bims-librar Biomed News
on Biomedical librarianship
Issue of 2023–08–13
twenty-two papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society



  1. Front Digit Health. 2023 ;5 1183319
       Background: Adolescence is a vulnerable developmental period, characterized by high rates of mental health concerns, yet few adolescents receive treatment. Public libraries support adolescents by providing them with access to teen programming, technological resources, and have recently been providing mental health services. Digital mental health (DMH) services may help libraries provide scalable mental health solutions for their adolescent patrons and could be well positioned to address the mental health needs of historically underrepresented racial and ethnic (HURE) adolescents; however, little research has been conducted on the compatibility of DMH services with adolescent patron mental health needs or resource needs of library workers supporting them.
    Methods: The research team formed a partnership with a public library, which serves a large HURE adolescent population. We conducted needs assessment and implementation readiness interviews with 17 library workers, including leadership, librarians, and workers with specialized areas of practice. Interview questions focused on library infrastructure, as well as library needs and preferences around the design and implementation of DMH services for adolescents. We used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research as guiding implementation determinant framework to code and analyze the interview transcripts.
    Results: Our findings revealed library workers play an important role in guiding patrons to desired resources and share a goal of implementing adolescent DMH resources into the library and elevating marginalized adolescents' voices. Existing library resources, such as the library's role as a safe space for adolescents in the community, close relationships with external and community organizations, and availability of no-cost technological resources, could help facilitate the implementation of DMH services. Barriers related to community buy-in, mental health stigma, and library worker confidence in supporting adolescent mental health could affect service implementation.
    Conclusions: Our findings suggest public libraries are highly promising settings to deploy DMH services for adolescents. We identified important determinants that may impact the implementation of DMH services in public library settings. Special considerations are needed to design services to meet the mental health needs of HURE adolescent populations and those adolescents' most experiencing health inequities.
    Keywords:  adolescents; digital mental health; implementation; library workers; public library; teens
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2023.1183319
  2. J Can Health Libr Assoc. 2023 Aug;44(2): 27-35
       Background: The Health Sciences Library and Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) program at McMaster University worked together to build a multi-year information literacy (IL) curriculum embedded within the program under a suite of courses called Praxis Pathways.
    Description: Praxis Pathways consists of four Threads. Thread 4: information literacy is the focus of this case report. The authors will describe the multi-year embedded IL curriculum, which is scaffolded to build both IL skills, such as database searching, and introduce students to key conceptual conversations in IL, production, and dissemination.
    Outcomes: BHSc program graduates in 2023 will be the first to have completed all four years of the Praxis Pathways courses, including the IL program developed and delivered by the library. The authors will describe how the impact of the program will be evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively going forward.
    Conclusion: Embedded librarianship for multi-year, scaffolded IL education in undergraduate programs continues to be a rarity, despite acknowledgement that one-shot instruction has several limitations. The authors present this case report to share how they embedded a for-credit IL curriculum in an undergraduate program that looks beyond the one-shot, skill-based tutorial and focuses on developing adaptive, information literate lifelong learners.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.29173/jchla29666
  3. Health Info Libr J. 2023 Aug 11.
      Medical libraries in Sweden are digitised to a large extent, technically advanced and developing rapidly. This paper investigates technological trends among Swedish medical libraries in the near and distant future and their application within different areas of library activities. The authors also present a roadmap to increase technological developments within medical libraries in Sweden. Current technological trends include digital collaboration tools, mobile technologies and visualisation. Artificial intelligence, big data and smart technologies are upcoming trends. Technologies are applied within all areas of library activities, but preconditions for academic and hospital libraries differ. To remain a relevant provider of information services, libraries must be able to monitor, test and adopt new technologies.
