bims-librar Biomed News
on Biomedical librarianship
Issue of 2025–09–07
thirty-six papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society
  1. Drenched Pages: A Primer on Wet Books.
  2. Attitudes and opinions of medical practitioners, librarians, and LIS academics towards health science library services to support evidence-based medical practice in South Africa.
  3. Special libraries, special challenges: An ethical framework for access to problematic historical medical films.
  4. Library of Identification Resources: a FAIR overview of taxonomic keys.
  5. Twelve tips for data extraction for knowledge syntheses.
  6. AI Tools in Academia: Evaluating NotebookLM as a Tool for Conducting Literature Reviews.
  7. Artificial intelligence meets HIV education: Comparing three large language models on accuracy, readability, and reliability.
  8. Comparative analysis of ChatGPT and Google Gemini in creating patient education materials for lower extremity varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis.
  9. Letter to the editor about ' Evaluation of Google and ChatGPT responses to common patient questions about scoliosis'.
  10. A Comprehensive Evaluation of AI-Provided Information on Common ENT Surgical Procedures Using the QAMAI Tool.
  11. Evaluating the Accuracy, Completeness, and Readability of Chatbot Responses to Refractive Surgery-Related Patient Questions: A Comparative Analysis of ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
  12. Can Large Artificial Intelligence-Based Linguistic Models Help to Obtain Information About Burning Mouth Syndrome?
  13. Evaluating artificial intelligence chatbots' responses to gynecomastia inquiries: Comparative study of information quality, readability, and guideline consistency.
  14. From algorithms to answers: a comparative analysis of popular search engines and large language models on clubfoot patient education.
  15. Evaluating ChatGPT's Utility in Biologic Therapy for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Comparative Study of ChatGPT and Google Web Search.
  16. Assessing accuracy, readability & reliability of AI-generated patient leaflets on Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty.
  17. A cross-language analysis of urolithiasis patient online materials: Assessment across 24 European languages.
  18. Utilisation of AI-driven chatbots for perioperative health information seeking: a descriptive qualitative study of orthopaedic patients and family members.
  19. Breaking the Ice: Are Online Patient Educational Materials on Breast Cryoablation Readable and Understandable?
  20. Quality of health information for women with epilepsy from preconception to postpartum: An evaluation of online resources.
  21. Assessing the availability, readability, and content of online patient Education materials for cancer pain interventions: A cross-sectional analysis of major cancer center websites.
  22. Appraisal of online health information on intravenous iron: Are patients well-informed?
  23. Quality of YouTube™ videos on the clinical use of silver fluoride.
  24. Medical Information Provided by Transgender and Gender-Diverse Content Creators on YouTube: Descriptive Content Analysis.
  25. Analysing YouTube as a health resource: quality and reliability of videos on pediatric appendicitis.
  26. Evaluation of the quality and reliability of using YouTube as a patient information source for gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculectomy: A cross-sectional study.
  27. Evaluation of Validity and Reliability of YouTube and Vimeo Contents About the Management of Tooth Fracture in Permanent Dentition: A Cross-Sectional Study.
  28. Is YouTube a reliable source for learning pre-endodontic build-up? A cross-sectional study.
  29. How parents of children with musculoskeletal disorder use short videos for seeking health information and support: A qualitative study.
  30. Quality and Reliability of Adolescent Sexuality Education on Chinese Video Platforms: Sentiment-Topic Analysis and Cross-Sectional Study.
  31. Recurrent aphthous stomatitis information on TikTok: satisfactory or substandard?
  32. Comparison of YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram as digital sources for obtaining information about pulp therapy in primary and permanent teeth.
  33. Association between erectile dysfunction onset timing, online information seeking behavior, and International Index of Erectile Function-5 severity scores.
  34. Health information seeking via social media: a study of college students using the MAIN model.
  35. Exploring Internet Health Information Seeking Behavior of Caregivers in a Tertiary Pediatric Outpatient Setting in Eastern India.
  36. Factors associated with online information seeking about mental health among high school students in Belgrade, Serbia.
  1. Biology (Basel). 2025 Jul 22. pii: 911. [Epub ahead of print]14(8):
    Drenched Pages: A Primer on Wet Books.
    Islam El Jaddaoui, Kayo Denda, Hassan Ghazal, Joan W Bennett.
      Molds readily grow on wet books, documents, and other library materials where they ruin them chemically, mechanically, and aesthetically. Poor maintenance of libraries, failures of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, roof leaks, and storm damage leading to flooding can all result in accelerated fungal growth. Moreover, when fungal spores are present at high concentrations in the air, they can be linked to severe respiratory conditions and possibly to other adverse health effects in humans. Climate change and the accompanying storms and floods are making the dual potential of fungi to biodegrade library holdings and harm human health more common. This essay is intended for microbiologists without much background in mycology who are called in to help librarians who are dealing with mold outbreaks in libraries. Our goal is to demystify aspects of fungal taxonomy, morphology, and nomenclature while also recommending guidelines for minimizing mold contamination in library collections.
    Keywords:  biodeterioration; fungi; human health; libraries; mold; mycology; preservation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14080911
  2. PLoS One. 2025 ;20(8): e0331507
    Attitudes and opinions of medical practitioners, librarians, and LIS academics towards health science library services to support evidence-based medical practice in South Africa.
    Saroj Bala, Peter G Underwood, Smangele P Moyane.
       BACKGROUND: This study explores the attitudes and opinions of health science librarians, university academic staff, and medical practitioners towards health science library services to support Evidence-Based Medical Practice (EBMP) in eThekwini, South Africa. It aims to develop an EBMP model for health science library services, focusing on the importance of timely, evidence-based information for quality healthcare. The research also focuses on improving the readiness and qualifications of librarians to support medical practitioners in EBMP implementation.
    METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A mixed-methods survey was conducted with 251 medical practitioners (31 private and public hospitals), five health science librarians (5 public hospitals), and 24 LIS academic staff (10 South African universities and universities of technology that offer a qualification in Library and Information Science (LIS). Medical practitioners expressed tremendous appreciation for EBMP but identified considerable obstacles, such as time constraints, inadequate access to vital internet resources at their workplace, and excessive patient loads. Medical practitioners agreed that librarians can expedite their research in complex cases by providing pertinent information, yet they expressed significant dissatisfaction with current library services, identifying a deficiency in specialized EBMP support and resources. Health science librarians, though indicated, lacked formal EBMP training and were interested in taking courses or training related to EBMP, a gap reflected in LIS academic curricula, which currently offer no specialized EBMP courses.
    CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: There is a clear gap between the documented importance of EBMP and the medical library services support available in South African hospitals. The study underscores the imperative for specialized EBMP support services training for librarians, including in LIS education and hospital professional development, alongside a significant investment in contemporary library infrastructure and digital resources. A collaborative framework for health science library services is suggested to augment the use of EBMP, better patient outcomes, and promote a culture of continuous learning.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0331507
  3. Public Serv Q. 2025 Jan-Mar;21(1):21(1):
    Special libraries, special challenges: An ethical framework for access to problematic historical medical films.
    Katie Lattal, Mohammad Hosseini, Kristi Holmes.
      Medical films, once a staple of medical education in the twentieth century, are now scarce collection items. Many 16 mm films have been weeded from collections because of their outdated content and obsolete format, and those that remain can suffer rapid deterioration from improper storage conditions. Digitization is imperative to preserve these remnants of our cultural heritage. After digitization is complete and rights are cleared, libraries typically make their collections openly accessible online, but this practice is sometimes complicated due to the content of historical medical films. Without a mechanism to regulate patron access to films with potentially problematic content, libraries must tightly restrict these newly preserved resources. This paper presents a framework that defines problematic content based on four criteria and proposes a tiered approach to access.
    Keywords:  Ethics; access; archives; audiovisual archives; digitization; film preservation; privacy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/15228959.2025.2455216
  4. Biodivers Data J. 2025 ;13 e161726
    Library of Identification Resources: a FAIR overview of taxonomic keys.
    Lars G Willighagen, Eelke Jongejans.
