Medical student University of Illinois College of Medicine
Disclosure(s):
Allison G. Raymundo, BS: No financial relationships to disclose
Introduction: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common reasons for healthcare visits and is the leading cause of disability worldwide. With the rise of social media platforms like TikTok, patients increasingly turn to online sources for medical advice. With over 1.5 billion active users, TikTok has become a significant platform for disseminating health information. However, the quality and accuracy of such information remain questionable. This study aims to assess the educational quality of LBP videos on TikTok by analyzing their content, sources, and engagement.
Methods: A total of 58 TikTok videos were reviewed using hashtags #lowbackpain and #lumbarradiculopathy. Seven reviewers evaluated the videos using the MOD-DISCERN, Global Quality Score (GQS), and PEMAT-A/V tools, which assess reliability, overall quality, and understandability/actionability, respectively. Videos were categorized based on source (e.g., physical therapists, physicians, chiropractors) and type of content (e.g., patient education, treatment). Statistical analysis explored correlations between video characteristics, quality scores, and user engagement.
Results: The results revealed significant differences in video quality based on the professional background of content creators, with physical therapists and doctors generally producing higher-quality content by measures of MOD-DISCERN and GQS compared to non-medical professionals. Engagement, such as likes and shares, was positively correlated with actionability (PEMAT-A), but negatively correlated with reliability (MOD-DISCERN). This suggests that videos with lower medical reliability may receive more interaction, potentially due to being more engaging or controversial.
Conclusion : Given the negative correlation between quality and engagement, TikTok is a poor source of reliable medical information and may pose risks to patients seeking advice. These findings highlight the need for better regulation and guidelines for health information shared on social media.
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