    Keywords:  Europe, central; collaboration; information and communication technologies (ICTs); libraries, medical; surveys
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12500
  4. Eur Urol. 2023 Aug 09. pii: S0302-2838(23)02972-X. [Epub ahead of print]
      Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are becoming a popular source of information but there are limited data on the quality of information on urological malignancies that they provide. Our objective was to characterize the quality of information and detect misinformation about prostate, bladder, kidney, and testicular cancers from four AI chatbots: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Chat Sonic, and Microsoft Bing AI. We used the top five search queries related to prostate, bladder, kidney, and testicular cancers according to Google Trends from January 2021 to January 2023 and input them into the AI chatbots. Responses were evaluated for quality, understandability, actionability, misinformation, and readability using published instruments. AI chatbot responses had moderate to high information quality (median DISCERN score 4 out of 5, range 2-5) and lacked misinformation. Understandability was moderate (median Patient Education Material Assessment Tool for Printable Materials [PEMAT-P] understandability 66.7%, range 44.4-90.9%) and actionability was moderate to poor (median PEMAT-P actionability 40%, range 0-40%The responses were written at a fairly difficult reading level. AI chatbots produce information that is generally accurate and of moderate to high quality in response to the top urological malignancy-related search queries, but the responses lack clear, actionable instructions and exceed the reading level recommended for consumer health information. PATIENT SUMMARY: Artificial intelligence chatbots produce information that is generally accurate and of moderately high quality in response to popular Google searches about urological cancers. However, their responses are fairly difficult to read, are moderately hard to understand, and lack clear instructions for users to act on.
    Keywords:  Artificial intelligence; Misinformation; Urological malignancies
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2023.07.004
  5. J Sch Nurs. 2023 Aug 09. 10598405231193361
      Providing complex care for students requires an informed school nurse workforce. However, school nurses, many of whom work independently, may not know where to find necessary information. This study seeks to understand the information needs of school nurses by conducting a needs assessment survey within the state of Illinois. A survey was disseminated through three statewide professional listservs to determine the types of care-related questions school nurses ask as part of their regular duties and which resources they use to answer those questions. School nurses' information needs vary widely, and they rely on numerous sources to answer clinical questions. They are responsible for the well-being of hundreds to thousands of children. While they are comfortable searching for information, they are motivated to further develop research skills.
    Keywords:  continuing education; evidence-based practice; information literacy; school nurse education; school nurse knowledge/perceptions/self-efficacy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405231193361
  6. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2023 Aug 08.
       PURPOSE: To investigate the potential use of large language models (LLMs) in orthopaedics by presenting queries pertinent to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery to generative pre-trained transformer (ChatGPT, specifically using its GPT-4 model of March 14th 2023). Additionally, this study aimed to evaluate the depth of the LLM's knowledge and investigate its adaptability to different user groups. It was hypothesized that the ChatGPT would be able to adapt to different target groups due to its strong language understanding and processing capabilities.
    METHODS: ChatGPT was presented with 20 questions and response was requested for two distinct target audiences: patients and non-orthopaedic medical doctors. Two board-certified orthopaedic sports medicine surgeons and two expert orthopaedic sports medicine surgeons independently evaluated the responses generated by ChatGPT. Mean correctness, completeness, and adaptability to the target audiences (patients and non-orthopaedic medical doctors) were determined. A three-point response scale facilitated nuanced assessment.
    RESULTS: ChatGPT exhibited fair accuracy, with average correctness scores of 1.69 and 1.66 (on a scale from 0, incorrect, 1, partially correct, to 2, correct) for patients and medical doctors, respectively. Three of the 20 questions (15.0%) were deemed incorrect by any of the four orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon assessors. Moreover, overall completeness was calculated to be 1.51 and 1.64 for patients and medical doctors, respectively, while overall adaptiveness was determined to be 1.75 and 1.73 for patients and doctors, respectively.
    CONCLUSION: Overall, ChatGPT was successful in generating correct responses in approximately 65% of the cases related to ACL surgery. The findings of this study imply that LLMs offer potential as a supplementary tool for acquiring orthopaedic knowledge. However, although ChatGPT can provide guidance and effectively adapt to diverse target audiences, it cannot supplant the expertise of orthopaedic sports medicine surgeons in diagnostic and treatment planning endeavours due to its limited understanding of orthopaedic domains and its potential for erroneous responses.
    LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V.