      Biodiversity is declining globally, and ecological research is key to monitor and counteract this decline. Such research requires the taxonomic identification of organisms by both professional and citizen scientists. A complete overview of resources for taxonomic identification is therefore crucial but missing, also posing problems for analysis into gaps in the taxonomic coverage of available identification resources. To create a repository of this kind, we applied the FAIR principles, collected data on identification resources, and created a search engine to find relevant identification resources for a given observation of an organism within this data. So far, the data collection has been strongly biased towards keys for insects of Northwestern Europe, leading to incomplete search results for other, underrepresented taxa and regions, which is then indicated in the interface. Our Library of Identification Resources already contains 2,158 works and is made available as linked data using domain-standard vocabularies including BIBO and Audiovisual Core. To increase the accuracy, size and scope of the repository, processes for entering metadata of identification resources should be streamlined. We discuss how publishers, authors, and libraries could be involved and persuaded to register their own published dichotomous or multi-access keys, species descriptions, field guides, and image- or audio-based identification applications, as inclusion makes their identification resources findable for a larger group of potential users.
    Keywords:  FAIR data; identification keys; linked data; taxonomy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.13.e161726
  5. Med Teach. 2025 Sep 02. 1-9
    Twelve tips for data extraction for knowledge syntheses.
    Lauren A Maggio, Joseph A Costello, Dario M Torre, Brian Gin.
      In medical education, the number of knowledge syntheses has increased dramatically, reflecting their growth and influence on education practice, research, and policy. However, despite the availability of instruction on many of the steps of conducting knowledge syntheses, practical guidance for the critical step of data extraction is limited. Data extraction is the process of systematically identifying and collecting information from the studies included in a knowledge synthesis. Without clear guidance, data extraction can become flawed and overly time-consuming, ultimately jeopardizing the quality of the knowledge synthesis. This article addresses this gap by offering 12 practical tips for data extraction. The tips are grounded in the literature and informed by the authors' collective experience conducting and mentoring knowledge synthesis projects. Organized into two sections, creating a data extraction tool and operationalizing it, the tips provide actionable guidance on aligning extraction with research objectives, supporting a team-based approach, resolving discrepancies, and how to pilot a data extraction tool. Taken together, these tips aim to improve the rigor, efficiency, and reliability of knowledge synthesis in medical education.
    Keywords:  data extraction; knowledge synthesis; literature reviews
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2025.2551252
  6. Psychiatry. 2025 Aug 28. 1-10
    AI Tools in Academia: Evaluating NotebookLM as a Tool for Conducting Literature Reviews.
    Rachel Shor, Elizabeth A Greene, Luke Sumberg, Aaron B Weingrad.
       OBJECTIVE: The proliferation of access to generative AI tools has the potential to radically alter the process of writing manuscripts. This report evaluates NotebookLM as a tool for conducting a literature review in an ethical and responsible manner.
    METHOD: We uploaded 22 relevant papers from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS) to NotebookLM and asked questions pertaining to a hypothetical research paper. We investigated the capabilities, limitations, ethical considerations, and privacy implications of using NotebookLM and engaged in a dialogue with the tool through a series of user-written prompts and AI responses.
    RESULTS: We found that the variability and utility of responsesweres determined in large part by the ability to write meaningful prompts and the extent to which new prompts provided additional information. Investigating how NotebookLM identified key findings enhanced our prompt generation and subsequently the iterative refinement of output to produce information relevant to our mock literature review.
    CONCLUSIONS: The utility of NotebookLM will likely vary by the quality of source material uploaded into the program and the researcher's familiarity with prompt generation. There are a number of benefits and drawbacks to using this tool as a search engine or conversation partner. Ethical considerations and privacy implications of using NotebookLM are discussed.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/00332747.2025.2541531
  7. Int J STD AIDS. 2025 Sep 04. 9564624251372369
    Artificial intelligence meets HIV education: Comparing three large language models on accuracy, readability, and reliability.
    Özge Eren Korkmaz, Burcu Açıkalın Arıkan, Selda Sayın Kutlu, Figen Kaptan Aydoğmuş, Nurbanu Sezak.
      BackgroundThis study compares three large language models (LLMs) in answering common HIV questions, given ongoing concerns about their accuracy and reliability in patient education.MethodsModels answered 63 HIV questions. Accuracy (5-point Likert), readability (Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, Coleman-Liau), and reliability (DISCERN, EQIP) were assessed.ResultsClaude 3.7 Sonnet showed significantly higher accuracy (4.54 ± 0.44) compared to ChatGPT-4o (4.29 ± 0.49) and Gemini Advanced 2.0 Flash (4.31 ± 0.50) (p < .001). ChatGPT-4o had lower accuracy in disease definition, follow-up, and transmission routes, while Gemini Advanced 2.0 Flash performed poorly in daily life and treatment-related questions. Readability analyses indicated ChatGPT-4o produced the most accessible content according to Flesch-Kincaid and Coleman-Liau indices, whereas Claude 3.7 Sonnet was most comprehensible by Gunning Fog standards. Gemini Advanced 2.0 Flash consistently generated more complex texts across all readability measures (p < .001). Regarding reliability, Claude 3.7 Sonnet achieved "good" quality on DISCERN, while others were rated "moderate" (p = .059). On EQIP, Claude 3.7 Sonnet (median 61.8) and ChatGPT-4o (55.3) were classified as "good quality with minor limitations," whereas Gemini Advanced 2.0 Flash (41.2) was rated "low quality" (p = .049).ConclusionsClaude 3.7 Sonnet is preferable for accuracy and reliability, while ChatGPT-4o offers superior readability. Selecting LLMs for HIV education should consider accuracy, readability, and reliability, emphasizing regular assessment of content quality and cultural sensitivity.
    Keywords:  AIDS; Human immunodeficiency virus; artificial intelligence; patient education as topic
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/09564624251372369
  8. Phlebology. 2025 Aug 29. 2683555251375253
    Comparative analysis of ChatGPT and Google Gemini in creating patient education materials for lower extremity varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis.
    Jing Huang, Zhoupeng Wu.
      ObjectivesThis study compares the effectiveness of ChatGPT and Google Gemini in creating educational materials for patients with varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we used ChatGPT and Google Gemini to generate patient education materials for the two conditions. The materials were evaluated based on word count, sentence length, ease of understanding (using the Flesch-Kincaid calculator), similarity (analyzed with Quillbot), and reliability (assessed with a modified DISCERN score). Statistical analysis was performed using the unpaired t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient.ResultsThe analysis found no significant differences between the materials produced by ChatGPT and Google Gemini regarding readability, word count, sentence length, or reliability. Correlation analysis showed a positive relationship in usability scores between the two tools, while reliability scores were negatively correlated. However, these correlations were not statistically significant.ConclusionChatGPT and Google Gemini are equally effective in creating educational materials for patients with varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities.
    Keywords:  ChatGPT; deep vein thrombosis; lower extremity varicose veins
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/02683555251375253
  9. Spine Deform. 2025 Sep 05.
    Letter to the editor about ' Evaluation of Google and ChatGPT responses to common patient questions about scoliosis'.
    Sezgin Bahadır Tekin.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s43390-025-01182-0
  10. J Laryngol Otol. 2025 Sep 01. 1-22
    A Comprehensive Evaluation of AI-Provided Information on Common ENT Surgical Procedures Using the QAMAI Tool.
    Mitat Selçuk Bozhöyük, Levent Yücel.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022215125103368
  11. Cureus. 2025 Jul;17(7): e88980
    Evaluating the Accuracy, Completeness, and Readability of Chatbot Responses to Refractive Surgery-Related Patient Questions: A Comparative Analysis of ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
    Selva Arslan, Güldeniz Usta Küçükbezirci.
      Purpose  This study evaluates the performance of ChatGPT and Google Gemini in addressing refractive surgery-related patient questions by analysing the accuracy, completeness, and readability of their responses. Methods A total of 40 refractive surgery-related questions were compiled and categorized into three levels of difficulty: easy, medium, and hard. Responses from ChatGPT and Google Gemini were blinded and evaluated by two experienced ophthalmologists using standardized criteria. Accuracy was scored on a six-point Likert scale, completeness on a three-point scale, and readability using Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) Index, and word count. Intra- and inter-rater reliability were assessed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). Results Both chatbots demonstrated high intra-rater (ICC>0.75) and inter-rater reliability. Accuracy scores were similar for most questions; however, statistically significant differences were observed for harder questions, where Gemini showed slightly reduced performance compared to ChatGPT. Readability metrics revealed no significant differences between the two tools, although ChatGPT responses tended to be more detailed, while Gemini generated more concise answers. Harder questions resulted in longer and more complex responses, as indicated by higher Gunning Fog and SMOG Index scores. Conclusions ChatGPT and Google Gemini exhibit strong potential in patient education, with complementary strengths in accuracy, readability, and response detail. The influence of question complexity on chatbot performance highlights the need for ongoing optimization to enhance both clarity and accessibility. These findings underscore the value of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools into healthcare to support patient education and engagement.
