head and neck cancer.

Content analysis of oral (mouth) cancer-related posts on Instagram

OBJECTIVE

To examine the content of Instagram posts about oral cancer and assess its usefulness in promoting oral cancer awareness and early detection practices.

METHODS

A systematic search of Instagram for posts about oral (mouth) cancer was conducted using the hashtags #oral cancer and #mouth cancer. Posts usefulness in promoting awareness and early detection was assessed using the early detection usefulness score, and caption readability was assessed using the Flesch Kincaid readability score.

RESULTS

A total of 81,000 posts were identified, and 200 posts were thoroughly evaluated. Included posts gathered a total of 48,118 (mean = 420.59 likes) and 27,898 views. Most posts (81.5%) were educational to the lay person, and India and the UK were the major contributors. The most discussed topics were prevention and early detection (55%). Representative clinical images were present in 35.5% of posts. Only 9.5% of posts mentioned the source of information, and the mean usefulness score was only 2.1 out of 10. The mean reading ease score was 56.7 ± 43.8 (range from 1 to 98 out of 100).

CONCLUSION

Instagram shows potential for promoting oral cancer awareness, particularly in prevention and early detection. However, concerns regarding content quality, scientific validity, and clarity persist.

Oral Cancer and Twitter: An Analysis of Oral Cancer Awareness Month Tweets

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research was to assess Twitter usage during Oral Cancer Awareness Month and explore the content and engagement related to oral cancer.

METHODS

A comprehensive search was performed using relevant hashtags and keywords related to oral cancer on Twitter throughout the oral cancer awareness month, April 2022. All extracted tweets that match the inclusion criteria were analyzed for content, users were classified, and their countries were identified.

RESULT

A total of 5551 English tweets were identified during Oral Cancer Awareness Month, and 5543 were included in the analysis covering a wide range of oral cancer-related topics. The analyzed tweets encompassed a diverse range of topics, from cancer and oral health to oncology, cancer research, cancer awareness, and even discussions related to alcohol. We found that the majority of users who post on Twitter were individuals. The most common tweets were posted from the USA.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides an analysis of Twitter activity during Oral Cancer Awareness Month, highlighting the diverse range of content being shared, offering valuable insights. The findings demonstrate the importance of leveraging social media platforms to disseminate information and raise awareness. With a strategic approach to social media, organizations and individuals worldwide have the power to amplify their message, attract attention, and effectively advocate for oral cancer awareness.

The Readability and Quality of Web-Based Patient Information on Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Quantitative Content Analysis

BACKGROUND

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare disease that is strongly associated with exposure to the Epstein-Barr virus and is characterized by the formation of malignant cells in nasopharynx tissues. Early diagnosis of NPC is often difficult owing to the location of initial tumor sites and the nonspecificity of initial symptoms, resulting in a higher frequency of advanced-stage diagnoses and a poorer prognosis. Access to high-quality, readable information could improve the early detection of the disease and provide support to patients during disease management.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to assess the quality and readability of publicly available web-based information in the English language about NPC, using the most popular search engines.

METHODS

Key terms relevant to NPC were searched across 3 of the most popular internet search engines: Google, Yahoo, and Bing. The top 25 results from each search engine were included in the analysis. Websites that contained text written in languages other than English, required paywall access, targeted medical professionals, or included nontext content were excluded. Readability for each website was assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease score and the Flesch-Kincaid grade level. Website quality was assessed using the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and DISCERN tools as well as the presence of a Health on the Net Foundation seal.

RESULTS

Overall, 57 suitable websites were included in this study; 26% (15/57) of the websites were academic. The mean JAMA and DISCERN scores of all websites were 2.80 (IQR 3) and 57.60 (IQR 19), respectively, with a median of 3 (IQR 2-4) and 61 (IQR 49-68), respectively. Health care industry websites (n=3) had the highest mean JAMA score of 4 (SD 0). Academic websites (15/57, 26%) had the highest mean DISCERN score of 77.5. The Health on the Net Foundation seal was present on only 1 website, which also achieved a JAMA score of 3 and a DISCERN score of 50. Significant differences were observed between the JAMA score of hospital websites and the scores of industry websites (P=.04), news service websites (P<.048), charity and nongovernmental organization websites (P=.03). Despite being a vital source for patients, general practitioner websites were found to have significantly lower JAMA scores compared with charity websites (P=.05). The overall mean readability scores reflected an average reading age of 14.3 (SD 1.1) years.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest an inconsistent and suboptimal quality of information related to NPC on the internet. On average, websites presented readability challenges, as written information about NPC was above the recommended reading level of sixth grade. As such, web-based information requires improvement in both quality and accessibility, and healthcare providers should be selective about information recommended to patients, ensuring they are reliable and readable.