    Keywords:  ACL; Anterior cruciate ligament; Artificial intelligence; ChatGPT; Correctness; Large language models
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-023-07529-2
  7. Nature. 2023 Aug;620(7973): 456-457
      
    Keywords:  Authorship; Machine learning; Publishing; Research data; Research management
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-01907-z
  8. Arthroscopy. 2023 Aug 09. pii: S0749-8063(23)00642-4. [Epub ahead of print]
       PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyse the quality and readability of information regarding shoulder stabilisation surgery available using an online AI software (ChatGPT), using standardised scoring systems, as well as to report on the given answers by the AI.
    METHODS: An open AI model (ChatGPT) was used to answer 23 commonly asked questions from patients on shoulder stabilization surgery. These answers were evaluated for medical accuracy, quality and readability using The JAMA Benchmark criteria, DISCERN score, Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease Score (FRES) & Grade Level (FKGL).
    RESULTS: The JAMA Benchmark criteria score was 0, which is the lowest score indicating no reliable resources cited. The DISCERN score was 60, which is considered a good score. The areas that open AI model did not achieve full marks were also related to the lack of available source material used to compile the answers, and finally some shortcomings with information not fully supported by the literature. The FRES was 26.2, and the FKGL was considered to be that of a college graduate.
    CONCLUSION: There was generally high quality in the answers given on questions relating to shoulder stabilization surgery, but there was a high reading level required to comprehend the information presented. However, but it is unclear where the answers came from with no source material cited. Although, it is important to note that the ChatGPT software repeatedly reference the need to discuss these questions with an orthopaedic surgeon and the importance of shared discussion making, as well as compliance with surgeon treatment recommendations.
    Keywords:  Latarjet procedure; arthroscopic Bankart repair; artificial intelligence; health literacy; quality; readability
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arthro.2023.07.048
  9. Cureus. 2023 Jul;15(7): e41353
      Background While a considerable amount of information on neck pain is available online, the quality and comprehensiveness of this information can vary greatly. Particularly, the representation of the biopsychosocial model - which recognizes neck pain as an interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors - in online information remains unclear. Given the prevalence and accessibility of online health information, it is important to understand its quality and how it may shape individuals' understanding and management of neck pain. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the quality of online Japanese information on the causes of neck pain from a biopsychosocial perspective. Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. The search term "neck pain" was utilized on Google's search engine in June 2023, and the websites from the first two pages of the search results were included in the study. Ten advertisement websites were excluded, resulting in 19 websites being analyzed. Each website was evaluated based on the presence of the Health-on-the-Net (HON) code. Biomedical and psychosocial factors present in each website were identified using the biopsychosocial analysis tool. Websites were then categorized as biomedical, limited biopsychosocial, or biopsychosocial based on the number of psychosocial factors they mentioned. Results Among the 19 evaluated websites, only one possessed the HON certification, indicating a potential lack of credibility for the remaining sites. Of these websites, a large majority (63.2%) were classified as biomedical, while the remaining (36.8%) were classified as limited biopsychosocial. All the websites included some form of biomedical information on the causes of neck pain, while only seven websites mentioned psychological factors and one website mentioned social factors. The most common biomedical causes of neck pain discussed were cervical muscle strain and radicular pain due to cervical disc prolapse. On the other hand, the limited biopsychosocial websites highlighted perceived stress, depressed mood, and job-related mental stress as psychosocial factors contributing to neck pain. Conclusions This analysis revealed that freely accessible Japanese online information on the causes of neck pain, as found through Google, predominantly focuses on the biomedical causes, often neglecting or insufficiently addressing the psychosocial aspects. This finding underscores a gap between the available online resources and the comprehensive understanding promoted by the biopsychosocial model of health. Healthcare professionals need to be proactive in guiding their patients toward reliable, well-rounded resources that acknowledge the crucial role of psychosocial factors in neck pain. Furthermore, developers of online health information must aim to improve the depth and breadth of psychosocial factors discussed, promoting a more holistic understanding of neck pain for the Japanese public.
    Keywords:  biopsychosocial; neck pain; non-specific neck pain; online infomation; online media
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.41353
  10. Can Urol Assoc J. 2023 Aug 03.
       INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to establish the quality of patient-facing websites advertising low-intensity shockwave therapy (LISWT) for erectile dysfunction (ED) and Peyronie's disease (PD) patients in Canada.
