bims-librar Biomed News
on Biomedical librarianship
Issue of 2025–09–14
twenty-two papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society
  1. The impact of digital marketing literacy on digital marketing strategy to enhance the library patrons' engagement: An application of the TOE framework.
  2. Medical Librarians.
  3. Communicating Diversity: (Cognitive) Ableism in Information-Seeking Research.
  4. Exploring body donation communication with large language models: Accuracy, readability, and ethical considerations.
  5. Evaluation of AI chatbots for patient education and information on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  6. Evaluating the Competence of AI Chatbots in Answering Patient-Oriented Frequently Asked Questions on Orthognathic Surgery.
  7. Multicriteria Assessment of Text Quality in Large Language Model-Generated Gynecomastia Materials: DeepSeek Versus OpenAI Versus Claude.
  8. Comparing physician and artificial intelligence chatbot responses to posthysterectomy questions posted to a public social media forum.
  9. Evaluation of information provided by artificial intelligence chatbots on extraoral maxillofacial prostheses.
  10. Readability of Online Patient Educational Materials for Rosacea: Systematic Web Search and Analysis.
  11. Online Information on Gambling Addiction: Is It Readable? Is It Reliable?
  12. Misinformation in spinal cord rehabilitation on YouTube: Enhancing standards for patient safety.
  13. Evaluating the Educational Quality and Accuracy of Carpal Tunnel-and Cubital Tunnel-Related Videos on TikTok.
  14. Quality and Reliability of TikTok Videos on Uterine Fibroid Embolizations: An Observational Analysis of Internationally Trending Social Media Videos.
  15. Quality and reliability of prostate cancer-Videos on TikTok and Bilibili: Cross-sectional content analysis study.
  16. Quality assessment of spinal cord injury-related health information on short-form video platforms: Cross-sectional content analysis of TikTok, Kwai, and BiliBili.
  17. Blood or buzz? Decoding the quality of CBC-related short videos on Chinese platforms.
  18. Quality, Reliability and Accuracy of Hyperthyroidism-Related Content on Social Media Platform TikTok.
  19. Atopic Dermatitis on TikTok: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Content Quality and SoC Representation.
  20. Exploring Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior Among Young Adults: Scoping Review.
  21. Experiences of health information-seeking among patients with cancer in China: a qualitative study.
  22. Mining the neuroimaging literature.
  1. Acta Psychol (Amst). 2025 Sep 06. pii: S0001-6918(25)00808-X. [Epub ahead of print]260 105495
    The impact of digital marketing literacy on digital marketing strategy to enhance the library patrons' engagement: An application of the TOE framework.
    Majid Ali, Chun Lyu, Xin Tian, Chengan Jiang, Qingwen Li.
      This study investigated an impact of digital marketing literacy (DML) on effective digital marketing strategy (DMS) development and its competence to library patrons' engagement (LPE) in academic libraries. Based on the Technology, Organization Environment (TOE) framework. This study investigated how technological assets, organizational factors, and environmental factors are related to digital marketing performances in academic libraries. A conceptual model was designed to examine the relationship between DML and DMS as well as its significant impact on LPE within library resources and services. Data was collected via survey questionnaire from librarians and SEM used to analyze the collected data from 224 respondents. The results demonstrated substantial positive relationships among technology resources, innovation and IT support, regulatory environment, competitive landscape, collaborations and technological trends, DML, DMS and LPE. The study highlighted that DML has a significantly influences on DMS, thereby both enhancing LPE significantly. The findings also underscored significant importance of DML in formulating effectiveness of DMS, which resulting to enhanced LPE within library resources and services in academic libraries. This study explored digital marketing understanding in academic libraries by providing empirical evidence to support TOE paradigm and delivering significant insights for library administrators and policymakers.
    Keywords:  Digital marketing literacy; Digital marketing strategy; Library services; Patron's engagement; Smart-PLS-SEM; TOE framework
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105495
  2. JAMA. 2025 Sep 11.
    Medical Librarians.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.18949
  3. Autism Adulthood. 2025 Aug;7(4): 344-352
    Communicating Diversity: (Cognitive) Ableism in Information-Seeking Research.
    Rebekah L Cowell.
      The applied science of Library and Information Science (LIS) has long emphasized understanding user behaviors in information-seeking processes, particularly in higher education environments where new information and research are generated. However, a notable gap exists in the literature regarding the information-seeking and information-use experiences of autistic and neurodivergent students and adults, impacting an interconnected network of relationships between researchers, librarians, LIS students, and postsecondary students seeking support and services. In LIS, research informs practice, and information-seeking is a cognitive and learning process, especially prescient in academic institutions. The failure to address the information needs of autistic, neurodivergent, and disabled people in LIS research and LIS curricula, which educates future librarians, impoverishes both practitioners and students. Drawing from personal experiences and empirical data, the author highlights the prevalence of neurodivergent students in higher education and investigates why, despite a growing awareness of neurodiversity, LIS research, scholarship, and program curricula largely overlook the specific needs of neurodivergent individuals. The article asks questions and proposes ideas for facing the consequences of an incomplete LIS education, addressing the necessity of introducing inclusive pedagogical practices in the academic library and getting honest about the field's cognitively biased scholarship because we cannot understand the information behavior landscape in all its neurobiological variations nor anticipate the future of information use and creation if we have bypassed neurodivergent and autistic minds.