Assessing the scientific quality and reliability of YouTube videos about chemotherapy

No studies have evaluated the interaction, quality, and reliability of chemotherapy-related videos published on YouTube. The aim was to evaluate the content of YouTube videos about chemotherapy using 5 different scoring tools. In this cross-sectional register-based study, popular videos on YouTube about the following keywords were examined; "chemotherapy," "what is chemotherapy," "types of chemotherapy," "chemotherapy side effects" and "chemotherapy treatments." Quality and reliability of video content were measured using the modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the Global Quality Score (GQS), the Video Information Quality Index (VIQI), and Health on the Net code (HONcode) scores. A total of 108 videos were analyzed in the study. The median duration was 200 (30-2020) seconds and the median total number of views was 17500 (61-8615000). Among the video publishers, private hospitals were the most (n = 36, 33%). The most (n = 71, 66%) populer category of videos were patient education videos. Half (n = 55, 51%) of the narrators in the videos were only oncology professionals. Mean DISCERN, JAMA, GQS, VIQI, and HONcode scores were 2.73 ± 1.18, 1.97 ± 1.05, 2.94 ± 1.08, 14.03 ± 3.73, and 4.68 ± 2.46, respectively. A positive correlation was found between the 5 scoring points (P < .001 for all pairwise comparisons). There was a significant difference between video quality scores according to video categories and video publishers (P < .001 for both). Although most YouTube videos about chemotherapy were helpful to patients, content quality and reliability were moderate-low. Cancer patients looking for information on chemotherapy may find YouTube videos beneficial, but clinicians must be cautious to clear up any misunderstandings.

Clarity of publications on HPV in Instagram profiles of official health agencies in Brazil

The study analyzed the clarity of publications on human papillomavirus (HPV) in the Instagram profiles of official Brazilian health agencies. An infodemiological study analyzed publications on HPV in the 81 Instagram profiles selected from the Health Ministry, States' Health Departments, and dental councils and associations. The following data were collected: classification of content, type of profiles, type of media, how the content was addressed, number of posts, frequency, likes, comments, viewings, and hashtags, and how the HPV vaccine was addressed. The clarity of the educational publications was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Clear Communication Index (BR-CDC-CCI). Data analysis was performed with Spearman's correlation and the Mann-Whitney test (p < 0.05). A total of 504 publications on HPV were found. The average number of likes was 528.3 (SD = 2388.2) and the average BR-CDC-CCI score was 67.1 (SD = 14.1). The quality and clarity of the information was considered adequate (BR-CDC-CCI score ≥ 90) in 6.9% of the publications. A weak positive correlation was found between the number of likes and both the BR-CDC-CCI score (r = 0.195) and number of posts (r = 0.124). Publications from the Health Ministry had a significantly higher BR-CDC-CCI score (72.9) compared to the other profiles analyzed (p = 0.01). Most publications concerned government actions, had low engagement, and written educational information was of low clarity and quality. However, the effort to reach the population was evident, with an increase in publications over the years.

Analyzing Instagram Posts on Hypothyroidism: Characteristics, Information Types, Quality, and Reliability

Background and aims In the age of social media, a vast amount of information is widely and easily accessible. Platforms such as Instagram allow its users to post pictures and videos that can reach millions of users. This could be utilized by healthcare providers to provide education to a vast number of the population about a disease such as hypothyroidism with an easily digestible infographic. However, this easy accessibility comes with the risk of rampant misinformation. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of Instagram posts, the type of information, and the quality and reliability of information posted about hypothyroidism. Methodology This is a cross-sectional observational study that was conducted over the course of days on Instagram. Top posts meeting inclusion criteria under seven different hypothyroidism-related hashtags were surveyed for content and social media metrics by the authors utilizing Google Forms. The quality and reliability of the posts were analyzed using the global quality scale and DISCERN scales, respectively. The data were exported to an Excel sheet and analyzed using the SPSS software version 21.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Results A total of 629 posts met the inclusion criteria of which 62.5% were images and 37.5% were reels. The content heavily focused on the medical aspect of hypothyroidism with posts about symptoms (46.1%), prevention (39.59%), cause/etiology (36.41%), and treatment (34.34%). The median DISCERN score which reflects the reliability of the posts uploaded was highest for doctors at 3 and the least reliable posts were uploaded by dieticians, naturopathic doctors, and patients. This study found that the quality of posts uploaded by nutritionists and naturopathic doctors with a median Global Quality Score (GQS) score of 3. Conclusions There is a need to establish a quality control body that regulates the quality and reliability of the posts to curb misinformation and help patients gain easy access to reliable resources that will aid their decision-making.

