bims-librar Biomed News
on Biomedical librarianship
Issue of 2025–05–04
23 papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society
  1. Autism-Informed Academic Librarians.
  2. Gender Trends in Medical and Health Sciences Libraries, 2013-2024.
  3. Health information services of academic medical libraries in China during the pandemic era.
  4. Goodbye Dr. Google, hello Dr. ChatGPT: Advancing a new frontier for ENT medical information online.
  5. Understandability and actionability of patient education materials for diabetic retinopathy among indigenous and general populations.
  6. Response to "Readability of AI & Ophthalmologist Responses to Patient Surgery Queries: Comment" by Daungsupawong and Wiwanitkit.
  7. Evaluating Google Gemini's AI generated responses to questions after breast reconstruction.
  8. Assessing the quality and readability of ChatGPT responses to frequently asked questions about trigger finger release.
  9. Assessing artificial intelligence-generated patient discharge information for the emergency department: a pilot study.
  10. Can ChatGPT provide parent education for Oral Immunotherapy (OIT)?
  11. Microsoft Copilot Provides More Accurate and Reliable Information About Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury and Repair Than ChatGPT and Google Gemini; However, No Resource Was Overall the Best.
  12. Readability, accuracy and appropriateness and quality of AI chatbot responses as a patient information source on root canal retreatment: A comparative assessment.
  13. Individuals Frequently Search Google With Questions About the Management of Meniscal Tears and the Indications for and Technical Details of Surgery but the Quality of the Information Is Suboptimal.
  14. Evaluation of Top-Ranked Search Engine Web-Based Osteoporosis Materials.
  15. A systematic review assessing the reliability of studies focusing on urological content on YouTube.
  16. Evaluation of the quality and reliability of Turkish and English YouTube video contents on gingival recession treatment.
  17. Assessing the content and quality of GI bleeding information on Bilibili, TikTok, and YouTube: a cross-sectional study.
  18. #GenderAffirmingHormoneTherapy and Health Information on TikTok: Thematic Content Analysis.
  19. Evaluating the Content and Quality of Videos Related to Hypertrophic Scarring on TikTok in China: Cross-Sectional Study.
  20. Linking online health information seeking to cancer information overload among Chinese cancer patients' family members.
  21. Factors affecting online health information-seeking behavior in young and middle-aged patients with stroke.
  22. Patterns of Online Stress Management Information-Seeking Behavior in Hungary.
  23. Exploring youth information seeking on sexual and reproductive health and rights in Senegal.
  1. Autism Adulthood. 2025 Apr;7(2): 223-228
    Autism-Informed Academic Librarians.
    Amelia Anderson.
       Background: On college campuses, the academic library can be a place of comfort for some Autistic students. Autistic college students report using the library to explore their interests and as a place to escape a busy campus environment. However, academic librarians are not required to have a formal education about autism or neurodiversity more broadly.
    Methods: Through content analysis, this study examines sessions presented at the largest biannual conference for academic librarians in the United States to determine if, and how, attendees gain access to autism information.
    Results: Results indicate that few sessions focus specifically on autism but that the number is growing, especially when included within sessions about neurodiversity more broadly. Additionally, the language used to describe autism is increasingly in alignment with Autistic preferences.
    Conclusion: Conference sessions about autism and neurodiversity are limited but growing in number and quality. By encouraging more professional development opportunities for academic librarians to learn about autism, college and university students will benefit from more informed librarians and more inclusive library environments.
    Abstract: Academic libraries are important support spaces for some autistic college students, yet academic librarians receive no formal training or education about autism.
    Abstract: This study sought to understand if academic librarians receive autism education through professional conference sessions.
    Abstract: The researcher studied conference programs from five previous biannual, national conferences of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), the largest conference in the United States for academic librarians, to find all references to autism or neurodiversity more broadly. The researcher analyzed conference sessions using descriptive statistics to provide basic frequencies and qualitative methods to assign meaning to session metadata and descriptions.
    Abstract: Conference sessions about autism or neurodiversity were limited, with very few specifically addressing the topic. However, with the exception of 2017, these offerings have steadily increased since 2015. Language used to describe these sessions varied, but sessions used the term "neurodiversity" or its derivatives with greater frequency in most recent conference years, indicating greater awareness and understanding of this concept. Finally, sessions largely moved away from deficit-based language.
    Abstract: This is the first study to look at academic library conference sessions for autism references. It helps us to understand what information is being provided and what autism education academic librarians still need.
    Abstract: This study only looked at sessions presented for the national conference. Academic librarians may be getting autism information from state or local conferences or other professional development avenues. More information provided through interviews and surveys with academic librarians and autistic library users may help provide additional context for these results.
    Abstract: Previous work indicates that autistic college students appreciate their academic libraries. Creating more autism-informed academic librarians will help ensure these remain or become even more inclusive, supportive campus spaces.
    Keywords:  academic libraries; autism; continuing education; librarians; postsecondary education; professional development
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2024.0119
  2. Med Ref Serv Q. 2025 Apr 30. 1-9
    Gender Trends in Medical and Health Sciences Libraries, 2013-2024.
    David Petersen.