    Keywords:  Library and Information Science; autistic college students; higher education; information behavior; information-seeking; librarians; library schools; neurodivergent college students; postsecondary education
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2024.0077
  4. Anat Sci Educ. 2025 Sep 07.
    Exploring body donation communication with large language models: Accuracy, readability, and ethical considerations.
    Fulya Temizsoy Korkmaz, Fatma Ok, Burak Karip, Papatya Keleş.
      Educational materials advocating whole-body donation must be accurate, easy to read, and transparent, as one potential solution to the fact that the supply of donations is not keeping pace with educational demand, thereby disrupting anatomy education programs. The use of AI technologies to supplement communications with prospective donors and next of kin deserves investigation to determine whether LLM-based approaches meet the common requirements for effective communication. This study contributes to the limited literature on LLM-supported communications by presenting a comparative quantitative benchmark and an adaptable evaluation framework. Five LLMs (ChatGPT-4o, Grok3.0, Claude4Sonnet, Gemini2.5 Flash, DeepSeekR1) were used to generate responses to six frequently asked questions about body donation in Turkish. Four anatomists evaluated accuracy, quality, readability, and vocabulary diversity. Differences between models were statistically analyzed. The two top-performing models, ChatGPT-4o and Grok3.0, achieved mean quality scores of 21.7 ± 2.8 and 21.0 ± 5.1 on a 25-point checklist, and 4.58 ± 0.88 and 4.25 ± 1.03 on a 5-point global quality scale, significantly outperforming the remaining three systems (p < 0.037). Both maintained a below-secondary-school level on two validated readability indices (scores ≥67.8 and ≥40.2). LLM-produced body donation materials (e.g., informational texts and FAQs) may help promote the importance of whole-body donations by providing accessible and reliable information, potentially streamlining the creation of first drafts and reducing staff workload. Given the sensitivity of donation decisions, ethical transparency, cultural sensitivity, and continuous human oversight are essential safeguards. Therefore, LLM use for such purposes should be governed by clear governance frameworks, regular expert audits, and publicly disclosed quality metrics.
    Keywords:  anatomy education; artificial intelligence; body donation; ethics; large language models; modified DISCERN; readability
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.70120
  5. Heart Lung. 2025 Sep 10. pii: S0147-9563(25)00187-6. [Epub ahead of print]75 21-25
    Evaluation of AI chatbots for patient education and information on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
    Pınar Merç, Cansu Şahbaz Pirinççi, Emine Cihan.
       BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic and progressive disease that affects patients' quality of life and functional capacity. With its widespread use and ease of access, AI chatbots stand out as an alternative source of patient-centered information and education.
    OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the readability and accuracy of information provided by ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek in COPD.
    METHODS: Ten most frequently asked questions and answers regarding COPD in English were provided using three AI chatbots (ChatGPT-4 Turbo, Gemini 2.0 Flash, DeepSeek R1). Readability was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), while information quality was analyzed by five physiotherapists based on the guidelines. Responses were graded using a 4-point system from "excellent response requiring no explanation" to "unsatisfactory requiring significant explanation." Statistical analyses were performed on SPSS.
    RESULTS: Overall, all three AI chatbots responded to questions with similar quality, with Gemini 2.0 providing a statistically higher quality response to question 4 (p < 0.05). In terms of readability of the answers, DeepSeek was found to have better readability on Q5 (12.01), Q8 (9.24), Q9 (13.1) and Q10 (8.73) compared to ChatGPT (Q5:13.9, Q8:11.92, Q9:17.15, Q10:9.88) and Gemini (Q5:18.22, Q8:15.47, Q9:17.42, Q10:9.38). Gemini was observed to produce more complex and academic level answers on more questions (Q4, Q5, Q8).
    CONCLUSIONS: ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek provided evidence-based answers to frequently asked patient questions about COPD. DeepSeek showed better readability performance for many questions. AI chatbots may serve as a valuable clinical tool for COPD patient education and disease management in the future.
    Keywords:  Artificial intelligence; COPD; ChatGPT; DeepSeek; Gemini
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.09.002
  6. Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Aug 26. pii: 2114. [Epub ahead of print]13(17):
    Evaluating the Competence of AI Chatbots in Answering Patient-Oriented Frequently Asked Questions on Orthognathic Surgery.
    Ezgi Yüceer-Çetiner, Dilara Kazan, Mobin Nesiri, Selçuk Basa.
       OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of three widely used artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots-ChatGPT-4, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Claude Sonnet 4-in answering patient-oriented frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to orthognathic surgery. Given the increasing reliance on AI tools in healthcare, it is essential to evaluate their performance to provide accurate, empathetic, readable, and clinically appropriate information.
    METHODS: Twenty FAQs in Turkish about orthognathic surgery were presented to each chatbot. The responses were evaluated by three oral and maxillofacial surgeons using a modified Global Quality Score (GQS), binary clinical appropriateness judgment, and a five-point empathy rating scale. The evaluation process was conducted in a double-blind manner. The Ateşman Readability Formula was applied to each response using an automated Python-based script. Comparative statistical analyses-including ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and post hoc tests-were used to determine significant differences in performance among chatbots.