Assessment of the quality of oral biopsy procedure videos shared on YouTube

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of free-to-access videos on oral biopsy procedures on the YouTube platform.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a search on YouTube using the term "oral biopsy" and selected the first 100 videos in order of relevance. The following exclusion criteria were applied: language other than English, videos that did not cover oral biopsy techniques, videos on nonhuman specimens, postoperative instructions, personal experiences, exfoliative cytology, or "brush biopsy." Forty-seven selected videos were classified based on their duration, country of origin, date of upload to the system, author, information source and number of views, and likes and dislikes. Video quality was analyzed using DISCERN, the Global Quality Scale (GQS), and the Video Information and Quality Index (VIQI).

RESULTS

The majority (78.7%) of analyzed videos were uploaded by dentists, originating from India (48.9%), with a mean duration of 11.8 min (SD, 20.4), with 104.5 likes (SD, 186.4) and 7.1 dislikes (SD, 10.55). The mean values for DISCERN, GQS, and VIQI were 1.3 (SD, 0.52), 2.1 (SD, 1.04), and 9.62 (SD, 1.69), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The majority of videos on oral biopsy published on YouTube are of low quality.

Radionuclide Therapy Videos on YouTube as An Educational Material: Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed the Quality, Usefulness, and Interaction Features

Introduction

Current treatment approach aims to achieve greater efficacy with fewer side effects, by targeted cancer therapy as much as possible. Radionuclide therapy is a modality that uses cancer theranostics and is increasingly applied for various cancers as a targeted therapy. YouTube is a preferred tool for obtaining medical information from the internet. This study aims to determine the content quality, level of interaction and usefulness as education material of radionuclide therapy YouTube videos and to reveal the impact of the COVID-19 process on these parameters.

Materials and Methods

The keywords were searched on YouTube on August 25, 2018, and May 10, 2021. After removing duplicate and excluded videos, all remaining videos were scored and coded.

Results

Majority of the videos were useful educational material. Most of them were high quality. Popularity markers were unrelated to quality level. After COVID, the power index of videos with high JAMA scores increased. The COVID-19 pandemic did not have a negative effect on video features; the quality of the content increased even more after the pandemic.

Conclusion

Radionuclide therapy YouTube videos have high-quality content and provide useful education material. The popularity is independent of the content quality. During the pandemic, video quality and usefulness characteristics did not change, while the visibility is increased. We consider YouTube to be an appropriate educational material for patients and healthcare professionals to gain basic knowledge of radionuclide therapy. The Covıd-19 pandemic highlighted the power of radionuclide therapy YouTube videos as an educational material.

Infodemiology for oral health and disease: A scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Increasing affordability, accessibility and penetration of internet services worldwide, have substantially changed the ways of gathering health-related information. This has led to the origin of concept infodemiology that allows the information to be collected and analysed in near real time. Globally, oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people; thus, volume and profile of oral health searches would help in understanding specific community dental needs and formulation of pertinent oral health strategies.

AIM

To review the published literature on infodemiological aspects of oral health and disease.

METHODOLOGY

This scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Electronic search engines (Google Scholar) and databases (PubMed, Web of science, Scopus) were searched from 2002 onwards.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight articles were included in this review. The infodemiological studies for oral health and disease were mainly used in two domains. Out of 38 articles, 24 accessed the quality of available online information and 15 studied online oral health-related information seeking behaviour.

CONCLUSION

The most commonly searched oral diseases were toothache, oral cancer, dental caries, periodontal disease, oral maxillofacial surgical procedures and paediatric oral diseases. Most of the studies belonged to developed countries and Google was the most researched search engine.

