bims-librar Biomed News
on Biomedical librarianship
Issue of 2025–08–03
twenty-two papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society
  1. Don't Close Medical Libraries: That's Where You Find Librarian Partners to Advance Medicine and Science.
  2. Social context for health literacy: Public libraries as health hubs.
  3. Opening Doors for Dataset Discovery: Using the NLM Dataset Catalog.
  4. A questionnaire-based study on literature searches among medical postgraduates.
  5. Digital health literacy and trust in health information sources: A comparative study of university students in Japan, the United States, and India.
  6. Analyzing the Utility of Openalex to Identify Studies for Systematic Reviews: Methods and a Case Study.
  7. Ability of ChatGPT to Generate Systematic Review Search Strategies Compared to a Published Search Strategy.
  8. Generative artificial intelligence-mediated confirmation bias in health information seeking.
  9. A Comparative Study of ChatGPT-4o and DeepSeek Responses to Mandibular Angle Osteotomy Questions.
  10. Assessing Artificial Intelligence-Generated Patient Educational Material on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Content and Quality Evaluation.
  11. Is ChatGPT-4o an Effective Tool for Providing Accurate Responses to Frequently Asked Questions by Varicocele Patients?
  12. Benchmarking AI Chatbots for Maternal Lactation Support: A Cross-Platform Evaluation of Quality, Readability, and Clinical Accuracy.
  13. Evaluating the Quality of Online Information on Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy (PELD) Using the DISCERN Instrument.
  14. Editorial Comment on "An Analysis of the Accuracy, Quality, and Readability of Online Health Information for Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome".
  15. Quality assessment of online information on the use of the ketogenic diet in Epilepsy: A comparative analysis of English and Polish sources.
  16. Quality of Online Information in Arabic for Patient Education Regarding Cancer Chemotherapy.
  17. Social media as an information source for pediatric musculoskeletal infections: a quality analysis of English language content.
  18. Discrepancy Between Quality and Engagement in Digital Neonatal Health Education: A Cross-Sectional Evaluation of YouTube Videos on Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.
  19. Platelet-rich plasma videos for knee osteoarthritis on YouTube are of acceptable quality and content.
  20. Evaluating the Educational Value and Content Quality of YouTube Videos on Myasthenia Gravis.
  21. A Retrospective Analysis of Dermatologic Manifestations of Diabetes on TikTok.
  22. Quality and Dissemination of Uterine Fibroid Health Information on TikTok and Bilibili: Cross-Sectional Study.
  1. Ophthalmology. 2025 Jul 31. pii: S0161-6420(25)00416-6. [Epub ahead of print]
    Don't Close Medical Libraries: That's Where You Find Librarian Partners to Advance Medicine and Science.
    Daniel Albert, Russell N Van Gelder.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2025.07.005
  2. Public Health. 2025 Jul 25. pii: S0033-3506(25)00315-4. [Epub ahead of print]247 105869
    Social context for health literacy: Public libraries as health hubs.
    Asih Asikin-Garmager, Brittney Thomas, Diana Brace, Kirsten Crowhurst, Hannah Sinemus, Nesibe Karakis, Stefania Acosta Ramirez, Sharon Han, Laura Bartlett.
       OBJECTIVES: Public libraries are a vital source of health information in their communities. The study expands on social context literature to include public libraries as integral to communities' health literacy development. To support public libraries as community health hubs, the NNLM All of Us Program Center (NAPC) funded projects to strengthen public libraries' capacity to provide accurate and timely health literacy resources and training.
    STUDY DESIGN: Document analysis of grant application and activity report submissions from NAPC-funded organizations.
    METHODS: The study focused on projects that were led by or involved public libraries to understand libraries' role in social contexts for health literacy. The applications and reports were analyzed for health literacy components and intended demographics.
    RESULTS: Findings show diverse strategies implemented by funded libraries and community organizations to strengthen their communities' health literacy, both at the individual and organizational level. Strategies included supporting capacity building and library infrastructure through professional development and purchase of technology, increasing free health activities relevant to community needs, and hosting health fairs that bring community healthcare partners together for library users.
    CONCLUSION: Overall, the study highlights the potential transformative role of public libraries in closing health literacy gaps within communities. It provides evidence that libraries are part of the social context that develops health literacy education and that libraries can serve as vital public health allies by utilizing institutional resources, professional training, and strategic partnerships.
    Keywords:  Health literacy; Public library; Social context
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2025.105869
  3. Med Ref Serv Q. 2025 Jul 28. 1-8
    Opening Doors for Dataset Discovery: Using the NLM Dataset Catalog.
    Katie Pierce-Farrier, Annisija W Hunter.
      The National Library of Medicine (NLM) Dataset Catalog provides a single catalog where researchers can search multiple open data repositories simultaneously. The catalog includes datasets related to biology, medicine, health, and life sciences. Users can find descriptions of datasets, access links, and licensing information. While still in beta form, the website is user-friendly, and NLM is currently evaluating user feedback to retool and refine the product for its full launch.