      This column explores gender trends over the past decade in medical and health sciences libraries through data reported from the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) and Association of Research Libraries' (ARL) salary surveys of their member institutions. Trends are related to gender composition and percentage of men in libraries are examined. Specifically, the column probes whether the gender composition in academic medical libraries has varied, whether the percentage of men in reporting libraries is increasing, and whether men are overrepresented in administrative positions. Findings and their implications for the medical and health sciences librarianship profession are presented.
    Keywords:  Gender; health science library trends; health sciences librarianship; medical librarianship
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/02763869.2025.2489933
  3. Health Info Libr J. 2025 Apr 30.
    Health information services of academic medical libraries in China during the pandemic era.
    Yuan Meng, Weijing Gong, Rui Guan, Li Dong.
       BACKGROUND: Academic medical libraries, with their dual university/medical roles, face significant challenges in pandemics to provide health information services effectively.
    OBJECTIVES: To discover the types, characteristics, and weaknesses of health information services of academic medical libraries in China during the COVID-19 pandemic; consider the provision of health information services effectively; and promote this understanding.
    METHODS: Literature review plus a survey of websites and WeChat public platforms of academic medical libraries from 15 of the top medical universities in China, in respect of the four aspects of health information resources, access, service, and management during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    RESULTS: Academic medical libraries provided health information services for these four aspects. However, problems such as insufficient integration of health information, insufficient customised and featured health information resources, insufficient cooperation, lack of systematic information literacy education, and lack of professional departments with health librarians are also revealed.
    DISCUSSION: Health information services should be improved by strengthening the integration and optimisation of health information resources, enhancing cooperation, strengthening systematic health information literacy education, and building health information departments with professional health librarians.
    CONCLUSION: This study provides a practical reference and rationale for academic medical libraries and health institutions regarding health information services.
    Keywords:  China; health literacy; higher education; information services; librarians, medical; libraries, academic; pandemic
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12572
  4. Am J Otolaryngol. 2025 Apr 19. pii: S0196-0709(25)00021-3. [Epub ahead of print]46(3): 104618
    Goodbye Dr. Google, hello Dr. ChatGPT: Advancing a new frontier for ENT medical information online.
    Richard J Lu, Babak Azizzadeh.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjoto.2025.104618
  5. Clin Exp Optom. 2025 Apr 27. 1-8
    Understandability and actionability of patient education materials for diabetic retinopathy among indigenous and general populations.
    Kam Chun Ho, Falicia Tay, Caitlin Quan, Faran Sabeti.
       CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Effective diabetic retinopathy (DR) patient education materials (PEMs) are vital for improving patient outcomes by fostering understanding and self-management.
    BACKGROUND: DR is a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness among Australians with diabetes, with Indigenous populations facing higher rates of severe complications. Despite the availability of online PEMs, their understandability and actionability, especially those designed for Indigenous Australians, remains underexplored, creating a gap in effective patient education.
    METHODS: This descriptive study assessed online PEMs using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT). Evaluations were conducted with online search platforms for printable and audiovisual PEMs on DR. Two independent reviewers scored the PEMs for understandability and actionability, with discrepancies resolved by a third adjudicator. A 70% threshold was used to indicate acceptable scores.
    RESULTS: From 540 identified PEMs, 54 met the inclusion criteria. Indigenous-targeted PEMs achieved higher in understandability (80%) than general population PEMs (75%). However, actionability scores were lower across all formats, with printable PEMs having a mean score of 42% for general population and 53% for Indigenous PEMs, and audiovisual PEMs at 29%.
    CONCLUSION: While most DR-related PEMs are generally understandable, their low actionability, especially audiovisual formats, indicates a need for clearer, step-by-step guidance to support patient self-management. Improving the structure and content of both printable and audiovisual PEMs can improve engagement and adherence to preventive behaviours among people living with diabetes, potentially reducing the burden of DR.
    Keywords:  Actionability; diabetic retinopathy; indigenous health; patient education materials; understandability
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/08164622.2025.2492765
  6. Ophthalmologica. 2025 Apr 29. 1-4
    Response to "Readability of AI & Ophthalmologist Responses to Patient Surgery Queries: Comment" by Daungsupawong and Wiwanitkit.
    Sai S Kurapati, Antonio Yaghy, Derek J Barnett, Ingrid U Scott.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1159/000546049
  7. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2025 Apr 17. pii: S1748-6815(25)00264-5. [Epub ahead of print]105 185-188
    Evaluating Google Gemini's AI generated responses to questions after breast reconstruction.
    Aaron N Hendizadeh, Nicholas Schmitz, Annie Fritsch, Lauren Martin, Jaime Pardo Palau, Christodoulos Kaoutzanis, Mamtha Raj, David E Kurlander, Darren Nin, George Kokosis.
       BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate Google Gemini's responses to common post-operative questions pertaining to breast reconstruction surgery.
    METHODS: Google Gemini AI was prompted with 14 common post-operative questions related to breast reconstruction surgery. Four experienced breast reconstructive surgeons and four advanced practice providers (APPs) evaluated the responses for accuracy, completeness, relevance, and overall quality on a 4-point Likert scale. Median scores were calculated and utilized as the final score. Responses were further categorized as accurate vs inaccurate, complete vs incomplete, relevant vs irrelevant, and high vs low quality. Readability was evaluated using the Fleisch-Kincaid reading scale.