Pacientes com Câncer e suas Representações Sociais sobre a Doença: Impactos e Enfrentamentos do Diagnóstico

Introdução: O diagnóstico de câncer atinge diversos aspectos, como emocionais, de relacionamento, espirituais e financeiros, tornando-o um importante problema de saúde pública mundialmente. Objetivo: Analisar a estrutura das representações sociais do câncer para pacientes oncológicos hospitalizados adultos e apontar sua relação com aspectos do cotidiano de enfrentamento do diagnóstico e do adoecimento por essa patologia. Método: De natureza qualitativa, descritiva e exploratória, embasado na Teoria das Representações Sociais. O cenário foi um hospital federal de câncer, no município do Rio de Janeiro, com 111 participantes vivendo o adoecimento oncológico. Foram coletadas as evocações livres ao termo indutor “câncer” e aplicado o questionário para caracterização dos pacientes. A análise se deu por intermédio do software EVOC 2005. Resultados: Participantes, majoritariamente homens (69,3%), com ensino fundamental (57,6%). Apresentaram-se como provável núcleo central: doença, tristeza e morte. O conhecimento reificado do câncer ocorreu por meio da palavra “doençaˮ. Reconhece-se o predomínio de elementos negativos, ainda que hajam alguns positivos como tratamento, cura e Deus na representação do grupo. A doença em voga carreia estigma, tornando o enfrentamento um processo doloroso e triste. Conclusão: É possível observar o pesar de estar com câncer na visão dos pacientes, ao passo que a esperança existe e os move em direção à cura. Identifica-se a necessidade de o profissional enfermeiro dar enfoque no que diz respeito à dimensão espiritual e religiosa em seu cuidado, entendendo o indivíduo como um ser único e complexo que demanda cuidados individuais.

YoutubeTM Content Analysis as a Means of Information in Oral Medicine: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Background: Oral medicine represents a complex branch of dentistry, involved in diagnosing and managing a wide range of disorders. Youtube^TM offers a huge source of information for users and patients affected by oral diseases. This systematic review aims to evaluate the reliability of Youtube^TM oral medicine-related content as a valid dissemination aid. Methods: The MeSH terms “Youtube^TM” and “oral” have been searched by three search engines (PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library), and a systematic review has been performed; the PRISMA checklist has been followed in the search operations. Results: Initial results were 210. Ten studies definitely met our selection criteria. Conclusions: Youtube^TM represents a dynamic device capable of easy and rapid dissemination of medical-scientific content. Nevertheless, the most of information collected in the literature shows a lack of adequate knowledge and the need to utilize a peer-reviewing tool in order to avoid the spreading of misleading and dangerous content.

The Effect of an Informative Video upon Anxiety and Stress in Patients Requiring an Oral Biopsy: A Randomized Controlled Study

OBJECTIVE

The use of multimedia tools improves patient understanding of surgical procedures, reduces anxiety and increases satisfaction. The present study evaluates the impact of an audiovisual intervention (video) upon anxiety and stress in patients requiring an oral biopsy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A prospective randomized clinical trial was carried out in patients requiring an oral biopsy. The control group (n = 60) received verbal standard information while the experimental group (n = 60) received information in the form of a video. The following data were recorded: gender, age, educational level and hemodynamic parameters (blood pressure, heart rate and blood oxygen saturation). The following questionnaires were used to assess anxiety and stress before and after the biopsy procedure: Corah's Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

RESULTS

The final study sample consisted of 120 patients, of which 65.8% were women and 34.2% men, with a mean age of 40.5 ± 15.3 years. At the end of the study, the experimental group presented a significantly lower MDAS score than the control group (p = 0.041). The STAI score also showed a significant decrease with respect to the control group at the end of the study (p = 0.012). There were no statistically significant changes in the hemodynamic parameters in either group.

CONCLUSIONS

The video constituted a useful and easy tool for reducing anxiety among patients requiring an oral biopsy.

Development, validation and international certification of a health portal for people with disabilities

ABSTRACT Objectives: to develop, validate with specialists and internationally certify a virtual health portal, the D+Informação. Methods: a quantitative methodological study. Twenty-two expert judges validated the Portal in the health and computer science areas using the Content Validity Index and the Gwet test. International certification followed HONcode principles® to ensure the trust of information. Results: judges of health and computer science validated the portal obtaining a minimum Content Validity Index in more than 75% of the topics, in addition to the evaluation of general agreement, 0.253; content evaluation, 0.193, and interface evaluation, 0.230. All presented the value of Gwet with p ≤ 0,001. Conclusions: the portal D+Informação was developed, validated, internationally certified and is hosted on this website: https://demaisinformacao.com.br

Evaluation of YouTube videos as a source of information about oral self-examination to detect oral cancer and precancerous lesions

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to investigate quality, reliability, and comprehensiveness of YouTube videos about oral self-examination to detect oral cancer and precancerous lesions and to assess whether the source, duration, quality, reliability, and/or comprehensiveness of videos influence their visibility and popularity.