    RESULTS: Gemini outperformed both GPT-4 and Claude in GQS, empathy, and clinical appropriateness (p < 0.001). GPT-4 demonstrated the highest readability scores (p < 0.001) but frequently lacked empathetic tone and safety-oriented guidance. Claude showed moderate performance, balancing ethical caution with limited linguistic clarity. A moderate positive correlation was found between empathy and perceived response quality (r = 0.454; p = 0.044).
    CONCLUSIONS: AI chatbots vary significantly in their ability to support surgical patient education. While GPT-4 offers superior readability, Gemini provides the most balanced and clinically reliable responses. These findings underscore the importance of context-specific chatbot selection and continuous clinical oversight to ensure safe and ethical AI-driven communication.
    Keywords:  artificial intelligence; clinical safety; health communication; orthognathic surgery; patient education
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172114
  7. J Craniofac Surg. 2025 Sep 10.
    Multicriteria Assessment of Text Quality in Large Language Model-Generated Gynecomastia Materials: DeepSeek Versus OpenAI Versus Claude.
    Tianying Zang, Jiaojiao Li, Lisha Wei, Yijin Wang.
       BACKGROUND: With the development of artificial intelligence, obtaining patient-centered medical information through large language models (LLMs) is crucial for patient education. However, existing digital resources in online health care have heterogeneous quality, and the reliability and readability of content generated by various AI models need to be evaluated to meet the needs of patients with different levels of cultural literacy.
    OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare the accuracy and readability of different LLMs in providing medical information related to gynecomastia, and explore the most promising science education tools in practical clinical applications.
    METHODS: This study selected 10 most frequently searched questions about gynecomastia from PubMed and Google Trends. Responses were generated using 3 LLMs (DeepSeek-R1, OpenAI-O3, Claude-4-Sonnet), with text quality assessed using the DISCERN-AI and PEMAT-AI scales. Text readability and legibility were comprehensively evaluated through metrics including word count, syllable count, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Flesch Kincaid Reading Ease (FKRE), SMOG index, and Automated Readability Index (ARI).
    RESULTS: In terms of quality evaluation, among the 10 items of the DISCERN-AI scale, only the overall content quality score showed a statistically significant difference (P = 0.001), with DeepSeek-R1 demonstrating the best performance at a median score of 5 (5,5). Regarding readability, DeepSeek-R1 exhibited the highest average word count and syllable count, both with P-values of 0.000. The 3 models showed no significant differences in FKGL, FKRE, or automatic readability indices. Specifically, the averaged FKGL scores of DeepSeek-R1 was 14.08, OpenAI-O3 was 14.1, and Claude-4-sonnet was 13.31. The SOMG evaluation revealed that Claude-4-sonnet demonstrated the strongest readability, the average value is 11 with a P-value of 0.028.
    CONCLUSION: DeepSeek-R1 demonstrated the highest overall quality in content generation, followed by Claude-4-sonnet. Evaluations using FKGL, SMOG index, and ARI all indicated that Claude-4-sonnet exhibited the best readability. Given that improvements in quality and readability can enhance patient engagement and reduce anxiety, these 2 models should be prioritized for patient education applications. Future efforts should focus on integrating these advantages to develop more reliable large-scale medical language models.
    Keywords:  Artificial intelligence; LLMs; gynecomastia; large language models; patient education
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/SCS.0000000000011930
  8. AJOG Glob Rep. 2025 Aug;5(3): 100553
    Comparing physician and artificial intelligence chatbot responses to posthysterectomy questions posted to a public social media forum.
    Shadae K Beale, Natalie Cohen, Beatrice Secheli, Donald McIntire, Kimberly A Kho.
       BACKGROUND: Within public online forums, patients often seek reassurance and guidance from the community regarding postoperative symptoms and expectations, and when to seek medical assistance. Others are using artificial intelligence in the form of online search engines or chatbots such as ChatGPT or Perplexity. Artificial intelligence chatbot assistants have been growing in popularity; however, clinicians may be hesitant to use them because of concerns about accuracy. The online networking service for medical professionals, Doximity, has expanded its resources to include a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant artificial intelligence writing assistant, Doximity GPT, designed to reduce the administrative burden on clinicians. Health professionals learn using a "medical model," which greatly differs from the "health belief model" that laypeople learn through. This mismatch in learning perspectives likely contributes to a communication mismatch even during digital clinician-patient encounters, especially in patients with limited health literacy during the perioperative period when complications may arise.
    OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the ability of artificial intelligence chatbot assistants (Doximity GPT, Perplexity, and ChatGPT) to generate quality, accurate, and empathetic responses to postoperative patient queries that are also understandable and actionable.
    STUDY DESIGN: Responses to 10 postoperative queries sourced from HysterSisters, a public forum for "woman-to-woman hysterectomy support," were generated using 3 artificial intelligence chatbot assistants (Doximity GPT, Perplexity, and ChatGPT) and a minimally invasive gynecologic surgery fellowship-trained surgeon. Ten physician evaluators compared the blinded responses for quality, accuracy, and empathy. A separate pair of physician evaluators scored the responses for understandability and actionability using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printable Materials (PEMAT-P). The final scores were the average of both reviewers' scores. Analysis of variance was used for pairwise comparison of the evaluator scores between sources. Lastly, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze Flesch-Kincaid scoring for readability. The Pearson chi-square test was used to demonstrate the difference in reading level among the responses for each source.