    Keywords:  artificial intelligence; chatgpt; google gemini; health communication; patient education; refractive surgery
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.88980
  12. Oral Dis. 2025 Aug 31.
    Can Large Artificial Intelligence-Based Linguistic Models Help to Obtain Information About Burning Mouth Syndrome?
    Paula Benito López, Daniela Adamo, Vito Carlo Alberto Caponio, José González-Serrano, Alan Roger Dos Santos Silva, Miguel de Pedro Herráez, Rui Albuquerque, María Pía López Jornet, Vlaho Brailo, Arwa Farag, Márcio Diniz Freitas, Noburo Noma, Richeal Ni Riordain, Gonzalo Hernández, Rosa María López-Pintor.
       OBJECTIVE: Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) is an idiopathic chronic orofacial pain disorder with diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Inexperienced clinicians may desperately resort to online information. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness, quality, and readability of responses generated by three artificial intelligence large language models (AI-LLMs)-ChatGPT-4, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot-to frequent questions about BMS.
    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine clinically relevant open-ended questions were identified through search-trend analysis and expert review. Standardized prompts were submitted, and responses were independently rated by 12 international experts using a 4-point usefulness scale. Quality was evaluated using the QAMAI tool. Readability was measured using Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and Reading Ease scores. Statistical analyses included Kruskal-Wallis and Bonferroni correction.
    RESULTS: All AI-LLMs produced moderately useful responses, with no significant difference in global performance. Gemini achieved highest overall quality scores, particularly in relevance, completeness, and source provision. Copilot scored lower in usefulness and source provision. No significant differences were obtained among AI-LLMs. Average readability corresponded to 12th grade, with ChatGPT requiring the highest proficiency.
    CONCLUSIONS: AI-LLMs show potential for generating reliable information on BMS, though variability in quality, readability, and source citation remains concerning. Continuous optimization is essential to ensure their clinical integration.
    Keywords:  artificial intelligence; burning mouth syndrome; large language models; oral medicine; orofacial pain
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/odi.70078
  13. Digit Health. 2025 Jan-Dec;11:11 20552076251367645
    Evaluating artificial intelligence chatbots' responses to gynecomastia inquiries: Comparative study of information quality, readability, and guideline consistency.
    Xinran Shao, Ting Ruan, Xingai Ju, Yihan Sun, Jianchun Cui.
       Background: With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, AI chatbots have been widely applied in the healthcare to provide patients with immediate information. Many people feel embarrassed to discuss gynecomastia in person and turn to online resources for support.
    Objective: This study aims to fill this gap by evaluating the performance of five popular AI chatbots (ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Gemini, Perplexity, and Copilot) in answering questions about gynecomastia, focusing on their reliability, quality, readability, and guideline consistency.
    Methods: In this study, the top 25 gynecomastia-related queries searched globally from 2004 to 2025 were retrieved from Google Trends and input into five AI chatbots for responses. The reliability and quality of responses were assessed using the DISCERN questionnaire and the Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) tool. Readability was analyzed via the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease Score (FKRE). Accuracy, supplementary, and incompleteness were compared with the European Association of Andrology guidelines.
    Results: Copilot had the lowest DISCERN score (median [interquartile range (IQR)]: 41.5[36.0-45.0]), while DeepSeek performed best in EQIP scoring (median [IQR]: 60.4[59.0-64.1]). For readability, ChatGPT exhibited the highest FKGL score (mean ± standard deviation (SD): 15.1 ± 2.0) but the lowest FKRE score (mean ± SD: 15.1 ± 2.0), indicating the poorest readability. In contrast, DeepSeek achieved the lowest FKGL (mean ± SD: 11.0 ± 1.2), suggesting superior readability. Guideline consistency analysis revealed an overall accuracy of 85.71% for AI responses, but key details were often omitted.
    Conclusion: AI chatbots provide immediate informational support for gynecomastia patients, but there is significant variability in readability and reliability, alongside risks of omitting guideline content.
    Keywords:  Artificial intelligence; Chatbot; DISCERN; EQIP; FKGL; FKRE; gynecomastia
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076251367645
  14. J Pediatr Orthop B. 2025 Aug 29.
    From algorithms to answers: a comparative analysis of popular search engines and large language models on clubfoot patient education.
    Daniel E Pereira, Ndeye F Guisse, Rohit Siddabattula, Julia Perugini, Pooya Hosseinzadeh.
      This study evaluates Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer 4o's (ChatGPT-4o's) utility in clinical relevance and accuracy compared with Google for pediatric clubfoot treatment questions. Both were queried for the 15 most frequently asked questions related to pediatric clubfoot treatment, with Google as control. Questions were classified using the modified Rothwell criteria for online sources. Questions and answers were independently graded for clinical relevance (0 = not clinically relevance, 1 = some clinical relevance, 2 = very clinically relevant) and clinical accuracy (0 = inaccurate, 1 = somewhat accurate, 2 = accurate), respectively (D.E.P. and N.G.). Questions and answers were validated by an expert, board-certified pediatric orthopedic surgeon (P.H.), who also resolved any discrepancies in grading. Per modified Rothwell criteria, Google responses were most frequently classified as either 'notion' or 'indications/management' while ChatGPT-4o responses were most likely addressed as 'notion' or 'longevity'. Google sources were primarily from academic and government platforms, while ChatGPT-4o exclusively used academic sources. ChatGPT-4o questions scored higher for clinical relevance (P = 0.006); however, clinical accuracy of answers was equivalent (P = 0.570). ChatGPT-4o provides clinically relevant questions, more so than Google with regard to pediatric clubfoot treatment. Furthermore, ChatGPT-4o uses a greater proportion of academic sources compared with Google. While both sources provided clinically accurate answers, large language models appeared to provide information that was more relevant and scholarly to patients' concerns regarding clubfoot; however, further validation and extensive testing are required to prevent the unnecessary spread of misinformation and its utilization in a clinical setting.
    Keywords:  artificial intelligence; clubfoot; education; pediatrics
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/BPB.0000000000001287
  15. JMIR Form Res. 2025 Aug 28. 9 e76458
    Evaluating ChatGPT's Utility in Biologic Therapy for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Comparative Study of ChatGPT and Google Web Search.
    Kai Li, Yunfei Peng, Luyi Li, Bo Liu, Zhijian Huang.
       Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a life-threatening, multisystem autoimmune disease. Biologic therapy is a promising treatment for SLE. However, public understanding of this therapy is still insufficient, and the quality of related information on the internet varies, which affects patients' acceptance of this treatment. The effectiveness of artificial intelligence technologies, such as ChatGPT (OpenAI), in knowledge dissemination within the health care field has attracted significant attention. Research on ChatGPT's utility in answering questions regarding biologic therapy for SLE could promote the dissemination of this treatment.
    Objective: This study aimed to evaluate ChatGPT's utility as a tool for users to obtain health information about biologic therapy for SLE.
    Methods: This study extracted 20 common questions related to biologic therapy for SLE, their corresponding answers, and the sources of these answers from both Google Web Search and ChatGPT-4o (OpenAI). Then, based on Rothwell's classification, the questions were categorized into 3 main types: fact, policy, and value. The sources of the answers were classified into 5 categories: commercial, academic, medical practice, government, and social media. The accuracy and completeness of the answers were assessed using Likert scales. The readability of the answers was evaluated using the Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) scores.