    METHODS: Canadian websites offering LIWST for ED or PD were identified using online web searches. The characteristics of these websites were reviewed, along with examining the presence of HONCode certification, assigning a brief discern score (a tool designed to evaluate health information online) and readability scores. We also examined the LIWST technology advertised, as well as benefits of LIWST cited by the websites.
    RESULTS: Twenty-five unique websites linked to 46 clinics were identified and reviewed. Twenty-four percent of websites were run by a urologist. Other specialties offering LISWT included general practitioners, anesthesiologists, naturopathic medicine, nurse practitioners, physiotherapists, and registered massage therapists. Twenty-four percent of the websites advertised the use of a focused shockwave generator. Forty percent of the websites had peer-reviewed references. The average brief discern score was 14 (standard deviation 3.4). There was no association between the physician- or non-physician-led websites and the use of peer-reviewed references, readability scores, the number of clinic locations, or higher brief discern scores.
    CONCLUSIONS: LISWT is readily advertised online for ED and PD patients in Canada; however, only a minority use a focused shockwave generator. There is a wide diversity of practitioners offering LISWT. Websites offering LISWT are generally of poor quality and do not provide adequate information for patients to make educated treatment decisions.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5489/cuaj.8303
  11. JMIR Infodemiology. 2023 Aug 10. 3 e40003
       BACKGROUND: Dental caries is the most common health condition worldwide, and nutrition and dental caries have a strong interconnected relationship. Foods and eating behaviors can be both harmful (eg, sugar) and healthful (eg, meal spacing) for dental caries. YouTube is a popular source for the public to access information. To date, there is no information available on the nutrition and dental caries content of easily accessible YouTube videos.
    OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the content of YouTube videos on nutrition and dental caries.
    METHODS: In total, 6 YouTube searches were conducted using keywords related to nutrition and dental caries. The first 20 videos were selected from each search. Video content was scored (17 possible points; higher scores were associated with more topics covered) by 2 individuals based on the inclusion of information regarding various foods and eating behaviors that impact dental caries risk. For each video, information on video characteristics (ie, view count, length, number of likes, number of dislikes, and video age) was captured. Videos were divided into 2 groups by view rate (views/day); differences in scores and types of nutrition messages between groups were determined using nonparametric statistics.
    RESULTS: In total, 42 videos were included. Most videos were posted by or featured oral health professionals (24/42, 57%). The mean score was 4.9 (SD 3.4) out of 17 points. Videos with >30 views/day (high view rate; 20/42, 48% videos) had a trend toward a lower score (mean 4.0, SD 3.7) than videos with ≤30 views/day (low view rate; 22/42, 52%; mean 5.8, SD 3.0; P=.06), but this result was not statistically significant. Sugar was the most consistently mentioned topic in the videos (31/42, 74%). No other topics were mentioned in more than 50% of videos. Low-view rate videos were more likely to mention messaging on acidic foods and beverages (P=.04), water (P=.09), and frequency of sugar intake (P=.047) than high-view rate videos.
    CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the analyzed videos had low scores for nutritional and dental caries content. This study provides insights into the messaging available on nutrition and dental caries for the public and guidance on how to make improvements in this area.
    Keywords:  YouTube; consumer health information; dental caries; diet; internet; nutrition
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/40003
  12. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2023 Jul;16(7): 19-20
      
    Keywords:  Seborrheic dermatitis; YouTube; education; social media
  13. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2023 Aug 12.
       BACKGROUND: Hysteroscopy plays a crucial role in diagnosing and managing various intrauterine pathologies. However, its execution can be influenced by patients' perception and understanding, which are often shaped by digital resources such as YouTubeTM. Given its popularity and accessibility, YouTubeTM has the potential to greatly influence patients' knowledge and expectations about this procedure, highlighting the need for accurate and reliable information.
    PURPOSE: This study aims to assess the reliability and quality of hysteroscopy information available to patients on YouTubeTM. Understanding the nature of information patients' access can help address their fears and potential misunderstandings about the procedure, consequently reducing the likelihood of suspension or postponement due to anxiety.