    RESULTS: Compared with a physician, Doximity GPT and ChatGPT were rated as more empathetic than a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon, but quality and accuracy were similar across these sources. There was a significant difference between Perplexity and the other response sources, favoring the latter, for quality and accuracy (P<.001). Perplexity and the minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon ranked similarly for empathy. Reading ease was greater for the minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon responses (60.6 [53.5-68.4]; eighth and ninth grade) than for Perplexity (40.0 [28.6-47.2], college) and ChatGPT (35.5 [28.2-42.0], college) (P<.01). There was no significant difference in understandability and actionability, with all sources scored as having good understandability and average actionability.
    CONCLUSION: As artificial intelligence chatbot assistants grow in popularity, including integration in the electronic health record, the output's readability must reflect the general population's health literacy to be impactful and effective. This analysis serves as a reminder for physicians to be mindful of this mismatch in readability and general health literacy when considering the integration of artificial intelligence chatbot assistants into patient care. The accuracy and consistency of these chatbots may also impact patient outcomes, making screening of utmost importance in this endeavor.
    Keywords:  artificial intelligence; chatbot assistant; gynecologic surgery; hysterectomy; patient education; postoperative care
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xagr.2025.100553
  9. J Prosthet Dent. 2025 Sep 08. pii: S0022-3913(25)00684-5. [Epub ahead of print]
    Evaluation of information provided by artificial intelligence chatbots on extraoral maxillofacial prostheses.
    Nuran Özyemişci, Bilge Turhan Bal, Merve Bankoğlu Güngör, Esra Kaynak Öztürk, Ayşegül Canvar, Secil Karakoca Nemli.
       STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Despite advances in artificial intelligence (AI), the quality, reliability, and understandability of health-related information provided by chatbots is still a question mark. Furthermore, studies on maxillofacial prosthesis (MP) information from AI chatbots are lacking.
    PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the reliability, quality, readability, and similarity of responses to MP-related questions generated by 4 different chatbots.
    MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 15 questions were provided by a maxillofacial prosthodontist and from 4 different chatbots (ChatGPT-3.5, Gemini 2.5 Flash, Copilot, and DeepSeek V3). The Reliability Scoring (adapted DISCERN), the Global Quality Scale (GQS), the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level (FKRGL), and the Similarity Index (iThenticate) were used to evaluate the performance of chatbots. Data were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the differences between chatbots were determined by the Conover multiple comparison test with Benjamini-Hochberg correction (α=.05).
    RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the chatbots' DISCERN scores, except for one question where ChatGPT showed significantly higher reliability than Gemini or Copilot (P=.03). There was no statistically significant difference among AI tools in terms of GQS values (P=.096), FRES values (P=.166), and FKRGL values (P=.247). The similarity rate of Gemini was statistically higher than other AI chatbots (P=.03).
    CONCLUSIONS: ChatGPT-3.5, Gemini 2.5 Flash, Copilot, and DeepSeek V3 showed good quality responses. All chatbots' responses were difficult for non-professionals to read and understand. Low similarity rates were found for all chatbots except Gemini, indicating originality of their information.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prosdent.2025.08.028
  10. JMIR Form Res. 2025 Sep 08. 9 e67916
    Readability of Online Patient Educational Materials for Rosacea: Systematic Web Search and Analysis.
    Derek Nguyen, Jennifer Javaheri, Daniel Nguyen, Vy Han.
       Unlabelled: Most online educational materials about rosacea exceed recommended readability levels, often requiring at least a high school education to understand, with content authored by physicians being significantly more difficult to read than that written by nonphysicians.
    Keywords:  Google; dermatology; health education; health literacy; patient information; readability; rosacea; websites
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/67916
  11. J Gambl Stud. 2025 Sep 08.
    Online Information on Gambling Addiction: Is It Readable? Is It Reliable?
    Yunus Manastır, Esra Uslu.
      The aim of this study is to evaluate the readability and reliability of websites providing information about gambling. The study assessed 65 Turkish-language websites from Google. In this study, readability was assessed using the Ateşman Readability Index, which determines textual difficulty based on sentence and word length. Additionally, the reliability of the content was evaluated using the Journal of the American Medical Association benchmark, which assesses the trustworthiness of online information through four key criteria: authorship, attribution, disclosure, and currency. Journal of the American Medical Association score was 1.23 ± 0.93, and 64.6% of websites were rated as having "insufficient information/low reliability. The average Ateşman score was 51.63 ± 12.51, corresponding to an 11th-12th grade reading level, which is considered moderately difficult for general population. Despite 81.5% of the sites originating from health organizations, both readability and reliability were found to be inadequate. These findings highlight the need for more accessible and trustworthy digital resources on gambling addiction. Collaboration among content creators, health professionals, and policymakers is recommended to improve the readability and reliability of online health information.
    Keywords:  Gambling addiction; Internet; Online health information; Readability; Reliability
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-025-10425-8
  12. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2025 Sep 08. 10538127251369997
    Misinformation in spinal cord rehabilitation on YouTube: Enhancing standards for patient safety.
    Özlem Karataş, Serpil Tuna, Seden Demirci.