    Results: The study found that, in terms of question types, ChatGPT-4o had the highest proportion of fact questions (10/20), followed by policy (7/20) and value (3/20). Google Web Search had the highest proportion of fact questions (12/20), followed by value (5/20) and policy (3/20). In terms of website sources, ChatGPT-4o's answers were sourced from 48 sources, with the majority coming from academic sources (29/48). Google Web Search provided answers from 20 sources, with an even distribution across all 5 categories. For accuracy, ChatGPT-4o's mean score of 5.83 (SD 0.49) was higher than that of Google Web Search (mean 4.75, SD 0.94), with a mean difference of 1.08 (95% CI 0.61-1.54). For completeness, ChatGPT-4o's mean score of 2.88 (SD 0.32) was higher than that of Google Web Search (mean 1.68, SD 0.69), with a mean difference of 1.2 (95% CI 0.96-1.44). For readability, the Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level scores for ChatGPT-4o and Google Web Search were 11.7 and 14.9, and 16.2 and 20, respectively, indicating that both texts were of high reading difficulty, requiring readers to have a college graduate-level reading proficiency. When asking ChatGPT to respond at a sixth-grade level, the readability of the answers significantly improved.
    Conclusions: ChatGPT's answers are characterized by accuracy, rigor, comprehensiveness, and professional supporting materials, and demonstrate humanistic care. However, the readability of the provided text is low, requiring users to have a college education background. Given the study's limitations in question scope, comparison dimensions, research perspectives, and language types, further in-depth comparative research is recommended.
    Keywords:  ChatGPT; SLE; biologic therapy; google web search; health information; systemic lupus erythematosus
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/76458
  16. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2025 Aug 28. 11206721251367562
    Assessing accuracy, readability & reliability of AI-generated patient leaflets on Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty.
    Bnar Massraf, Ka Kiu Cheris Chan, Nikhil Jain, Jesse Panthagani.
      PurposeThis study assessed the readability, reliability and accuracy of patient information leaflets on Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK), generated by seven large language models (LLMs). The aim was to determine which LLM produced the most patient-friendly, comprehensible and evidence-based leaflet, measured against a leaflet written by clinicians from a tertiary centre.MethodsEach LLM was given the prompt, "Make a patient information leaflet on Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) surgery." Readability metrics (FKG, FRE, ARI, Gunning Fog), reliability metrics (DISCERN, PEMAT), misinformation detection and reference analysis were recorded for each response. A weighted scoring system normalised results on a 0-100% scale.ResultsThe clinician-generated leaflet scored the highest (92%). Claude 3.7 Sonnet had the top LLM score (77.8%), with strong readability and referencing. ChatGPT-4o followed closely (70.9%) but lacked references. Moderate scores for DeepSeek-V3, Perplexity AI and Google Gemini 2.0 Flash. ChatGPT-4 and Microsoft CoPilot scored the lowest due to limited reliability and misinformation.ConclusionsLLMs show promise in generating patient education material but vary in reliability and accuracy. Claude 3.7 Sonnet was the best performing LLM, though none matched in quality to the clinician-generated leaflet. LLM-generated leaflets therefore require clinician oversight before safe clinical use.
    Keywords:  ChatGPT; Claude; DISCERN; Large language models (LLMs); PEMAT; artificial intelligence in ophthalmology; descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty; health communication; patient information leaflets (PILs); readability
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/11206721251367562
  17. Cent European J Urol. 2025 ;78(2): 221-227
    A cross-language analysis of urolithiasis patient online materials: Assessment across 24 European languages.
    Wojciech Tomczak, Wojciech Krajewski, Katarzyna Grunwald, Adam Chełmoński, Joanna Chorbińska, Łukasz Nowak, Jan Łaszkiewicz, Adam Gurwin, Magdalena Krajewska, Bartosz Małkiewicz, Tomasz Szydełko.
       Introduction: Urolithiasis is a prevalent condition with several etiological factors, affecting up to 20% of the population and exhibiting high recurrence rates. Its strain on healthcare systems, exacerbated by high incidence and recurrence, often results in insufficient time for thorough diagnostics and counselling. Consequently, many patients seek easily accessible online sources of information. This study aimed to assess the readability and availability of online urolithiasis materials across 24 official European languages to compare readability across different source types.
    Material and methods: The phrase "kidney stones" was translated into all official European languages, and the first 50 search results for each language were retrieved. Non-functional websites, those requiring accounts or payments, and duplicates were excluded. Relevance was assessed using Google Translate to filter out results lacking medical information. Only patient-oriented materials were included for analysis. Obtained results were then classified by source category, and their readability was assessed using LIX formula.
    Results: A total of 723 articles were analysed. The English term yielded the highest number of results, followed by Spanish and Portuguese. Overall, the English articles performed best, being the only language with a mean LIX score below 40, which marks the threshold between "somewhat hard" and "hard" to read. Finnish, Lithuanian, and Hungarian materials had LIX scores significantly exceeding the threshold of 50, classifying them as "very hard to read" and among the most difficult to comprehend.A subgroup analysis revealed no statistically significant differences across the source classification.
    Conclusions: Online materials on kidney stones are generally too complex for patients, limiting their understanding and treatment adherence. Simplification of patient-oriented materials along with artificial intelligence utilisation could enhance comprehension. Improved awareness may promote adherence to preventive measures and help reduce the incidence and economic burden of urolithiasis.
    Keywords:  kidney stones; patient oriented materials; readability; urolithiasis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5173/ceju.2025.0045
  18. BMJ Open. 2025 Sep 04. 15(9): e099824
    Utilisation of AI-driven chatbots for perioperative health information seeking: a descriptive qualitative study of orthopaedic patients and family members.
    Tao Chen, Qiang Li, Deng Zhao, Wenjing Zhang, Yong Chen, Jindong Yang, Chun Pu, Qiang Fu.
       OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore orthopaedic patients' and families' experiences with artificial intelligence (AI)-driven chatbots for perioperative health information, focusing on usability, effectiveness and perceptions.
    DESIGN: A descriptive qualitative design was employed.
    SETTING: This study was conducted at a regional care centre for orthopaedics.
    PARTICIPANTS: We recruited 13 participants (patients undergoing orthopaedic surgeries and family members) through purposive sampling. Face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted to capture participants' experiences and insights. Data collection was concluded when data saturation was achieved. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim within 24 hours. Transcripts were verified and analysed using the Colaizzi's data analysis method.
    RESULTS: Four themes emerged from interviews, including: (1) preference of AI chatbots over search engines; (2) improved accessibility and quality of information; (3) preference of AI over human interactions and (4) importance of effective prompting.
    CONCLUSIONS: AI-driven chatbots offer a promising adjunct to perioperative patient education by delivering immediate, tailored guidance that overcomes the limitations of conventional search engines and busy clinical settings. Study participants valued chatbots' efficient, context-sensitive retrieval, professional-level advice and non-judgmental interactions, which fostered trust and reduced anxiety. Effective prompting emerged as a key user skill, directly shaping response relevance and accuracy. Chatbot-generated health information should be regularly reviewed for accuracy. Structured tutorials may be offered for user capacity building.
    Keywords:  Artificial Intelligence; Digital Technology; ORTHOPAEDIC & TRAUMA SURGERY; QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; eHealth
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-099824
  19. J Breast Imaging. 2025 Aug 30. pii: wbaf024. [Epub ahead of print]
    Breaking the Ice: Are Online Patient Educational Materials on Breast Cryoablation Readable and Understandable?
    Simon Kidanemariam, Antonio R Lopez, Grayson L Baird, Robert C Ward, Joey Z Gu, John McMenamy, Randy C Miles.
       OBJECTIVE: Online patient education materials (OPEMs) provide valuable information on breast-related conditions and treatment options. We evaluated commonly accessed OPEMs related to breast cryoablation to assess the readability, understandability, and actionability metrics of educational materials available to patients.
    METHODS: Using Google, the terms "breast cryoablation," "breast cryosurgery," and "breast cryotherapy" were queried. The top 50 websites providing OPEMs for the general public were identified by search ranking. A virtual private network was used, and location tracking, cookies, and user account information were disabled before querying. Sponsored content and research journal articles were excluded. Websites were categorized as academic/hospital, commercial, or nonprofit based on the hosting organization. Online patient education materials from the top 50 sites were downloaded and assessed for readability, understandability, and actionability. Mixed modeling, with sources nested within readability scores (automated readability, Coleman-Liau, Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook), was used to evaluate these metrics.