    METHODS: A comprehensive analysis of YouTubeTM was conducted, simulating the search process of a patient seeking information about hysteroscopy. The study evaluated the reliability and quality of 90 out of the first 100 hysteroscopy-related videos on YouTubeTM, scored by four gynecologists-two experienced hysteroscopists and two trainees. The videos were assessed for reliability and quality using the mDISCERN and Global Quality Scale (GQS) scores.
    RESULTS: The average mDISCERN and GQS scores for the evaluated videos were below the optimal three points, highlighting the lack of fluency, comprehensiveness, and reliability of the available information. Notably, while videos produced by experts, including doctors and professional channels, had higher scores, they still fell short of the minimum score of 3. These videos also were not considered more suitable for either patients or trainees. Videos that were assessed as reliable (mDISCERN ≥ 3) were observed to be longer and were more frequently produced by doctors. These videos were suggested more to trainees rather than patients. Similarly, videos deemed as fluent and comprehensive (GQS ≥ 3) were longer and were more often recommended to patients.
    CONCLUSIONS: While YouTubeTM is a widely used source of medical information, the quality and reliability of hysteroscopy videos on the platform are poor. The strategic use of selected, high-quality hysteroscopy videos can enhance procedure success and alleviate patient fears. However, the unsupervised discovery of information by patients could potentially lead to procedure failure or an elevated level of stress due to misleading or incorrect information.
    Keywords:  GQS; Hysteroscopy; Web information; YouTube; mDISCERN
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-023-07172-9
  14. Nutr Health. 2023 Aug 09. 2601060231193789
       OBJECTIVE: Patients and the general audience refer social media platforms, such as YouTube, to learn and apply contemporary dietary methods. It is difficult for users to analyze the correctness and quality of information available on open platforms. Using scientific evaluation, this study assessed the quality, reliability, and content of YouTube videos on ketogenic diet (KD).
    METHODS: Three experienced medical practitioners reviewed and evaluated 95 videos. The quality and reliability of the videos were assessed using the quality criteria for consumer health information and the global quality scale (GQS). Topic modeling and sentiment analysis were employed to determine the dominant themes and polarity of the information.
    RESULTS: Three types of publishers (doctors, educational institutions, and influencers) were identified for the study. The mean length of videos posted by doctors was high at 42.24 min. The reliability and quality scores ranging from 0 (low) to 5 (high) had an average of 3.08 ± 1.14 and 3.18 ± 1.18, respectively, for sampled videos. One-way analysis of variance reveals significant differences in DISCERN and GQS scores among doctors, educational institutions, and influencers. Topic discovery identified four themes: keto versus glucose, diabetes, KD food, and major chronic diseases. Sentiment analysis reveals positive content polarity, some content shared by doctors had a neutral sentiment.
    CONCLUSION: Content creators should augment the content by citing medical information and terminology. Viewers relied more on doctors for information related to KD. The aesthetic quality is high for all types of publishers. Publishers could focus on the discovered themes to create more content. Publishers should produce high-quality videos by improving esthetics (to increase engagement), and reliable medical information (to increase impact).
    Keywords:  Ketogenic; YouTube; health; quality; reliability; sentiment; topic models
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/02601060231193789
  15. J Man Manip Ther. 2023 Aug 08. 1-7
       BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: YouTube has become a digital visual library in almost all fields of life, including medicine. Healthcare professionals and students frequently use YouTube to gain new skills and knowledge; however, the content of these videos has not been scientifically evaluated. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the descriptive adequacy and quality of YouTube videos on lumbar spine manipulation techniques (LSMTs) prepared by different healthcare professionals.
    METHODS: The first 50 most relevant videos retrieved on searching YouTube for the keyword 'lumbar spinal manipulation techniques' were included in the study. The video metrics (total duration, number of views, time since upload, number of comments, number of likes, and number of dislikes) that could be accessed from video descriptions were recorded. However the videos were scored according to manipulation definition criteria proposed by the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT manipulation description score - AAOMPT-MDS) and benchmark criteria for quality of digital content by the Journal of American Medical Association's (JAMA). The video metrics, AAOMPT-MDS and JAMA scores of the videos prepared by medical doctors, chiropractors, osteopaths, and physiotherapists were compared.