    RESULTS: Attending surgeons classified 12/14 responses (86%) as accurate, 12/14 (86%) as complete, 13/14 (93%) as relevant, and 12/14 (86%) as high quality. APPs rated 11/14 responses (79%) as accurate, 12/14 (86%) as complete, 14 /14 (100%) as relevant, and 10/14 (71%) as high quality. APPs assigned lower median scores for overall quality than physicians (p=0.003). The mean Flesch-Kincaid readability score was 52.3.
    CONCLUSION: Google Gemini provided relevant and complete responses to common post-operative questions pertaining to breast reconstruction. The "fairly difficult" readability score may pose challenges for certain patient populations. Differences in scores between physicians and APPs for "overall quality" may be due to higher levels of experience among physicians, allowing them to evaluate answers in a broader context. While Google Gemini demonstrates potential as a tool for patient education, patients should be advised to consult with clinicians for the most reliable and personalized medical advice.
    Keywords:  Artificial Intelligence; Google Gemini; Large Language Models; Patient Education; Post-Operative
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjps.2025.04.021
  8. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2025 Apr 24. pii: S1748-6815(25)00287-6. [Epub ahead of print]105 170-172
    Assessing the quality and readability of ChatGPT responses to frequently asked questions about trigger finger release.
    Sohil N Dharia, John Traversone, Ryan Wortman, Michael Mulligan.
      Artificial intelligence, specifically large language models like ChatGPT, is rapidly transforming the healthcare landscape. As ChatGPT becomes more popular for obtaining medical information, there are concerns regarding the accuracy and quality of its content. While prior studies in various medical specialties have yielded mixed results regarding ChatGPT's reliability, little research has focused on its ability to address questions regarding specific orthopedic procedures, such as surgical intervention for stenosing tenosynovitis (trigger finger). This study assessed the accuracy, clarity, and readability of ChatGPT's responses to ten commonly asked patient questions regarding trigger finger release. The questions were obtained from Google's "People also ask" section and queried in ChatGPT 4.0 on September 24, 2024. Responses were evaluated by two authors using a four-point accuracy scale. Additionally, the education level required to understand the responses was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid scale. ChatGPT's responses achieved an average score of 1.9, falling between "excellent, requiring no clarification" and "satisfactory, requiring minimal clarification." Although the chatbot provided largely accurate information, it produced an incorrect response in one case and displayed occasional factual inaccuracies, particularly regarding treatment recommendations. The average reading level of responses was at a 12th-grade level, which exceeds the recommended 7th-8th-grade level for patient materials. ChatGPT can serve as a useful starting point for patients seeking information about orthopedic procedures like trigger finger release, but healthcare providers should guide patients in validating AI-generated content to enhance medical literacy and ensure accurate understanding.
    Keywords:  Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare; ChatGPT; Online Medical Information Reliability; Trigger Finger Release
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjps.2025.04.033
  9. Int J Emerg Med. 2025 Apr 25. 18(1): 85
    Assessing artificial intelligence-generated patient discharge information for the emergency department: a pilot study.
    Ruben De Rouck, Evy Wille, Allison Gilbert, Nick Vermeersch.
       BACKGROUND: Effective patient discharge information (PDI) in emergency departments (EDs) is vital and often more crucial than the diagnosis itself. Patients who are well informed at discharge tend to be more satisfied and experience better health outcomes. The combination of written and verbal instructions tends to improve patient recall. However, creating written discharge materials is both time-consuming and costly. With the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LMMs), there is potential for the efficient production of patient discharge documents. This study aimed to investigate several predefined key performance indicators (KPIs) of AI-generated patient discharge information.
    METHODS: This study focused on three significant patients' complaints in the ED: nonspecific abdominal pain, nonspecific low back pain, and fever in children. To generate the brochures, we used an English query for ChatGPT using the GPT-4 LLM and DeepL software to translate the brochures to Dutch. Five KPIs were defined to assess these PDI brochures: quality, accessibility, clarity, correctness and usability. The brochures were evaluated for each KPI by 8 experienced emergency physicians using a rating scale from 1 (very poor) to 10 (excellent). To quantify the readability of the brochures, frequently used indices were employed: the Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, and Coleman-Liau Index on the translated text.
    RESULTS: The brochures generated by ChatGPT/GPT-4 were well received, scoring an average of 7 to 8 out of 10 across all evaluated aspects. However, the results also indicated a need for some revisions to perfect these documents. Readability analysis indicated that brochures require high school- to college-level comprehension, but this is likely an overestimation due to context-specific reasons as well as features inherent to the Dutch language.
    CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that AI tools such as LLM could represent a new opportunity to quickly produce patient discharge information brochures. However, human review and editing are essential to ensure accurate and reliable information. A follow-up study with more topics and validation in the intended population is necessary to assess their performance.
    Keywords:  Artificial intelligence; Emergency department; Large Language model; Patient discharge information; Readability
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-025-00885-5
  10. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2025 Apr 24. pii: S1081-1206(25)00204-2. [Epub ahead of print]
    Can ChatGPT provide parent education for Oral Immunotherapy (OIT)?