    RESULTS: Among 52 websites, the overall mean grade-level readability was 12.3 (95% CI, 11.1-13.6). Academic/hospital sites had the lowest readability at 11.8, followed by nonprofit at 12.4 and commercial at 12.7 (P = .03). The mean understandability score was 71%, with academic/hospital sites at 81%, commercial at 73%, and nonprofit at 25%. Only 2 websites-Serenity Surgery and Cleveland Clinic-demonstrated actionability. Overall actionability was 18.5% (95% CI, 7.5%-38.9%), with 24 websites scoring 0% for actionability.
    CONCLUSION: Current OPEMs concerning breast cryoablation fall short of the American Medical Association's recommendations for health literacy, averaging twice that level. Additionally, there is significant variability in the materials' understandability and actionability.
    Keywords:  breast cryoablation; health literacy; medical communication; patient education; patient engagement
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/jbi/wbaf024
  20. Epilepsy Behav. 2025 Aug 29. pii: S1525-5050(25)00396-8. [Epub ahead of print]172 110656
    Quality of health information for women with epilepsy from preconception to postpartum: An evaluation of online resources.
    Jade Parnell, Déirdre Daly, Julia Duff, Aisling Walsh.
       BACKGROUND: Many women with epilepsy (WWE) navigate complex decisions regarding their reproductive health. The internet can provide specific educational resources for WWE from preconception to postpartum. This study reviewed the type and quality of online resources targeting WWE from preconception to postpartum.
    METHODS: A systematic search of Google, YouTube, GooglePlay Store, and Spotify was conducted online using four search terms: "women and epilepsy," "epilepsy in women," "preconception to postpartum and women with epilepsy," and "epilepsy and pregnancy." The HONcode and DISCERN tools were used to measure the reliability and overall quality of the resources. Additional study-specific questions were included to assess each resource's audience relevancy.
    RESULTS: A total of 240 initial search results were identified. Of these, 43 resources were included for quality assessment. These resources comprised of 26 websites (22 %), 13 videos (33 %), 4 podcasts (10 %), and no Applications. The average quality score for these 43 resources was 47.97 (SD = 13.67), out of a maximum of 75, which is rated as 'fair.' Out of the 26 websites, 12 % were HONCode certified. The average readability/listenability, language, sensitivity, accessibility, value, and consistency of information was high (from a scale of 1 to 5, the scores ranged from M = 3.90, SD = 1.13 to M = 4.27, SD = 0.930).
    CONCLUSION: Online resources for WWE are deemed usable, however improvements could be made to enhance their overall quality. This paper provides a list of reviewed resources to support in the delivery of reliable information for women with epilepsy.
    Keywords:  Epilepsy; Health information; Reproductive health; Resources; Women with epilepsy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110656
  21. Interv Pain Med. 2025 Sep;4(3): 100633
    Assessing the availability, readability, and content of online patient Education materials for cancer pain interventions: A cross-sectional analysis of major cancer center websites.
    Meha Aggarwal, Marshall Yuan, David Hao.
       Background: As cancer survival improves, chronic cancer-related pain is an increasing clinical concern. Interventional procedures offer targeted, opioid-sparing pain relief, yet the quality and readability of online educational materials about these options remain poorly understood.
    Objective: To evaluate the availability, quality, and readability of online educational resources on interventional cancer pain management available from National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers.
    Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 65 NCI-designated clinical cancer center websites to identify patient-facing content discussing interventional cancer pain procedures. Eligible materials were evaluated for quality using the DISCERN instrument and for readability using seven validated metrics. Inter-rater reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Statistical comparisons were performed using t-tests.
    Results: Only 20 of 65 cancer center websites (31%) contained relevant educational materials. Sixty qualifying texts were identified: 28 full articles and 32 substantial mentions (≥50 words). The mean DISCERN score was 37 ± 9, indicating poor quality. Articles scored significantly higher than substantial mentions (mean difference 9.4 points, p < 0.001). The ICC for DISCERN scores was 0.872 (p < 0.001), reflecting good inter-rater agreement. Readability analysis revealed an average reading level equivalent to the 11th grade across all metrics, significantly higher than the NIH-recommended 8th-grade level (p < 0.001). Substantial mentions were significantly more difficult to read than articles (p < 0.001).
    Conclusions: Online materials on cancer pain interventions are generally scarce, low in quality, and written above nationally recommended reading levels. These findings highlight the need for cancer centers to improve online education materials using plain language and health literacy tools to better support informed decision-making.
    Keywords:  Cancer pain; Health literacy; Online health information; Patient education; Quality; Readability
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inpm.2025.100633
  22. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2025 Sep 01.
    Appraisal of online health information on intravenous iron: Are patients well-informed?
    Grace Zhou, Ally Murji, Anna Kobylianskii, Alysha Nensi, Leslie Po, Carmen McCaffrey, Lindsay Shirreff.
      This study aimed to evaluate the quality, content, and readability of top-listed websites on intravenous (IV) iron. We conducted online searches for the term "iron infusion" using Google, Bing, and Yahoo. The search term was determined based on Google Trends data for March 2025. Five gynecologists independently reviewed the websites using the DISCERN instrument, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, and Abbott's Scale. Credibility and readability were further assessed using the Health on the Net (HON) Foundation Code of Conduct Certification, the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), and the Flesch-Kincaid Read Ease formula (FRES). A total of 25 websites were included. The mean DISCERN score was moderate (2.9 ± 0.9 out of 5), with only three websites (12%) providing excellent quality information. Seven (28%) websites were classified as having poor to very poor quality information. The mean JAMA score was low (2.1 ± 1.3 out of 4), and only three websites (12%) met all benchmarks. The overall content score on Abbott's scale was low (45.4 ± 16.1 out of 106). The average authorship score (2.1 ± 1.2 out of 3) and esthetics rating (5.4 ± 1.2 out of 10) were moderate. Notably, 21 (84%) websites were not certified by the HONcode. Readability levels were poor, as reflected by the FRES (38.1 ± 16.9 out of 100), the FKGL (equivalent grade, 12.4 ± 2.8), and the SMOG (equivalent grade, 12.7 ± 2.4). Although information on IV iron is widely available online, its overall quality and content are generally poor and not easily accessible to the public. This underscores the opportunity for knowledge translation efforts aimed at developing online resources that are both accurate and understandable.
    Keywords:  intravenous (IV) iron; online health information; quality improvement
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.70508
  23. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2025 Aug 31.
    Quality of YouTube™ videos on the clinical use of silver fluoride.
    S Zafar, K YongHong Low, W Yi Teh, S Hong Chan, L J Walsh.
       BACKGROUND: Silver fluoride (SF) is an effective, minimally invasive dental caries treatment, but the quality, reliability, and adherence to manufacturers' instructions for use (IFU) in YouTube™ videos on SF usage remain uncertain.
    AIM: To evaluate the reliability and quality of YouTube™ videos on the clinical usage of SF and assess their adherence to their IFU.
    DESIGN: A cross-sectional analysis of 78 YouTube™ videos was conducted. Reliability was assessed with modified DISCERN tool, source quality with Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, production quality with Audio-Visual Quality tool, and content usefulness with Total Content Evaluation index. Adherence to clinical instructions was assessed with IFU Adherence Evaluation tool. Correlations between video characteristics and engagement metrics were analysed.
    RESULTS: Videos had moderately high reliability (median mDISCERN score: 4 and IQR: 3-4) and usefulness (median TCE score: 5 and IQR: 4-6), but source quality was lower (median JAMA score: 2 and IQR: 2-3). Adherence to IFU varied between SF brands, with videos demonstrating at least 60% of steps. Dental professionals were the most frequent video producers, but no significant quality differences were observed between sources.
    CONCLUSION: YouTube™ offers potential as a learning resource for SF usage, although stricter guidelines are needed to ensure accurate information is provided.
    Keywords:  Minimally invasive techniques; Silver fluoride; YouTube™
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s40368-025-01102-w
  24. JMIR Form Res. 2025 Aug 29. 9 e75787
    Medical Information Provided by Transgender and Gender-Diverse Content Creators on YouTube: Descriptive Content Analysis.
    Lydia Bliss, Qianqian Zhao, Irene Chao, Oliver L Haimson, Ellen Selkie.