      BackgroundSpinal cord injury is a complex condition affecting millions globally, often requiring extensive rehabilitation. YouTube is increasingly utilized by spinal cord injury-patients and caregivers for rehabilitation information, despite potential misinformation risks. However, few studies have assessed the quality of spinal cord injury -related content on this platform.AimThis study evaluates the quality, reliability, and effectiveness of YouTube videos on spinal cord rehabilitation to identify credible resources and improve patient education.MethodsA systematic search was conducted on YouTube using keywords related to spinal cord injury rehabilitation, yielding 74 videos that met inclusion criteria. These were assessed independently by two reviewers for quality indicators using DISCERN, JAMA, and Global Quality Score criteria. Viewer engagement metrics such as views, likes, and comments were also analyzed.ResultsMost videos were of low to moderate quality, with only 24% rated as high quality. Videos uploaded by physicians received significantly higher quality ratings compared to those from other sources (p < 0.01), although their view counts were generally lower. Viewer engagement was positively correlated with likes and comments but inversely correlated with quality metrics, indicating that popular videos often lacked reliable information. Among the included videos, 28.4% were uploaded by physicians, 52.7% by physiotherapists, and 18.9% by others, providing insight into the source reliability.ConclusionThe overall quality of spinal cord injury rehabilitation videos on YouTube is low, posing risks for misinformation among patients. Efforts are needed to enhance the accessibility of scientifically accurate information. Healthcare professionals and digital platforms should collaborate to improve the quality of health-related videos, supporting informed decision-making for spinal cord injury patients.
    Keywords:  misinformation; patient education; rehabilitation; spinal cord injury; youTube
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/10538127251369997
  13. Hand (N Y). 2025 Sep 07. 15589447251366458
    Evaluating the Educational Quality and Accuracy of Carpal Tunnel-and Cubital Tunnel-Related Videos on TikTok.
    Levi M Travis, Jacob Jahn, Kristen K Dean, Seth D Dodds.
       BACKGROUND: The increased utilization of social media platforms, including TikTok, has revolutionized the way that medical information is disseminated and consumed globally. Despite the benefits of rapidly accessible health information, the unregulated nature of TikTok raises significant concerns for the validity and reliability of medical advice. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the educational quality and accuracy of information presented on TikTok relating to carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and cubital tunnel syndrome (CubTS), 2 common upper extremity conditions.
    METHODS: A sample of CTS- and CubTS-related TikToks (n = 225) was identified on August 25, 2024, through specific search criteria, defined through hashtags, and filtered by the most liked videos, to select those with the greatest reach. Information extracted from each TikTok totaled 22 objective and subjective variables, in addition to 16 metrics from the DISCERN questionnaire, a proven tool for assessing consumer health information.
    RESULTS: Videos by physicians made up the minority of content while having greater overall DISCERN score, but lower engagement compared with nonphysicians. Alternative-medicine videos included medical recommendations more often than traditional-medicine videos. These videos also were less balanced and unbiased than traditional-medicine videos. Harmful videos had greater engagement than nonharmful videos.
    CONCLUSIONS: This investigation revealed marked variability in both the quality and reliability of TikTok videos related to CTS and CubTS, demonstrating the need for critical assessment of health information disseminated on social media platforms. Although TikTok is a highly engaging platform, it presents considerable misinformation risks for users seeking health information.
    Keywords:  TikTok; carpal tunnel syndrome; cubital tunnel syndrome; social media
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/15589447251366458
  14. Cureus. 2025 Aug;17(8): e89372
    Quality and Reliability of TikTok Videos on Uterine Fibroid Embolizations: An Observational Analysis of Internationally Trending Social Media Videos.
    Shreya Katwala, Ashna Chali, Michelle Wu, Felix Yang, Mira Malavia, Trung Pham.
       INTRODUCTION: TikTok has emerged as a popular platform for sharing medical insights, but concerns exist regarding disseminating inaccurate information on medical conditions, potentially harming patient care. This study aims to evaluate the quality and reliability of TikTok videos on uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). It also examines how video engagement and content quality vary based on the uploader type and video style.
    METHODOLOGY: We selected the top 100 TikTok videos on UFEs based on the number of likes since March 2024. These videos were identified using the hashtag "#UFE." Videos were categorized based on several factors, including the number of likes, comments, shares, upload date, uploader's background (academic, non-healthcare professionals (non-HCPs), non-physician, non-radiologist, and radiologist), and type of content (anecdotal, educational, and procedural). The strength of treatment recommendations was assessed for all videos using the DISCERN instrument (16 to 80), which assesses reliability of treatment information, and the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials (PEMAT-A/V), which assesses understandability and actionability via a percentage score. Descriptive and ANOVA analyses were conducted with a statistical significance set at p < 0.05.
    RESULTS:  Of the top 100 TikTok videos related to UFE, 99 were in English and one was in Spanish, which was excluded from our study. A total of 12 videos (12.12%) were uploaded by radiologists, while the majority (66, 66.67%) were created by non-HCPs. Non-radiologist physicians garnered the highest average engagement and quality scores, including the highest DISCERN score (41.07). Academic institutions achieved the highest PEMAT understandability score (80.47%). Non-HCPs ranked second in engagement but had the second-lowest PEMAT understandability score (65.96%), just above non-physician HCPs, who had the lowest score (64.68%). Educational videos (35, 35.35%) outperformed anecdotal ones (59, 59.59%) in quality, achieving higher DISCERN (40.57) and PEMAT understandability (68.85%) scores. While DISCERN scores did not significantly differ by video aim, both PEMAT understandability (p = 0.01763) and DISCERN (p = 0.00166) scores showed significant differences based on the uploader type.