    Jana Abi Rafeh, Diana Toscano Rivero, Bruce D Mazer.
       BACKGROUND: Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) has shown great potential for the treatment of food allergy. However, there is no global consensus on best practices for OIT. Parents of allergic children often struggle with concerns regarding OIT methodology, safety and lack of accessible educational resources. ChatGPT is a generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot recognized for its ability to formulate human-like conversations. While applications of AI in medical settings continue to be explored, the effectiveness of ChatGPT as an educational resource remains unknown for OIT.
    OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of ChatGPT as a self-guided educational resource for parents with children undergoing OIT.
    METHODS: Fourteen common questions from parents regarding OIT were entered into ChatGPT-3.5, and answers were copied verbatim. These responses were then categorized into basic, advanced, or medical and evaluated by Allergy-Immunology healthcare practitioners from North America and the United Kingdom using a 10-point Likert scale. Response readability, understandability and reproducibility were assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade level scores, the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool and natural language processing tools, respectively.
    RESULTS: The average median rankings by the practitioners per category were 8.6, 8.4 and 7.8 for basic, advanced and medical, respectively. ChatGPT responses exhibited low readability scores, corresponding with a high-grade reading level. Understandability was between 73-84%, with scores decreased due to response complexity. When assessing reproducibility, ChatGPT responses achieved rates between 83 to 93%.
    CONCLUSION: Our results show that ChatGPT provides intelligible and comprehensive responses to patient questions. Healthcare practitioners polled were generally positive, but identified important limitations.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2025.04.011
  11. Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil. 2025 Apr;7(2): 101043
    Microsoft Copilot Provides More Accurate and Reliable Information About Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury and Repair Than ChatGPT and Google Gemini; However, No Resource Was Overall the Best.
    Suhasini Gupta, Rae Tarapore, Brett Haislup, Allison Fillar.
       Purpose: To analyze and compare the quality, accuracy, and readability of information regarding anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and reconstruction provided by various artificial intelligence AI interfaces (Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenAI ChatGPT).
    Methods: Twenty questions regarding ACL reconstruction were inputted into ChatGPT 3.5, Gemini, and the more precise subinterface within Copilot and were categorized on the basis of the Rothwell criteria into Fact, Policy, and Value. The answers generated were analyzed using the DISCERN scale, JAMA benchmark criteria, and Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease Score and Grade Level. The citations provided by Gemini and Copilot were further categorized by source of citation.
    Results: All 3 AI interfaces generated DISCERN scores (≥50) demonstrating "good" quality of information except for Policy and Value by Copilot which were scored as "excellent" (≥70). The information provided by Copilot demonstrated greater reliability, with a JAMA benchmark criterion of 3 (of 4) as compared with Gemini (1) and ChatGPT (0). In terms of readability, the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease Score scores of all 3 sources were <30, apart from Fact by Copilot (31.9) demonstrating very complex answers. Similarly, all Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level scores were >13, indicating a minimum readability level of college level or college graduate. Finally, both Copilot and Gemini had a majority of references provided by journals (65.6% by Gemini and 75.4% by Copilot), followed by academic sources, whereas Copilot provided a greater number of overall citations (163) as compared with Gemini (64).
    Conclusions: Microsoft Copilot was a better resource for patients to learn about ACL injuries and reconstruction compared with Google Gemini or OpenAI ChatGPT in terms of quality of information, reliability, and readability. The answers provided by LLMs are highly complex and no resource was overall the best.
    Clinical Relevance: As artificial intelligence models continually evolve and demonstrate increased potential for answering complex surgical questions, it is important to investigate the quality and usefulness of the responses for patients. Although these resources may be helpful, they should not be used as a substitute for any discussions with health care providers.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asmr.2024.101043
  12. Int J Med Inform. 2025 Apr 25. pii: S1386-5056(25)00165-0. [Epub ahead of print]201 105948
    Readability, accuracy and appropriateness and quality of AI chatbot responses as a patient information source on root canal retreatment: A comparative assessment.
    Mine Büker, Gamze Mercan.
       AIM: This study aimed to assess the readability, accuracy, appropriateness, and overall quality of responses generated by large language models (LLMs), including ChatGPT-3.5, Microsoft Copilot, and Gemini (Version 2.0 Flash), to frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to root canal retreatment.
    METHODS: Three LLM chatbots-ChatGPT-3.5, Microsoft Copilot, and Gemini (Version 2.0 Flash)-were assessed based on their responses to 10 patient FAQs. Readability was analyzed using seven indices, including Flesch reading ease score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid grade level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), gunning FOG (GFOG), Linsear Write (LW), Coleman-Liau (CL), and automated readability index (ARI), and compared against the recommended sixth-grade reading level. Response quality was evaluated using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), while accuracy and appropriateness were rated on a five-point Likert scale by two independent reviewers. Statistical analyses were conducted using one-way ANOVA, Tukey or Games-Howell post-hoc tests for continuous variables. Spearman's correlation test was used to assess associations between categorical variables.