       Background: Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals frequently turn to social media to find community, express their identities, and access essential information. These platforms are easily accessible to TGD people and enable health information-seeking in anonymous, identity-affirming spaces outside of traditional health care systems. As a result, social media has become a critical source of health information on topics like gender-affirming care for TGD individuals, specifically for TGD youth. YouTube, one of the most widely used social media platforms, is especially popular for its long-form videos made by content creators who have built dedicated followings on the platform. Among them are TGD content creators, many of whom make content documenting their medical transition and gender identity journey and provide general information about TGD topics. TGD creator content therefore makes YouTube an important platform for health education for TGD individuals.
    Objective: This study aims to describe the health-related content shared by TGD content creators on YouTube. Specifically, we characterize the medical topics addressed, the frameworks used to discuss these topics, and the valence of creators' health care experiences.
    Methods: A descriptive content analysis was performed on 2485 videos posted by 42 self-identified TGD YouTube content creators. Videos were systematically evaluated for mentions of gender-affirming care and other health-related topics. We also examined whether creators framed medical information using personal narratives or an informational approach and if they characterized their medical experiences as positive, negative, or neutral.
    Results: Most videos (n=1724, 69.4%) created by TGD content creators did not include discussions related to gender identity or transitioning. However, among the videos that did address gender identity (n=761, 30.6%), mentions of medical topics were prevalent (n=554, 72.8%). Of videos that discussed medical topics, gender-affirming surgeries (n=356, 64.3%) and hormone replacement therapy (n=307, 55.4%) were the most frequently discussed. Other commonly discussed medical topics included mental health (n=131, 23.6%) and sexual health (n=96, 17.3%). Videos covering medical topics primarily centered on personal experiences (n=411, 74.2%), with content creators often characterizing these experiences positively (n=224, 73.2%).
    Conclusions: This study highlights the breadth of health-related information shared by TGD content creators on YouTube. Our findings underscore the role of long-form video content on YouTube as an educational resource for TGD people, offering health information that is both easy to access and grounded in lived experience. Clinicians can use these findings to better understand the health information that their TGD clients are likely to encounter online, fostering more informed and supportive conversations about gender-affirming care.
    Keywords:  YouTube; content creators; gender-affirming care; influencers; social media; social media health information; transgender; transgender youth
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/75787
  25. BMC Med Educ. 2025 Aug 30. 25(1): 1229
    Analysing YouTube as a health resource: quality and reliability of videos on pediatric appendicitis.
    Nurcan Çoşkun, Emre Demir.
       BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess the content, quality, and reliability of YouTube videos related to appendicitis in children. It analyzes the extent to which these videos provide accurate information to parents and healthcare professionals and evaluates their potential contribution to improving the quality of medical education.
    METHODS: The keywords "appendicitis" and "appendectomy", along with "pediatrics", "child", and "children", were searched both individually and in all possible combinations. Videos were ranked according to the number of views and the first 60 videos with the highest number of views were included in the analysis. The videos were evaluated by two independent pediatric surgeons using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), Modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) and American Medical Association (JAMA) scales. Video Power Index (VPI) values were calculated for each video to assess popularity. Inter-rater agreement was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), group comparisons with Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests, and correlations with Spearman's coefficient.
    RESULTS: Of the analyzed videos, 46 (76.7%) were informational, and 14 (23.3%) were surgical. Videos uploaded by hospitals and doctors scored higher on mDISCERN, GQS, and JAMA scales than those by individuals or private channels (P < 0.001). Animation-containing videos had higher views, likes, and VPI scores than non-animated ones (P = 0.015, P = 0.003, P = 0.006). Surgical videos had significantly higher JAMA scores (P = 0.024) and longer durations (P = 0.021). No significant correlation was observed between quality scores and engagement metrics such as views or likes (P > 0.05).
    CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that YouTube videos on pediatric appendicitis are generally of low-to-moderate quality, with no significant correlation between content quality and popularity metrics such as view count or likes. Videos by hospitals and doctors were more reliable, while visual elements like animations increased engagement but not content quality. Findings highlight the need for scientifically accurate and informative content by healthcare professionals to better educate patients, families, and medical students.
    CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
    Keywords:  Childhood appendicitis; Quality; Reliability; Video analysis; YouTube™
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07869-2
  26. Medicine (Baltimore). 2025 Aug 29. 104(35): e44132
    Evaluation of the quality and reliability of using YouTube as a patient information source for gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculectomy: A cross-sectional study.
    Elvin Halili Çelenk, Murat Okutucu.
      This study aimed to evaluate the quality and reliability of YouTube videos related to gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculectomy, particularly in terms of their suitability for patient information. On April 1, 2025, 2 independent ophthalmologists (E.H.Ç. and M.O.), working in different locations, conducted a YouTube search using the keywords "Gonioscopy-guided transluminal trabeculectomy for patients" and "GATT for patients." The search was performed through the official YouTube website (https://www.youtube.com). Videos shorter than 60 seconds, without audio, unrelated to the topic, duplicates, or with disabled comment sections were excluded. These exclusion criteria were predetermined. After applying the criteria, the remaining videos were evaluated by the researchers, and statistical analysis was performed by an independent researcher (E.H.Ç.). The parameters assessed included the number of views, likes, dislikes, comments, time since upload, video duration, view rate, like rate, Video Power Index, video source, and content. Video quality and reliability were assessed using M.DİSCERN, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and Global Quality Score (GQS) scoring systems. Out of 100 initially screened videos, 55 met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 39 were uploaded by physicians, 9 by health-related channels, and 6 by medical centers. Regarding content, 32 videos showed actual surgeries, 15 were physician-oriented educational content, and 8 aimed to inform patients about surgical treatment. The interobserver agreement was high, with no significant differences in scoring (M.DİSCERN, JAMA, GQS; P > .05; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.894, 0.991, 0.914, respectively). The average M.DİSCERN score was 2.80 ± 1.13, JAMA score 2.96 ± 1.02, and GQS score 2.81 ± 1.07. The mean view rate was 280.58 ± 890.12, mean like rate 19.07 ± 32.19, and mean Video Power Index 350.26 ± 997.55. YouTube videos related to gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculectomy surgery are of moderate quality in terms of patient information and reliability. Considering the growing popularity of this minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, more high-quality, accurate, and patient-oriented videos should be produced and shared on digital platforms to improve patient education.
    Keywords:  YouTube; gonioscopy assisted transluminal trabeculectomy; patient information; score systems
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000044132
  27. Dent Traumatol. 2025 Aug 28.
    Evaluation of Validity and Reliability of YouTube and Vimeo Contents About the Management of Tooth Fracture in Permanent Dentition: A Cross-Sectional Study.
    Aakash Gupta, Tarun Kumar Singh, Shagun Gill, Prakash Kumar, Ashish J Johnson, Ikroop Gill, Sasmita Dalai.
       AIM: Tooth fracture is one of the most common complications of dental trauma, which needs to be addressed on an emergency basis. The pressing demand for reliable information has prompted both professionals and laypersons to turn to video-sharing platforms like YouTube and Vimeo for guidance regarding the management of tooth fractures among local users. These platforms have emerged as significant sources for advice on dental emergencies; however, the trustworthiness and precision of the information provided have not been thoroughly examined. This research sought to evaluate the quality, accuracy, and reliability of videos on YouTube and Vimeo that address the management of tooth fractures.
    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A search was conducted on YouTube and Vimeo between November 11, 2024, and February 27, 2025, using terms related to the management of tooth or dental fractures, and 92 videos were included for analysis. Demographic information for the videos, including platform, length, category, upload date, number of likes, and comments, was documented. The assessment of video content quality, reliability, and accuracy was conducted utilizing the Global Quality Scale (GQS), benchmarks from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and the Video Information and Quality Index (VIQI).
    RESULTS: In total, 92 videos were examined. The average scores were JAMA: 3 ± 1, modified DISCERN: 53 ± 11, GQS: 3 ± 1, and VIQI: 5 ± 1. Statistically significant differences were observed across video types in key parameters such as the DISCERN score (YouTube: p = 0.002; Vimeo: p < 0.001), JAMA benchmark (YouTube: p = 0.045; Vimeo: p = 0.002), GQS, VIQI, and overall video evaluation (p < 0.001), emphasizing that video format, video posted, target audience, and platform influence educational impact. With the highest mean views (983,441) and significantly elevated DISCERN (63 ± 9) and JAMA scores (3 ± 1), actual procedure videos exemplify strong informational reliability and public trust.