    RESULTS: Video metrics of groups were similar. The mean AAOMPT-MDS of the videos was 2.40 ± 1.57 out of 6.00 (higher score was better), and the mean JAMA score was 2.14 ± 1.05 out of 4.00 (higher score was better). Videos created by all professional groups had statistically comparable AAOMPT-MDS and JAMA scores (p > 0.05).
    CONCLUSION: Although YouTube videos on LSMTs offer valuable information for professionals and students, creators should follow the proposed recommendations when producing these videos to ensure quality content and systematic presentation.
    Keywords:  Low back pain; intervertebral disc herniation; manual therapy; physiotherapy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/10669817.2023.2244398
  16. Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2023 Jul;27(3): e380-e384
      Introduction  Tinnitus is one of the most common otological complaints encountered. Patients often use the internet, especially YouTube videos, as a source of information regarding their health condition. There is a need to analyze the standard and quality of information in these videos so that the patients receive correct information. Objective  The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the reliability and utility of YouTube videos on tinnitus. Methods  The first 100 videos on YouTube using the search terms tinnitus and ringing in the ear were identified. Three subject experts assessed the reliability using the modified five-point DISCERN score and utility using a usefulness score. Various indices like view ratio, like ratio, video power index, and interaction index were also calculated. Results  Out of the 100 videos selected, 34 were excluded; collectively the remaining 66 videos were viewed 12,797,730 times. The most common upload sources were hospital/physician (39%), paramedic health care providers (19%), and alternative medicine (19%). The discern score was the highest in hospital/physician group (mean 19.3) and lowest in patient experience group (mean 13.4). A negative correlation was observed between the number of views (correlation coefficient -0.214), number of likes (correlation coefficient -0.242), number of comments (correlation coefficient -0.242), and the usefulness score. Conclusion  Although there are multiple videos on YouTube regarding tinnitus, the overall educational content and reliability of the videos are poor. Video popularity is not associated with usefulness. Healthcare providers should counsel patients regarding videos on YouTube and try to create more comprehensive videos.
    Keywords:  complimentary therapies; health Education; social media; tinnitus
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-1771169
  17. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2023 08;pii: S0883-9417(23)00059-6. [Epub ahead of print]45 1-6
       OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between problematic use of social media, online health information-seeking, social isolation, and health-promoting behaviors among Korean undergraduate students.
    METHODS: In total, 178 undergraduate students participated in this study. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed.
    RESULTS: Predictors of health-promoting behaviors included overall time spent on social media, problematic social media use, social isolation, and online information-seeking, explaining 33.5 % of the variance in health-promoting behaviors.
    CONCLUSION: Prolonged social media use and social isolation negatively affected undergraduate students' health-promoting behaviors, while online information-seeking positively affected them. Nurses should assist young adults in improving health-promoting behaviors by preventing problematic social media uses, reducing social isolation, and strengthening their online health information-seeking ability.
    Keywords:  COVID-19; Health-promoting behavior; Problematic social media use; Social isolation; Undergraduate students
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2023.04.022
  18. Health Info Libr J. 2023 Aug 09.
       BACKGROUND: Considering social distancing requirements and isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread health mis/disinformation on social media, filling the pandemic-related information gap is critical.
    OBJECTIVES: This study explored COVID-19-related question topics, topic correlation, evolving trends, and community interactions by leveraging data from a health question-answering (Q&A) community (public and health professionals) over a 2-year period.
    METHODS: A total of 828 questions were collected and manually reviewed from a health Q&A and classified into 2492 codes. Question topic correlations, trends, and community interactions were generated using different statistical techniques.
    RESULTS: Thirty-seven topics were identified, and strong topic correlations were observed between the cognitive layer and other layers. These topics changed as the pandemic developed. Community interaction analyses revealed topics that were popular but received comparatively fewer responses.
    DISCUSSION: The findings could illuminate the dynamic changes in people's interests and concerns related to COVID-19 and their experiences of exchanging information in social Q&A communities.
    CONCLUSION: This study examined the practical significance of understanding topics of interest during a pandemic. The findings can inform the design of social health Q&A platforms that could reduce the risks of misinformation and disinformation.
    Keywords:  communication; consumer health information; health disparities; health information needs; information services; pandemic
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12506