Materials and Methods:

Videos on YouTube were searched using eight keywords similar to oral self-examination. The first 100 videos for each search term were included. Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria were adhered to, and videos were assessed for quality, reliability, and comprehensiveness. Upload date, views, likes, dislikes, duration, and source of the videos were noted. Viewing rate and interaction index were calculated for each video.

Results:

A total of 800 videos were analyzed, 24 of which met the inclusion criteria. Majority of videos (87%) were uploaded by the healthcare group. The visibility, quality, reliability, and comprehensiveness were higher in videos uploaded by the healthcare group when compared with the non-healthcare group, but not at a level of statistical significance. The mean interaction index score of the non-healthcare group was found to be higher than the healthcare group, with statistically significant difference. Duration of videos showed an impact on the comprehensiveness of the videos.

Conclusion:

There are relatively few videos on oral self-examination on YouTube, and most do not have satisfactory quality, reliability, and comprehensiveness. There is a potential to increase public awareness about oral self-examination by utilizing this tool. Videos with complete and accurate information regarding oral self-examination must be uploaded to YouTube, which is currently an important source of information for the general public.

Quality and reliability of web-based information regarding restorative treatment in pediatric patients

Purpose:

The aim of the present study is to assess the quality and reliability of web-based information about restorative treatment in pediatric patients on the internet using different scales.

Materials and methods:

Websites obtained by using keywords about restorative treatment in pediatric patients on Google and Yandex were included in the study. The study was conducted in English on a total of 440 websites. Websites were evaluated using the quality criteria for consumer health information (DISCERN toolkit), Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, and Health on the Net Code of Conduct Certification (HONCode).

Results:

The mean DISCERN points of the websites were moderate. Among the evaluated websites, the quality of the knowledge in 20% of the websites was low. The rate of websites with a score below 40 was 37.5%. None of them has reached an excellent score. No websites met all JAMA criteria. There was no HONCode Certificate on any website.

Conclusion:

This study showed that the quality of the web-based information about restorative treatment in pediatric patients was generally inadequate and scientifically imperfect.

YouTube™ and oral lichen planus: an appraisal of the educational quality of information

The objective of this study was to analyze the quality of videos on oral lichen planus (OLP) available in YouTube™. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted by searching the video sharing platform YouTube™. Videos aimed at clarifying the etiological and clinical characteristics, diagnostic criteria, treatment, and prognosis of OLP were included. A total of 481 videos were retrieved and 37 were included in the study according to the selection criteria established. Most of the videos evaluated (86.5%; n = 32) were produced by independent users. The average reliability was 1.8 and quality assessment classified only three videos (8.1%) as having good/excellent quality. A significant correlation was observed between the length of the video analyzed and its quality and reliability (p < 0.05), as well as between the reliability and usefulness of the video (p = 0.03). YouTube™ has become a leading source of information for the general population. However, a significant number of these videos have a low quality. Students, professionals, and healthcare providers must be more actively involved in providing clear, accurate, and reliable evidence-based information in an accessible language in order to enable significant improvement in patient care delivery.

Evaluation of information quality on the internet for periodontal disease patients

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the quality of accessible information on periodontal diseases on the Internet using different scales.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A search was performed using the Google search engine with questions about periodontal disease symptoms. The first 30 web sites obtained after searching for each question were evaluated. Duplicate web sites, advertisements, discussion groups, links to research articles, videos, and images were excluded. A total of 90 web sites were included and evaluated with Health on the Net Code of Conduct Certification (HONCode) presence, Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, and the quality criteria for consumer health information (DISCERN) toolkit.

RESULTS

Only 27.8% of the analyzed web sites contain HONCode certificates. No webpages fulfilled all JAMA criteria, whereas 32.2% of the web sites did not provide any of them. Majority of the web sites' (44.4%) overall rating score was 2 with the DISCERN instrument. In the DISCERN Section Scores comparison between various types of web sites, information web site scores were higher than Dental Health Center Web sites in Section 1 and Section 3 scores (p = .000 and p = .001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Overall quality of periodontal information based on patients' questions on the Internet has serious shortcomings especially in terms of attribution and the quality of information on treatment choices.

COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on dental education: discussing current and future perspectives

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, many dental schools and instructors are rethinking the way they teach and interact with students. New perspectives regarding a change in face-to-face activities, social isolation and the reformulation of clinical activities result in a transition toward e-learning and e-teaching processes. In this review, we discuss some favorable aspects and difficulties associated with virtual teaching and learning, searching for available tools and techniques as well as new perspectives.