    CONCLUSION: The research indicates that, although the majority of the videos on managing tooth fractures are produced by dental professionals, their overall quality is subpar. This highlights the potential dangers of relying on misleading or insufficient information in these important circumstances.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/edt.70014
  28. Restor Dent Endod. 2025 Aug;50(3): e27
    Is YouTube a reliable source for learning pre-endodontic build-up? A cross-sectional study.
    Merve Gökyar, İdil Özden, Hesna Sazak Öveçoğlu.
       Objectives: The aim of this study is to comprehensively analyze the quality, educational value, and demographic characteristics of pre-endodontic build-up videos published on the YouTube™ platform (Google LLC).
    Methods: The study was conducted on YouTube™ using the keyword "pre-endodontic build-up." The first 100 videos retrieved from the search results were reviewed, and 61 videos meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed. After assessing the demographic characteristics of the videos, viewing rates and interaction indices were calculated. The quality of the videos was evaluated using the DISCERN instrument and the Global Quality Scale (GQS). Statistical analyses were performed on the obtained results.
    Results: A total of 61 videos were analyzed, of which 56% were uploaded by endodontists. The majority of the videos were found to be of low quality. As the DISCERN score increased, video duration, number of likes, number of comments, and view rate also increased. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was observed between the DISCERN score and the GQS value (p = 0.004). The relationship between video upload sources and various parameters was analyzed, revealing statistically significant differences (p < 0.05).
    Conclusions: Considering all the evaluation methods used in this study, it is evident that the number of high-quality videos is low. This finding indicates that YouTube™ does not provide sufficient information on pre-endodontic build-up. To enhance its reliability as a source of medical information, YouTube™ should prioritize content that is not only popular but also accurate and of high quality, preferably created or endorsed by professionals.
    Keywords:  Education; Endodontics; Internet; YouTube
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5395/rde.2025.50.e27
  29. Health Info Libr J. 2025 Sep 03.
    How parents of children with musculoskeletal disorder use short videos for seeking health information and support: A qualitative study.
    Yating Li, Hui Ouyang, Gan Lin, Jinghui Yao, Yun Chen.
       BACKGROUND: Short videos are a way that parents get health information. It is unclear how people seek health information in short videos on musculoskeletal conditions in children.
    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the health information needs of parents of children with musculoskeletal disorders and to examine the factors that influence their perceptions of that information.
    METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 14 parents were conducted, and the resulting interview data were analysed using qualitative content analysis based on the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking (CMIS).
    RESULTS: In this study, we deepened and expanded the CMIS, and four dimensions influenced the perceived quality of health videos. In the 'antecedents' dimension, we subdivided it into four sub-themes: 'health status', 'direct experience', 'salience' and 'social support'. For the 'information carrier characteristics' dimension, we explored 'platform reputation', 'short video characteristics', 'information content characteristics' and 'creator characteristics' in detail. In the 'environmental influences' dimension, we focused on the sub-themes of 'short video traffic', 'others' evaluation' and 'multi-channel verification'.
    DISCUSSION: Parents tend to prefer searching for information on short videos. The quality of health information on short videos is primarily evaluated based on external features, which can increase their susceptibility to misinformation.
    CONCLUSIONS: More short videos on musculoskeletal disorders in children are needed to meet parents' expectations. More effective and informative short videos could be designed based on the identified factors.
    Keywords:  data quality; health information needs; information seeking behaviour; parents; research, qualitative
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12578
  30. JMIR Form Res. 2025 Sep 05. 9 e77100
    Quality and Reliability of Adolescent Sexuality Education on Chinese Video Platforms: Sentiment-Topic Analysis and Cross-Sectional Study.
    Lan Wang, Xiantao Shu, Jianmei Huang, Weiqian Yan, Duo Zhao.
       BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a critical period for lifelong health, which makes access to accurate and comprehensive sexuality education essential. As video platforms become a primary source of information for adolescents, the quality of their content significantly impacts their physical and mental health.
    OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the quality, reliability, understandability, and actionability of adolescent sexuality education videos on major Chinese platforms (Bilibili, TikTok or Douyin, and Kwai), analyze associated user comment sentiment and topics, identify predictors of quality and reliability, and provide recommendations.
    METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted (April 2025) on the top 100 comprehensively ranked comprehensive sexuality education videos (N=300 total) retrieved from each platform using the keyword ("adolescent sexuality education"). Videos were assessed using the Global Quality Score, modified DISCERN, and Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT-U/A), with interrater reliability assessed via Cohen κ. A corpus of over 49,000 user comments underwent sentiment analysis (fine-tuned RoBERTa) and topic modeling (BERTopic, yielding 29 topics grouped into 6 themes). Statistical analyses included Kruskal-Wallis H tests, Spearman correlations, and stepwise linear regressions (SPSS [version 27.0]; P<.05).
    RESULTS: Video quality and reliability were moderate on Bilibili and TikTok but generally poor on Kwai. Content from verified sources (physicians, educators, and institutional media) demonstrated superior quality and stability compared to highly variable content from individual media (the predominant source type, especially on Kwai; 87/100, 87%). Paradoxically, Kwai exhibited the highest user engagement despite the lowest quality scores. Understandability (PEMAT-U) was consistently the strongest positive predictor for both quality (Global Quality Score, final model adjusted R2=0.383, β=0.485) and reliability (modified DISCERN, final model adjusted R2=0.209, β=0.319). Actionability (PEMAT-A) and video duration were also significant positive predictors. Understandability scores (PEMAT-U) were generally high (approximately 69%), while actionability scores (PEMAT-A) were moderate to low (33%-50%). Sentiment analysis revealed that comments were predominantly neutral (35,372/49,680, 71.2%), with negative comments (9141/49,680, 18.4%) significantly outweighing positive ones (5167/49,680, 10.4%). Key discussion themes identified included sources of knowledge acquisition, sexual safety and prevention, physiology, and sexual health and practices.
    CONCLUSIONS: While online video platforms offer accessible channels for adolescent sexuality education in China, the current content is often of moderate-to-poor quality, with questionable reliability and limited actionability. Understandability is paramount, but high engagement does not necessarily correlate with high quality or reliability, potentially amplifying misinformation. To effectively empower youth, critical steps include enhancing content quality by adhering to evidence-based frameworks like the International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education; strengthening platform accountability through improved verification and algorithms; and promoting user media literacy. These measures aim to foster a healthier and more equitable future for Chinese adolescents, helping to achieve goals related to sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy prevention and promoting more open societal attitudes toward sexuality.
    Keywords:  Bilibili; China; GQS; Global Quality Score; Kwai; PEMAT-A/V; Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool-Audiovisual; Spearman correlation analysis; TikTok; adolescent sexuality education; information reliability; mDISCERN; modified DISCERN; sentiment analysis; stepwise regression analysis; topic modeling; videos quality
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/77100
  31. Ir J Med Sci. 2025 Sep 02.
    Recurrent aphthous stomatitis information on TikTok: satisfactory or substandard?
    Barry Patton, Anish Madan Lal, Richeal Ni Riordain.
       BACKGROUND: Social media is increasingly utilised as a means of disseminating oral health information. Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is the most common ulcerating condition of the oral mucosa.
    AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of TikTok videos concerning RAS.
    MATERIAL AND METHODS: TikTok searches were performed using the terms "canker sores/#cankersores" and "aphthous ulcers/#aphthousulcers" and arranged by popularity. Videos were analysed and categorised into healthcare professionals (HCPs), non-healthcare professionals (non-HCPs) and other. Video quality was assessed using the Global Quality Score (GQS), modifed DISCERN (mDISCERN) and Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT).
    RESULTS: Eighty-three videos were analysed. Overall, the videos were of poor quality with mean GQS and mDISCERN scores of 2.21 and 1.74 respectively. PEMAT understandability and actionability scores averaged 76.43% and 68.47% respectively. Videos uploaded by HCPs were generally of higher quality than others; this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Weak positive correlation was noted between video engagement and quality (p < 0.05).