    RESULTS: All chatbots generated responses exceeding the recommended readability level, making them suitable for readers at or above the 10th-grade level. No significant difference was found between ChatGPT-3.5 and Microsoft Copilot, while Gemini produced significantly more readable responses (p < 0.05). Gemini demonstrated the highest proportion of accurate (80 %) and high-quality responses (80 %) compared to ChatGPT-3.5 and Microsoft Copilot.
    CONCLUSIONS: None of the chatbots met the recommended readability standards for patient education materials. While Gemini demonstrated better readability, accuracy, and quality, all three models require further optimization to enhance accessibility and reliability in patient communication.
    Keywords:  Artificial intelligence; ChatGPT-3.5; Gemini; Microsoft Copilot; Patient education materials; Readability; Retreatment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2025.105948
  13. Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil. 2025 Apr;7(2): 101061
    Individuals Frequently Search Google With Questions About the Management of Meniscal Tears and the Indications for and Technical Details of Surgery but the Quality of the Information Is Suboptimal.
    Jonathan Spaan, John Streepy, Alexander Hodakowski, Amelia Hummel, Colton Mowers, Sabrina Schundler, Johnathon R McCormick, Jonathan Riboh, Dana Piasecki, Jorge Chahla.
       Purpose: To analyze the frequently asked questions that patients search online regarding meniscal tears and meniscal surgery and evaluate the quality of websites used to answer these common queries.
    Methods: This study used Google's People Also Ask function to extract the most common 300 questions and associated Web pages regarding meniscal tears and meniscal surgery. Questions on both meniscal tear and meniscal surgery were categorized using the Rothwell classification, and websites were evaluated with The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) criteria.
    Results: The Rothwell classification of questions on meniscal tear/surgery was 54.0%/55% fact, 37.7%/30.0% policy, and 8.3%/15.0% value. The meniscal tear cohort asked significantly more questions related to policy (P = .047), whereas the meniscal surgery cohort asked significantly more questions about value (P = .011). Academic (31.7% and 27.3%), medical practice (23.0% and 25.3%), and single-surgeon (12.3% and 13.3%) websites were the most common types of sites encountered. The mean total JAMA score was 1.3 of 4, with journals (mean, 3.4) having the highest score. Single-surgeon practice (mean, 0.5) and legal (mean, 0) sites had the lowest JAMA scores. The most frequently encountered query in the meniscal tear cohort was "What are three signs of a meniscus tear in the knee?" In contrast, in the meniscal surgery cohort, it was a tie between "What is the fastest way to recover from meniscus surgery?" and "Should meniscus surgery be done over 65?"
    Conclusions: The quality of online information related to meniscal tears and surgery is often suboptimal based on objective measures of value. Individuals frequently search for insights into indications, management, and technical details.
    Clinical Relevance: Understanding common themes in online searches can provide valuable insights that could improve patient education. Surgeons can use this information to anticipate potential questions, establish appropriate patient expectations, and enhance informed decisions.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asmr.2024.101061
  14. South Med J. 2025 May;118(5): 293-298
    Evaluation of Top-Ranked Search Engine Web-Based Osteoporosis Materials.
    Kiersten L Bond, Lori W Turner.
       OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the health literacy and quality of information on online Web sites about osteoporosis using the suitability assessment of materials (SAM) method.
    METHODS: The search terms "osteoporosis" and "weak bones" were entered separately into three different search engines: Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Five Web sites were found on all three search engines for each search term, totaling 10 Web sites. Four different researchers graded the Web sites using the SAM scale and then averaged them.
    RESULTS: For the osteoporosis search term Web sites, 60% were rated superior and 40% were rated adequate by the SAM method. The average reading grade level was 10.2, with 20% of Web sites rated superior and 40% rated adequate. Sixty percent of Web sites contained graphics, with only one Web site rated superior. In addition, 80% of Web sites were found to be unsuitable for having a summary. For the weak bones search term Web sites, 80% were rated adequate and only 20% were rated superior. The reading grade level was 9.8, with 40% of the Web sites rated adequate and 60% rated not suitable.
    CONCLUSIONS: Web sites about osteoporosis contain a higher reading grade level than the national average of 7th grade. Most Web sites lack an ending summary of key points and graphics to aid comprehension. Health information Web sites about osteoporosis need to contain a lower reading grade level, more graphics, and summaries to increase the comprehension of readers.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001822
  15. Minerva Urol Nephrol. 2025 04;77(2): 192-201
    A systematic review assessing the reliability of studies focusing on urological content on YouTube.
    Claudia Collà Ruvolo, Simone Morra, Francesco Di Bello, Simone Cilio, Agostino Fraia, Federico Polverino, Massimiliano Creta, Nicola Longo, Ciro Imbimbo, Enrico Checcucci, Stefano Puliatti, Paolo Dell'oglio, Gianluigi Califano.
       INTRODUCTION: In recent years, several publications have focused on analyzing the quality of medical content on YouTube. The current systematic review aimed to summarize and analyze the available studies examining YouTube video content in the urological field.
    EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: This is a systematic review including studies examining urological content uploaded on the YouTube platform published before November 2023. The following keywords were combined to capture relevant publications with a title/abstract search: ("Urology" OR "Andrology") AND ("YouTube" OR "Social media").
    EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: According to the inclusion criteria, 84 studies were included. Of all, 74 (88%) studies were published after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. A total of 52 (62%) studies used the DISCERN score, 29 (35%) the PEMAT A/V score, 30 (36%) the GQS, 23 (27%) the Misinformation score, 14 (17%) the Likert scale, and 13 (15%) the JAMA score. According to the conclusion, 62 (74%) studies reported poor quality results. Among all, only 10 (12%) studies respected our criteria of best quality methodology, defined as: 1) description of the research time frame; 2) use of incognito status; 3) the description of the inter-rater variability between reviewers; 4) use of at least one quality assessment tool.
    CONCLUSIONS: The systematic review highlights significant variability in results and methodologies across studies on the quality analysis of urological content on YouTube. The official urological community should establish guidelines for authors, aiming to enhance the reliability and importance of such publications as valuable resources for daily clinical practice.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.23736/S2724-6051.24.05994-9
  16. Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 25. 15(1): 14444
    Evaluation of the quality and reliability of Turkish and English YouTube video contents on gingival recession treatment.
    Murtaza Yelbay, Fatma Karacaoglu, Meriç Kurumlu.
      The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality and reliability of the content in Turkish and English YouTube videos regarding the treatment of gingival recession. The terms "gingival recession treatment," "receding gum treatment," and "gingival recession surgery" were searched on the YouTube video platform using Turkish and English. 42 Turkish and 67 English videos that met the inclusion criteria were evaluated. Video title, origin, content type, duration, upload date, number of views, number of likes/dislikes, viewing rate and interaction index of the videos were recorded. The Global Quality Scale (GQS) and the DISCERN tool were used to evaluate the quality and reliability of the videos. In the study, the reliability scores of Turkish and English videos were found to be 2 and 3, respectively, according to DISCERN criteria. Both the content evaluation score and reliability scores of Turkish videos were found to be lower than those of English videos. The majority of Turkish videos were scored as GQS 1, while the majority of English videos were scored as GQS 2. 97% of both Turkish and English videos had low-quality content. In this study, we found that 97% of the evaluated videos had low-quality content. In order to prevent the spread of misinformation and to ensure that patients can access accurate information, it would be beneficial for educational institutions and specialists to prepare interesting videos with comprehensive content that are easy to understand for patients and share them on internet platforms such as YouTube.
    Keywords:  DISCERN; GQS; Gingival recession; Social media; Video content; YouTube
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99371-4
  17. Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 28. 15(1): 14856
    Assessing the content and quality of GI bleeding information on Bilibili, TikTok, and YouTube: a cross-sectional study.
    Jingsong Wang, Bingxi Liu, Guang Yang, Yixing Luo, Nonghua Lv, Xu Shu, Zhenhua Zhu, Linlin Liu.
      Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a significant clinical issue that is commonly discussed on social media platforms. Despite the widespread availability of health information videos, the quality and comprehensiveness of these videos vary greatly, posing potential risks to public health. This study evaluates the content and quality of GI bleeding-related videos on TikTok, Bilibili, and YouTube. A total of 300 GI bleeding-related videos were collected and analyzed from TikTok, Bilibili, and YouTube. The videos were categorized based on the uploader's background (health professionals vs. non-health professionals). Key metrics such as likes, comments, video duration, and quality scores (GQS, JAMA, and modified DISCERN) were compared. Simultaneously, the content of the videos was analyzed across six aspects: definition, symptoms, risk factors, tests, treatment, and outcomes. A total of 300 GI bleeding-related videos were analyzed, with 196 (65.3%) uploaded by health professionals and 104 (34.7%) by non-health professionals. TikTok videos received significantly more likes and comments but were shorter in duration compared to those on Bilibili and YouTube (p < 0.05). The overall quality and reliability of the videos were relatively low, with median DISCERN and GQS scores of 2 (IQR: 2-3) and 3 (IQR: 2-3), respectively. Videos from health professionals exhibited higher reliability and quality, with median DISCERN scores of 3 (IQR: 3-4) and GQS scores of 3 (IQR: 3-4). The overall quality and comprehensiveness of GI bleeding-related videos on social media platforms are unsatisfactory, with many low-quality videos still prevalent. Although videos from health professionals score higher in quality and reliability, their content comprehensiveness is not significantly better than those from non-health professionals. Efforts should be intensified to improve the content and quality of GI bleeding videos, raise public awareness, and promote patient self-management.
    Keywords:  Bilibili; Gastrointestinal bleeding; Health information; Online video; TikTok; YouTube
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98364-7
  18. JMIR Infodemiology. 2025 Apr 29. 5 e66845
    #GenderAffirmingHormoneTherapy and Health Information on TikTok: Thematic Content Analysis.
    Julia Rose Beatini, Nora Yanyi Sun, Julianna K Coleman, Maetal E Haas-Kogan, Andrea Pelletier, Deborah Bartz, Alex Sogomon Keuroghlian.
       Background: Transgender and gender diverse people often turn to online platforms for information and support regarding gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT); however, analysis of this social media content remains scarce.
    Objective: We characterized GAHT-related videos on TikTok to highlight the implications relevant to GAHT prescribers.