    DISCUSSION: Our analysis of the top 100 TikTok videos on UFE reveals a landscape dominated by non-physician contributors, with only 12 videos created by radiologists. Despite this, content from non-radiologist physicians garnered the highest engagement and exhibited the highest quality, underscoring the influence of credible medical voices on social media. While anecdotal content prevails, educational videos achieved better quality scores, highlighting the value of evidence-based communication. These findings suggest a critical opportunity for radiologists and other physicians to enhance patient education, counter misinformation, and leverage TikTok as a low-cost, high-impact platform for healthcare communication. However, limitations include a narrow focus on highly liked content and exclusion of TikTok's algorithmic influence.
    Keywords:  evidence-based clinical practice; medical misinformation; multiple uterine fibroids; patient education; social media analytics; tiktok; uterine fibroid embolization; video content analysis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.89372
  15. Digit Health. 2025 Jan-Dec;11:11 20552076251376263
    Quality and reliability of prostate cancer-Videos on TikTok and Bilibili: Cross-sectional content analysis study.
    Mengmeng Liang, Fan Yang, Shasha Lu, Chen Zhu, Juan Wang, Weigang Yan.
       Objectives: Our research aims to assess the quality and reliability of videos related to prostate cancer on TikTok and Bilibili, and to compare content characteristics and information accuracy between the two platforms.
    Methods: On May 1, 2025, we searched for the top 100 videos using the terms "prostate cancer" on TikTok and "" on Bilibili, resulting in 200 videos. Two independent reviewers evaluated the content of each video using the Global Quality Scale (GQS) score and modified DISCERN (mDISCERN). Both reviewers independently assessed each video's scope, reliability, and overall quality.
    Results: Significant differences were observed in GQS and mDISCERN scores between TikTok and Bilibili videos (P < 0.0001 for both). Videos on Bilibili demonstrated superior quality and reliability compared to those on TikTok, as indicated by median GQS scores of 4.00 versus 2.00 and mDISCERN scores of 4.00 versus 2.00, respectively. Videos uploaded by urologists were significantly more reliable and of higher quality than those uploaded by patients (P < 0.001). Similarly, videos focused on disease knowledge and treatment were of higher quality and reliability than those sharing personal experiences (P < 0.01).
    Conclusion: Prostate cancer-related videos on Bilibili are generally of higher quality and reliability than those on TikTok. However, videos produced by urologists consistently demonstrated higher quality and reliability compared to those by patients across both platforms. Social media platforms should enhance the review and regulation of medical content to ensure its authenticity and accuracy, while content creators should aim to improve video quality to better meet the needs of a wider audience.
    Keywords:  Bilibili; Prostate cancer; TikTok; information quality; patient and public education; public health; social media
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076251376263
  16. Digit Health. 2025 Jan-Dec;11:11 20552076251374226
    Quality assessment of spinal cord injury-related health information on short-form video platforms: Cross-sectional content analysis of TikTok, Kwai, and BiliBili.
    Yujie Zhang, Changming Huang, Ye Tong, Yilin Teng, Baicheng Wan, Jianhua Huang, Gaofeng Zeng, Shaohui Zong.
       Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) severely affects patients' quality of life. With the rise of short video platforms, they have become important sources of health information, yet few studies have assessed the quality of SCI-related content on these platforms.
    Objective: This study aimed to analyze the content and quality of SCI-related videos on three major short video platforms.
    Material and Methods: This study collected SCI-related short videos published between 28 March and 10 April 2025 on three platforms: BiliBili, Kwai, and TikTok. After strict screening (removing advertisements, duplicates, and irrelevant content), 251 valid samples were finally included. To minimize the influence of platform recommendation algorithms, the study used newly registered accounts to conduct standardized searches with "spinal cord injury" as the uniform search term. Video quality was assessed using four methods: Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), global quality scale (GQS), modified DISCERN, and patient education materials assessment tool. Two staff members (Z-SH and Z-GF) independently scored all videos. When their ratings differed by more than 15%, an expert (TY) made the final decision.
    Results: A total of 251 SCI-related videos were analyzed across BiliBili (n = 68), Kwai (n = 91), and TikTok (n = 92), revealing marked differences in content characteristics and quality. BiliBili featured the longest videos (median: 300 s) and the highest collection rate. It also achieved the highest JAMA (2.10 ± 0.85) and GQS (3.18 ± 0.91) scores. Kwai videos were the shortest (median: 15 s) but generated the most user interaction (likes, comments, and shares). However, it consistently scored lowest across all quality metrics (e.g. JAMA = 1.28 ± 0.42; GQS = 2.00 ± 0.83), with limited understandability (38 ± 24) and actionability (22 ± 24). TikTok content, primarily created by professionals, showed the highest modified DISCERN score (2.80 ± 0.78) and moderate practical value (understandability: 71 ± 21; actionability: 41 ± 29), though user engagement was relatively low. Quality indicators (JAMA, GQS, and DISCERN) were moderately correlated with follower count but weakly or negatively correlated with user engagement. Finally, understandability and actionability showed a moderate correlation (r = 0.49).