    CONCLUSION: The quality of videos examined was generally poor. It is important that social media users exert caution when utilising TikTok as a means of educating themselves about oral health. Additionally, healthcare professionals must be aware of health misinformation on social media, as it may negatively influence patient outcomes.
    Keywords:  Aphthous; Medicine; Oral; RAS; Recurrent; Stomatitis; Ulcers
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-025-04040-0
  32. Restor Dent Endod. 2025 Aug;50(3): e26
    Comparison of YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram as digital sources for obtaining information about pulp therapy in primary and permanent teeth.
    Hüseyin Gürkan Güneç, Emine Kaya, Dila Nur Okumuş, Merve Gül Erence.
       Objectives: This study aimed to compare the content, educational quality, and dependability of videos on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube about pulp therapy (PT) in pediatric dentistry and endodontics.
    Methods: Three popular video sites, Instagram (Meta Platforms, Inc.,), TikTok (ByteDance Ltd.), and YouTube (Google LLC), were searched for PT content to analyze for compliance with the American Association of Endodontists and American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry guidelines for clinical endodontists and pediatric dentists. The searched hashtags were #pulpaltherapy, #pulpaltreatment, #pulptherapy, and #pulptreatment. The classification of 158 English-language videos was based on several variables: communication quality, duration, likes and dislikes, views, source, treatment, and genre. The videos were evaluated using a usefulness score and the Global Quality Scale (GQS), Video Information and Quality Index (VIQI), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) score, and modified DISCERN score to rate their quality and reliability. The majority of the videos were published by healthcare professionals, dental clinics, and universities.
    Results: Significant relationships existed between video length, source of upload, usefulness score, tooth type, pulp status, and VIQI, JAMA, GQS, and DISCERN scores for all three platforms (p<0 .05). A statistically significant relationship existed of YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram with the number of views, number of months since upload, view rates, comments and likes (p< 0.05).
    Conclusions: TikTok and Instagram reel videos provided high- to moderate-quality information about PT, especially in children, but YouTube may provide more reliable information than other social media tools.
    Keywords:  Instagram; Primary and permanent teeth; Pulp therapy; Pulpal treatment; TikTok; YouTube
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5395/rde.2025.50.e26
  33. J Sex Med. 2025 Aug 28. pii: qdaf218. [Epub ahead of print]
    Association between erectile dysfunction onset timing, online information seeking behavior, and International Index of Erectile Function-5 severity scores.
    Hector Rodrigo Gonzalez-Carranza, Ricardo Ramón Tinoco-Betancourt, Luis Antonio Reyes-Vallejo.
       BACKGROUND: The easy access to the Internet through smartphones leads to the immediate search for information when experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED) symptoms, and this can lead to late medical attention.
    AIM: This study assesses to identify the time between the onset of ED symptoms and the first time medical consultation and its correlation with searching for information on the Internet.
    METHODS: Data were collected using validated questionnaires and clinical interviews.
    OUTCOMES: Search for information on the Internet, International Index of Erectile Function-5 severity score, time between onset of symptoms, and first time medical appointment were analyzed. Relations were stablished using t-test.
    RESULTS: Among 202 men, the average time between the onset of symptoms and first time medical appointment was 30.7 months. There is a correlation between ED severity and the first time medical appointment (P < .01). There is a statistically significant relationship between time for first medical appointment and searching for information on the Internet (P < .01). Patients who look for information on the Internet take less time for a first time medical appointment, unless they have severe ED (29.2 vs. 33.12 months).
    CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Medical information on the Internet should be trustworthy and lead the patients to attend medical consultation and diminish sexual dissatisfaction.
    STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: Strengths include demographic heterogeneity, knowing the characteristics of the information found on the Internet, and a robust methodology. Limitations include the cross-sectional design and the sample size.
    CONCLUSIONS: The availability of information on the Internet, often lacking scientific backing, has been identified as a factor contributing to delays in seeking professional care, with consequent risks to the patient's health. The significant delay observed in seeking medical consultation after the onset of ED suggests the existence of barriers that are not yet fully understood and warrant further in-depth study.
    Keywords:  erectile dysfunction; internet; severity; sexual dysfunctions
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf218
  34. J Am Coll Health. 2025 Sep 03. 1-14
    Health information seeking via social media: a study of college students using the MAIN model.
    Viviana C Zambrano Rodriguez, Saraswathi Bellur, John L Christensen.
      Objective: This study explored how social media affordances-modality, agency, interactivity, and navigability-affect health information-seeking behaviors (HISB) and perceived credibility, using the MAIN model as a framework. Participants: 432 college students from the Northeastern United States. Methods: Participants completed an online survey via Qualtrics assessing their experiences with Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Structural equation modeling was used to test the predictive relationships among platform affordances, credibility perceptions, and both active and passive HISB. Results: Findings support some of the paths tested in the MAIN model, shedding light on the effects of gratifications of modality, agency, interactivity, and navigability on participants' active and passive health information seeking and credibility assessment. Conclusions: Affordance-based gratifications are important in understanding how college students seek and evaluate health information on social media. These findings offer theoretical insights and practical implications for designing effective health communication strategies.
    Keywords:  Credibility judgment; MAIN model; effects; gratifications; social media platforms
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2025.2542411
  35. Curr Pediatr Rev. 2025 Aug 28.
    Exploring Internet Health Information Seeking Behavior of Caregivers in a Tertiary Pediatric Outpatient Setting in Eastern India.
    Manoj Kumar, Swati Swati, Rajan Kumar, Bijit Biswas.
       INTRODUCTION: To study internet health information-seeking behavior and its determinants among caregivers in a tertiary Pediatric Outpatient Department (OPD) in Eastern India.
    METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between September and December 2022 at the Pediatric Outpatient Department of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Deoghar, India. A 13-item validated questionnaire was administered through face-to-face interviews, capturing demographic information and internet health information-seeking behavior. Statistical analyses, including multivariable logistic regression, identified significant determinants.
    RESULTS: Outpatient visits were primarily for acute diseases (39.3%), followed by chronic disease monitoring (19.5%) and acute follow-ups (19.3%). Approximately 34.4% of caregivers sought health information online. Internet health information-seeking behavior was significantly associated with higher educational attainment and visit reasons. Caregivers with higher secondary education or graduate degrees were 7.5 and 7.6 times more likely, respectively, to seek health information online. Those attending for acute or acute follow-up visits had 2.2- and 3.5-times higher odds, respectively. The multivariable model explained 32.4% variability and had a predictive accuracy of 74.1%.
    DISCUSSION: The relatively low prevalence of online health information-seeking highlights regional gaps in digital health literacy. Education level and visit type were key predictors, underscoring the need for targeted guidance. Findings are limited by self-reporting and single-center design but offer direction for integrating digital support into pediatric care.
    CONCLUSION: One-third of caregivers utilized the internet for children's health information, with higher education and acute visit reasons as key determinants.
    Keywords:  Caregivers; consumer health information; internet use; outpatients; pediatrics.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2174/0115733963380997250823060812
  36. Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2025 ;12 e94
    Factors associated with online information seeking about mental health among high school students in Belgrade, Serbia.
    Tatjana Gazibara, Jelena Cakic, Milica Cakic, Anita Grgurevic, Tatjana Pekmezovic.
      Adolescents may not necessarily have a specific mental health challenge to seek information on mental health. They may be genuinely curious on how to better understand these issues, especially when mental health is being discussed in school, among peers and with parents. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency and factors associated with online information seeking about mental health among adolescents. A total of 702 high school students from Belgrade, Serbia, participated in the study and filled in an anonymous questionnaire about sociodemographics, digital behaviors and the Electronic Health Literacy Scale (eHEALS). The prevalence of seeking information about mental health in our study sample was 23.5% (165/702). The multivariate model showed that having a lower school performance, lower eHEALS score and browsing health blogs, social media and websites run by physicians and health institutions were independently associated with online information seeking about mental health. Additionally, searching for online information about psychoactive substances, bullying and medications was independently associated with online information seeking about mental health among adolescents. Adolescents are familiar with a variety of sources of online health information, but choose specific online platforms to read about mental health. These platforms could be utilized to promote mental well-being in high schools.
    Keywords:  adolescents; education; high school; internet; mental health; online information seeking
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2025.10026
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