    Methods: We used a web scraper to identify TikTok videos posted under the hashtags #genderaffirminghormonetherapy and #genderaffirminghormones as of November 2023. We identified recurrent themes via qualitative content analysis and assessed health education videos with the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials (PEMAT-A/V) scale and a modified Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose (CRAAP) test.
    Results: Out of 69 videos extracted, 71% (49/69) were created by GAHT users, 24.6% (17/69) were created by health care workers, and 21.7% (15/69) were created to provide health education. Themes included physical changes on testosterone, GAHT access, and combating misinformation and stigma surrounding GAHT. Health education videos scored highly on PEMAT-A/V items assessing understandability (mean 88.3%, SD 11.3%) and lower on actionability (mean 60.0%, SD 45.8%). On the CRAAP test, videos scored highly on the relevance, authority, and purpose domains but lower on the currency and accuracy domains.
    Conclusions: Discussions of GAHT on TikTok build community among transgender and gender diverse users, provide a platform for digital activism and resistance against legislation that limits GAHT access, and foster patient-provider dialogue. Educational videos are highly understandable and are created by reliable sources, but they vary in terms of currency and quality of supporting evidence, and they lack in actionability.
    Keywords:  CRAAP; Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose; GAHT; PEMAT; TGD; TikTok; audiovisual materials; gender affirming; gender diverse; gender fluid; gender-affirming hormone therapy; hashtag; hormone therapy; media information; online platform; patient education materials assessment; qualitative; qualitative content analysis; social media; social media analysis; social media content; themes; transgender; transgender and gender diverse; web scraper
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/66845
  19. JMIR Infodemiology. 2025 Apr 29. 5 e64792
    Evaluating the Content and Quality of Videos Related to Hypertrophic Scarring on TikTok in China: Cross-Sectional Study.
    Jiangkun Wang, Kai Xu, Juanjuan Wu, Wen Liang, Weiming Qiu, Song Wang.
       BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic scars (HTSs) are a predominant condition after burns and trauma, and it causes severe physiological and psychological problems. TikTok (Douyin in Chinese), a popular platform for sharing short videos, has shown the potential to spread health information, including information related to HTSs. Educating the public to obtain correct information is important to reduce the incidence of physiological and psychological problems caused by HTSs. However, the quality and reliability of HTS-related video content on TikTok in mainland China have not been thoroughly studied.
    OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the content and quality of short videos related to HTSs on the Chinese version of TikTok (Douyin) and explore the factors related to their quality, providing valuable insights for health information dissemination.
    METHODS: We collected a sample of 153 TikTok videos in Chinese related to HTSs and categorized them according to video source and content. We evaluated the video content using a coding schema, and a hexagonal radar schema was used to intuitively display the spotlight and weight of each aspect of the videos. We evaluated quality using 4 standardized tools: the modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) questionnaire, the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Global Quality Scale (GQS), and the Health on the Net Foundation Code of Conduct. We also explored the potential relationship between video quality and characteristics.
    RESULTS: The analysis showed that health care professionals uploaded all videos about treating HTSs, which matched the hexagonal radar model analysis findings. The quality assessment scores for the Journal of the American Medical Association, GQS, mDISCERN, and the Health on the Net Foundation Code of Conduct had median values of 1 (IQR 1-2), 2 (IQR 2-3), 2 (IQR 2-3), and 3 (IQR 3-4), respectively, indicating a need to improve the quality and reliability of videos on HTSs. In addition, high-quality videos were more popular, based on metrics such as likes, comments, favorites, and shares (P<.001). Interestingly, the time when the videos were uploaded positively correlated with GQS and mDISCERN scores (r=0.393; P<.001 and r=0.273; P<.001), while the video length did not significantly correlate with evaluation scores (P=.78, P=.20, P=.07, and P=.04).
    CONCLUSIONS: The quality of TikTok videos related to HTSs is generally moderate. Users should exercise caution when seeking information on HTSs from TikTok. It is advisable to choose videos uploaded by health care professionals from the burn department and the burn plastic surgery department, and in the Chinese context, those produced in first-tier cities and emerging first-tier cities.
    Keywords:  TikTok; health education; hypertrophic scars; information quality; social media
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/64792
  20. Digit Health. 2025 Jan-Dec;11:11 20552076251336308
    Linking online health information seeking to cancer information overload among Chinese cancer patients' family members.
    Yifang Wu, Luxi Zhang, Xinshu Zhao.
       Background: While previous studies indicated that seeking online health information could reduce individuals' cancer information overload, the results are inconsistent and have remained unknown in China. This study focuses on cancer patients' family members to determine whether online health information seeking helps lessen cancer information overload and the processes underlying this association.
    Objective: To examine the relationship between online health information seeking and cancer information overload through psychological empowerment and anxiety in the sequel, we carried out a quota sampling online survey in mainland China in 2023. We also looked at the underlying mechanism's moderated role in eHealth literacy.
    Methods: We standardized all variables from 0 to 1 using a Min-max normalization and conducted Model 6 and Model 92 of Process Macro to examine the mediation and moderation effects. The final sample size was 628 cancer patients' family members.