    Conclusion: This cross-platform comparative study reveals significant disparities in content quality among SCI-related videos on three leading short video platforms. Despite diverse video formats, the overall quality and reliability remain suboptimal.
    Keywords:  Spinal cord injury; health information; quality assessment; reliability; short videos
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076251374226
  17. Digit Health. 2025 Jan-Dec;11:11 20552076251375721
    Blood or buzz? Decoding the quality of CBC-related short videos on Chinese platforms.
    Jianbo Xu, Ying Gao, Xinyi Xu, Jingyu Li, Ziqi Shan, Lu Xiao.
       Background: The complete cell count (CBC) is a fundamental diagnostic tool in clinical practice and is essential for screening and managing diseases such as anemia, infections, and malignant blood disorders. In China, a rapidly aging population and a growing burden of chronic diseases have increased the demand for accessible health knowledge resources. Short videos have now become a popular channel for medical information dissemination. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the overall quality and credibility of videos about CBC in China.
    Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the information quality of CBC-related videos on short video sharing platforms in China.
    Methods: We searched for short videos that popularize the main knowledge of CBC posted on three short video platforms in China that are currently accessed with a large amount of information: Douyin, Bilibili, and Rednote. A total of 242 relevant videos were retrieved, and we collected, processed, and analyzed the authors and basic information of all videos. The quality and reliability of their contents were assessed by using the Global Quality Score scale, the Modified DISCERN Medical Video Quality Evaluation Tool. Subsequently, short video platforms as well as video publishers were analyzed and compared descriptively as a whole. Potential correlations between general video information and video quality and reliability were analyzed by Spearman's correlation coefficient.
    Results: The quality of online videos provided by short video platforms showed a moderate level of quality (just 49.5% met the high-quality level criterion), and the completeness of their content, as well as their reliability was average (only 28.9% of videos met the reliability criterion). Further results on group comparisons showed that videos from healthcare professionals were better than those from non-healthcare professionals in terms of content comprehensiveness, reliability, and quality. Additionally, we observed a positive correlation between the production length of the video and video quality; however, there was no significant correlation between video likes and comments, etc., and video quality.
    Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the overall quality and reliability of short videos about CBC-related content in current short video platforms are still significantly deficient. It is recommended that viewers should treat this content with caution. Among them, videos posted from medical personnel are more instructive. Nevertheless, video-based popularization of medical knowledge still holds promise. The overall quality and reliability of medical information shared on short video platforms can be improved by implementing appropriate strategies.
    Keywords:  CBC; Public health; cross-sectional study; short videos
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076251375721
  18. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab. 2025 Sep;8(5): e70105
    Quality, Reliability and Accuracy of Hyperthyroidism-Related Content on Social Media Platform TikTok.
    Aayush Shah, Raika Bourmand, Freddy Albaladejo, Karthik Jarugula, Sofia Olsson, Zainab Farzal, Viraj Shah.
       OBJECTIVE(S): To evaluate the quality, reliability and accuracy of hyperthyroidism-related content on TikTok using validated assessment tools.
    METHODS: We systematically searched TikTok for 'hyperthyroid' and 'high thyroid', analysing 115 videos after exclusions. Two independent researchers assessed videos using the Global Quality Scale (GQS, range 0-5) for overall content quality, the modified DISCERN (mDISCERN, range 0-5) for reliability and the Accuracy in Digital Information (ANDI, range 0-4) tool for factual correctness. We categorised creator credentials and content purpose, performing statistical analyses to examine associations with video quality and engagement.
    RESULTS: Of the 115 videos analysed, the mean ANDI score was 3.15/4, the mean GQS was 2.72/5, and the mean mDISCERN score was 2.47/5. Educational content (98.3%) demonstrated higher GQS (p = 0.019) and mDISCERN (p = 0.040) scores than non-educational content. Conversely, anecdotal content (35.7%) was associated with significantly lower GQS (p = 0.002) and mDISCERN (p < 0.001) scores. Healthcare professionals (HCPs, 37.4% of creators) produced videos with higher ANDI (p = 0.015), GQS (p < 0.001) and mDISCERN (p < 0.001) scores than non-HCPs. Notably, physician-created videos garnered higher engagement across all metrics (p < 0.05).
    CONCLUSIONS: While some TikTok content on hyperthyroidism is of high quality, particularly from healthcare professionals, the platform is dominated by lower quality content from non-experts. This underscores the need for increased engagement from healthcare professionals on social media to improve the accuracy and reliability of health information available to the public.
    Keywords:  TikTok; digital health information; hyperthyroid; social media
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/edm2.70105
  19. J Cutan Med Surg. 2025 Sep 09. 12034754251375051
    Atopic Dermatitis on TikTok: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Content Quality and SoC Representation.
    Sana Gupta, Kiranpreet Mavi, Geeta Yadav.
      
    Keywords:  TikTok; atopic dermatitis; online resources; skin of color
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/12034754251375051
  20. J Med Internet Res. 2025 Sep 09. 27 e70379
    Exploring Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior Among Young Adults: Scoping Review.