    Results: We found that online health information seeking negatively impacted cancer information overload through psychological empowerment and anxiety (bp  = -.007, CI: [-.013, -.002]). Specifically, online health information seeking was positively related to psychological empowerment (bp  = .201, CI: [.149, .252]), which eased family members' anxiety (bp  = -.271, CI: [-.420, -.122]) and eventually reduced cancer information overload (bp  = .120, CI: [.063, .177]). Moreover, we observed that while online health information seeking increased family members' anxiety (bp  = .126, CI: [.023, .228]), eHealth literacy served as a moderator to mitigate this association (bp  = -.668, p < .05).
    Conclusion: The findings can be used by healthcare workers, public health policymakers, and online health information providers to advise Chinese cancer patients' family members about the overwhelming amount of information they may encounter when seeking online health information.
    Keywords:  Cancer information overload; anxiety; eHealth literacy; online health information seeking; psychological empowerment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076251336308
  21. PLoS One. 2025 ;20(4): e0321791
    Factors affecting online health information-seeking behavior in young and middle-aged patients with stroke.
    Ge Shi, Jiajia Yu, Jiaming Zhang, Jun Zhao, Zhen Peng, Li Shang.
      This study aimed to explore the characteristics of online health information-seeking behavior and the influencing factors among young and middle-aged Chinese patients with stroke. The participants of this study were 230 young and middle-aged patients with stroke enrolled from a Class III Grade A hospital in Shandong Province, China, using convenience sampling from October 31, 2023, to May 15, 2024. Based on relevant theories and literature reviews, a self-administered questionnaire was used to analyze the influencing factors regarding six aspects: general demographic characteristics, disease factors, psychological factors, environmental factors, information factors, and information technology factors. Univariate, Correlation, and multivariate analyses were conducted to explore the factors affecting online health information-seeking behavior. The results showed that age, literacy level, stroke course, hospitalizations, treatment methods, number of combined chronic diseases, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, e-health literacy, self-efficacy, perceived benefit, health anxiety, quality of information, social influence, perceived risk, and privacy of information were all factors that influenced the online health information-seeking behavior in young and middle-aged patients with stroke. Age, perceived risk, and information privacy were negatively associated with online health information-seeking behavior, whereas the other variables were positively correlated. This study provides scientific insights into the intervention of online health information-seeking behavior in young and middle-aged patients with stroke and contributes to the enhancement of online health information literacy.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321791
  22. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Mar 22. pii: 473. [Epub ahead of print]22(4):
    Patterns of Online Stress Management Information-Seeking Behavior in Hungary.
    György Jóna, Anita R Fedor.
      This paper examines the societal, demographic, and health-related determinants of online stress management information-seeking (OSMIS) behavior in Hungary. We processed the International Social Survey Program: Health and Healthcare (n = 1008) dataset of 2021. Relationships between variables were assessed using weighted multiple logistic regression. The bootstrapping method was applied to gauge the robustness and reliability of the estimates. Subgroup analyses were also utilized to explore potential confounding effects between OSMIS behavior and various socioeconomic and health-related lifestyle factors. Empirical findings indicate that socially excluded strata were the most likely to seek online stress management information to cope with stressful situations. OSMIS behavior was significantly associated with divorced marital status (OR = 3.13; 95% CI: [1.92-5.17]), unemployment (OR = 2.22 [1.64-2.99]), living in a rural village (OR = 1.39 [1.12-1.93]), and distrust in the healthcare system (OR = 2.03 [1.33-3.11]). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the concept of techquity played a pivotal role in Hungary, bridging gaps in health access. Policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and digital health developers may harness our results to enhance digital health tools within integrated healthcare systems, prioritizing equitable access to ensure that marginalized populations can fully benefit from the advantages of techquity and digital inclusion.
    Keywords:  digital inclusion; health inequalities; online stress management information-seeking (OSMIS) behavior; techquity
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22040473
  23. Afr J Reprod Health. 2025 Apr 23. pii: Afr J Reprod Health. [Epub ahead of print]29(4): 150-15
    Exploring youth information seeking on sexual and reproductive health and rights in Senegal.
    Cheikh M Camara, Joséphine Wouango, Ramatoulaye Diallo, Thierno Dieng, Khadidja Diawara, Kristien Michielsen, Souheila Abbeddou, Abdoulaye Cisse, François Sarramagnan, Ernesto Papa, Thérèse Delvaux.
      In an evolving world, adolescents and young adults are changing their approach to searching sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information. This study in Senegal identifies preferred sources of information through 31 in-depth interviews and 46 focus groups discussions involving adolescents, young adults, parents, youth service providers, and community leaders. Analyzing the data using content analysis, findings highlight the internet as a favored SRHR information source, providing accessible and confidential information, enabling anonymous access and mitigating societal stigmatization. Health care providers and teachers are perceived as reliable sources due to their knowledge, skills, and training while parent-adolescent communication is limited. Comprehensive research is essential to understand how the internet can be used for effective communication on SRHR among adolescents and young adults in Senegal. New SRHR communication strategies should harmoniously integrate family dynamics with the influence of social media and digital platforms, in response to ongoing social change.
    Keywords:  Digital media; Senegal.; adolescents; sexual and reproductive health and rights; young adults
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.29063/ajrh2025/v29i4.14
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