    Kristine Stifjell, Torkjel M Sandanger, Charlotte Wien.
       BACKGROUND: The ability to access and evaluate online health information is essential for young adults to manage their physical and mental well-being. With the growing integration of the internet, mobile technology, and social media, young adults (aged 18-30 years) are increasingly turning to digital platforms for health-related content. Despite this trend, there remains a lack of systematic insights into their specific behaviors, preferences, and needs when seeking health information online.
    OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aims to understand "What previous studies report regarding young adults' online health information-seeking behavior (OHISB) for health information in terms of the choice of digital platform and platform user interface (UI)?" It attempts to (1) determine which digital platforms young adults tend to use to search for health information and (2) identify characteristics in the UI that apply to young adults' aims and trust.
    METHODS: A literature search was conducted in February 2024 across Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. The final search identified 4634 publications, with 912 publications screened after removing duplicates. Of these, 32 articles met the inclusion criteria. Qualitative content analysis was used to extract themes related to young adults' OHISB. Studies were selected using predefined eligibility criteria, and data were charted in a structured matrix. Charted data were coded manually and analyzed thematically following the 6-phase framework of Braun and Clarke to identify recurring patterns across the studies. This process was embedded within the Arksey and O'Malley framework for scoping reviews.
    RESULTS: The findings showed that young adults primarily use search engines and social media, with information drawn from 5 types of internet-based sources. Six key platform characteristics were found to influence their engagement: credible content, user-friendly design, tailored language, interactive features, privacy, and inclusivity.
    CONCLUSIONS: Although young adults are active digital health seekers, the current literature does not adequately capture their evolving behaviors. Many studies lacked details on how specific platform affordances influence trust and usability. This review highlights the need for more targeted research on how to design platforms and provides information on how digital context affects online health seeking and decision-making. Given the rapid changes in technologies and information environments, future research should explore their interactions with emerging tools, such as artificial intelligence; address the needs of those in vulnerable situations; and support health literacy in online contexts. An improved understanding of UI preferences and platform behaviors can inform more inclusive, youth-centered digital health interventions.
    Keywords:  SPIDER, PRISMA-ScR; digital health; health communication; health literacy; internet; youth health
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/70379
  21. Front Public Health. 2025 ;13 1584952
    Experiences of health information-seeking among patients with cancer in China: a qualitative study.
    Yanjun Wu, Shenglu Li, Yan Zhou, An Duan, Qiqi Zhuo.
       Purpose: Although information provision improves physical and psychological well-being, few studies have evaluated Chinese cancer patients' information needs. Our study aimed to explore the health information-seeking experiences of Chinese cancer patients, focusing on their needs, preferences, and cultural influences. This will inform the development of culturally sensitive and patient-centered information provision strategies.
    Methods: Semi-structured face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 cancer patients. Participants were recruited in one oncology unit in China from November 2023 to February 2024. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed by two researchers, evaluated using conventional content analysis, and translated.
    Results: Four themes and eleven categories emerged from the qualitative data: passively received information (let nature take its course, maintain harmonious relationships); seeking emotional support (seeking positive stories, encouragement from healthcare professionals, family members' involvement); different roles of information (reassuring, troublesome, difficult truths) and optimal way to obtain information (plain language, individualized, trust in the doctor most).
    Conclusion: The influence of culture on patients' information needs is inevitable. In China, healthcare professionals should encourage patients with cancer to express their information needs in order to develop health information provision strategies tailored to their needs. Notably, emotional support helps maintain psychological well-being. Family members' involvement in information-seeking progress is also an important component of emotional support. Information provision should be individualized and aligned with the patients' information-seeking styles and individual differences. Furthermore, healthcare professionals must use plain language, provide accurate information, and correctly guide patients on online information-seeking.
    Keywords:  China; cancer; health information-seeking; information needs; qualitative research
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1584952
  22. Elife. 2025 Sep 11. pii: RP94909. [Epub ahead of print]13
    Mining the neuroimaging literature.
    Jérome Dockès, Kendra M Oudyk, Mohammad Torabi, Alejandro I de la Vega, Jean-Baptiste Poline.
      Automated analysis of the biomedical literature (literature mining) offers a rich source of insights. However, such analysis requires collecting a large number of articles and extracting and processing their content. This task is often prohibitively difficult and time-consuming. Here, we provide tools to easily collect, process, and annotate the biomedical literature. In particular, https://neuroquery.github.io/pubget/pubget.html is an efficient and reliable command-line tool for downloading articles in bulk from PubMed Central, extracting their contents and metadata into convenient formats, and extracting and analyzing information such as stereotactic brain coordinates. https://jeromedockes.github.io/labelbuddy/labelbuddy/current/ is a lightweight local application for annotating text, which facilitates the extraction of complex information or the creation of ground-truth labels to validate automated information extraction methods. Further, we describe repositories where researchers can share their analysis code and their manual annotations in a format that facilitates reuse. These resources can help streamline text mining and meta-science projects and make text mining of the biomedical literature more accessible, effective, and reproducible. We describe a typical workflow based on these tools and illustrate it with several example projects.
    Keywords:  meta-research; meta-science; natural language processing; neuroimaging; neuroscience; none; text mining
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.94909
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