    Keywords:  Datasets; online database; open data; open science; review
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/02763869.2025.2537078
  4. Perspect Clin Res. 2025 Jul-Sep;16(3):16(3): 166-167
    A questionnaire-based study on literature searches among medical postgraduates.
    R Yukesh, Ushakiran Prayaga.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.4103/picr.picr_60_24
  5. SSM Popul Health. 2025 Sep;31 101844
    Digital health literacy and trust in health information sources: A comparative study of university students in Japan, the United States, and India.
    Hirono Ishikawa, Rina Miyawaki, Mio Kato, Jessica Legge Muilenburg, Yuki Azaad Tomar, Yoko Kawamura.
      The rapid expansion of the Internet and social media has transformed health communication, highlighting the critical importance for digital health literacy - particularly during the "infodemics" of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined digital health literacy and online health information-seeking behaviors among university students - the digital native generation - in Japan, the United States, and India. A cross-national comparison across these culturally and technologically diverse countries provides insights into global variations in digital health literacy. An online survey was administered to 1500 undergraduate students (500 per country) using the Digital Health Literacy Instrument (DHLI) to evaluate their ability in utilizing digital health information. DHLI scores were compared across countries, and associated factors were analyzed. The mean age of participants was 20.6 years. DHLI scores were significantly higher in the US (3.10 ± 0.38) than in India (2.94 ± 0.38) and Japan (2.89 ± 0.42). While students generally demonstrated strong operational skills, many lacked sufficient ability to critically evaluate information and contribute self-generated content, indicating the need for targeted educational support. Importantly, trust in online health information sources, rather than mere usage, was strongly associated with higher DHLI scores. These findings highlight the importance of enhancing individual skills in identifying credible sources and increasing the availability of trustworthy digital health content, particularly from public agencies and official social media platforms. Future research should explore cultural and systemic factors underlying cross-country differences to inform targeted strategies for improving digital health literacy globally.
    Keywords:  Comparative study; Digital health literacy; Health information sources; Trust; University students
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2025.101844
  6. Cochrane Evid Synth Methods. 2025 Jul;3(4): e70038
    Analyzing the Utility of Openalex to Identify Studies for Systematic Reviews: Methods and a Case Study.
    Claire Stansfield, Hossein Dehdarirad, James Thomas, Silvy Mathew, Alison O'Mara-Eves.
      Open access scholarly resources have potential to simplify the literature search process, support more equitable access to research knowledge, and reduce biases from lack of access to relevant literature. OpenAlex is the world's largest open access database of academic research. However, it is not known whether OpenAlex is suitable for comprehensively identifying research for systematic reviews. We present an approach to measure the utility of OpenAlex as part of undertaking a systematic review, and present findings in the context of undertaking a systematic map on the implementation of diabetic eye screening. Procedures were developed to investigate OpenAlex's content coverage and capture, focusing on: (1) availability of relevant research records; (2) retrieval of relevant records from a Boolean search of OpenAlex (3) retrieval of relevant records from combining a PubMed Boolean search with a citations and related-items search of OpenAlex, and (4) efficient estimation of relevant records not identified elsewhere. The searches were conducted in July 2024 and repeated in March 2025 following removal of certain closed access abstracts from the OpenAlex data set. The original systematic review searches yielded 131 relevant records and 128 (98%) of these are present in OpenAlex. OpenAlex Boolean searches retrieved 126 (96%) of the 131 records, and partial screening yielded two relevant records not previously known to the review team. Retrieval was reduced to 123 (94%) when the searches were repeated in March 2025. However, the volume of records from the OpenAlex Boolean search was considerably greater than assessed for the original systematic map. Combining a Boolean search from PubMed and OpenAlex network graph searches yielded 93% recall. It is feasible and useful to investigate the use of OpenAlex as a key information resource for health topics. This approach can be modified to investigate OpenAlex for other systematic reviews. However, the volume of records obtained from searches is larger than that obtained from conventional sources, something that could be reduced using machine learning. Further investigations are needed, and our approach replicated in other reviews.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/cesm.70038
  7. Med Ref Serv Q. 2025 Jul 31. 1-13
    Ability of ChatGPT to Generate Systematic Review Search Strategies Compared to a Published Search Strategy.
    John P Bourgeois, Hannah Ellingson.
      While AI has been used in health sciences libraries for decades, the emergence of publicly available large language models (LLMs) has the potential to change how researchers conduct literature searches for systematic reviews. Using a recently published systematic review as a model, we compared the review's published Medline OVID search strategy with 3 strategies that ChatGPT created when prompted with the review's objective. Then we ran the published review and each LLM search strategy through Medline to compare the results with the articles identified by the review's authors to be important.
    Keywords:  Artificial intelligence; extant datasets; large language models; libraries; precision; recall; search strategies; systematic reviews
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/02763869.2025.2537075
  8. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2025 Jul 27.
    Generative artificial intelligence-mediated confirmation bias in health information seeking.
    Ezequiel Lopez-Lopez, Christoph M Abels, Dawn Holford, Stefan M Herzog, Stephan Lewandowsky.
      Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) applications, such as ChatGPT, are transforming how individuals access health information, offering conversational and highly personalized interactions. While these technologies can enhance health literacy and decision-making, their capacity to generate deeply tailored-hypercustomized-responses risks amplifying confirmation bias by reinforcing pre-existing beliefs, obscuring medical consensus, and perpetuating misinformation, posing significant challenges to public health. This paper examines GenAI-mediated confirmation bias in health information seeking, driven by the interplay between GenAI's hypercustomization capabilities and users' confirmatory tendencies. Drawing on parallels with traditional online information-seeking behaviors, we identify three key "pressure points" where biases might emerge: query phrasing, preference for belief-consistent content, and resistance to belief-inconsistent information. Using illustrative examples, we highlight the limitations of existing safeguards and argue that even minor variations in applications' configuration (e.g., Custom GPT) can exacerbate these biases along those pressure points. Given the widespread adoption and fragmentation (e.g., OpenAI's GPT Store) of GenAI applications, their influence on health-seeking behaviors demands urgent attention. Since technical safeguards alone may be insufficient, we propose a set of interventions, including enhancing digital literacy, empowering users with critical engagement strategies, and implementing robust regulatory oversight. These recommendations aim to ensure the safe integration of GenAI into daily life, supporting informed decision-making and preserving the integrity of public understanding of health information.
    Keywords:  confirmation bias; generative artificial intelligence; hypercustomization; information seeking; public health
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.15413
  9. J Craniofac Surg. 2025 Jul 31.
    A Comparative Study of ChatGPT-4o and DeepSeek Responses to Mandibular Angle Osteotomy Questions.
    Chenshan Jiang, Wenjie Cheng, Xinyi Jiang, Jianlin Zhang, Xiaojun Tang.
       BACKGROUND: Mandibular angle osteotomy (MAO) is one of the most effective ways to correct square facial contours. With the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, particularly in medicine, more patients are seeking medical queries from online websites. This study compared the performance of 2 AI platforms, ChatGPT-4o and DeepSeek in answering questions about MAO.
    METHODS: Twenty frequently asked questions about MAO were selected and answered by ChatGPT-4o and DeepSeek. The responses from 2 platforms were graded by 9 experienced craniomaxillofacial plastic surgeons from 2 different hospitals. The relevance, accuracy, completeness, and readability of responses were evaluated. The 20 questions were divided into 4 categories: general conception, surgery process, complication, and other topics. Statistical analysis, including the 2-sided t test and Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to compare metrics.
    RESULTS: Both ChatGPT-4o and DeepSeek provided high-quality information about MAO. However, ChatGPT-4o outperformed in giving more thorough answers (4.4945±0.03089 vs. 4.4315±0.02519, P=0.048), and DeepSeek outperformed in giving answers more easily to read (4.2960±0.04717 vs. 4.1965±0.03986, P=0.026). Also, although ChatGPT performed well in answering all kinds of questions, DeepSeek had weak performance in answering questions regarding surgery process of MAO.
    CONCLUSIONS: Both platforms offered reliable information. Compared to DeepSeek, ChatGPT-4o provided more thorough responses and was more aligned with clinical practice. This study discovered the potential of AI platforms in addressing patient education and providing medical information in craniomaxillofacial plastic surgery field.
    Keywords:  chatgpt-4o; deepseek; information quality; mandibular angle osteotomy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/SCS.0000000000011698
  10. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2025 Jul-Sep 01;39(3):39(3): 210-217
    Assessing Artificial Intelligence-Generated Patient Educational Material on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Content and Quality Evaluation.
    Nuran Nur Aypar Akbağ.
       PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the content and quality of patient educational materials on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) generated by ChatGPT and Gemini.
    BACKGROUND: The sources of knowledge are crucial in the effective management of disease. Artificial intelligence (AI) platforms could become a primary source of patient education materials in the near future.
    METHODS: A descriptive research design was employed. Frequently asked questions related to GDM were extracted from patient education sections of existing guidelines. These questions were then submitted to both ChatGPT and Gemini. The responses provided by these platforms were used to create educational material aimed at pregnant women diagnosed with GDM. The content was reviewed by a panel of 11 experts. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printed Materials (PEMAT-P) was employed to evaluate the content's effectiveness and clarity, and the readability was assessed through the Ateşman Readability Formula and the Gunning Fog Index.
    RESULTS: A total of 32 questions regarding GDM were directed to the AI platforms. The resulting educational materials had a readability score of 77.8 based on the Ateşman scale and 16.25 according to the Gunning Fog Index. The experts rated the material as highly comprehensible, with an average PEMAT-P understandability score of 91.36% (range: 86.66%-93.75%) and an actionability score of 89.67% (range: 80%-100%).
    CONCLUSION: The GDM educational materials generated by ChatGPT and Gemini exhibit a high level of readability, making them easy to understand. Moreover, the material was deemed comprehensible and actionable for pregnant women with GDM.
    IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH: Although AI-generated patient educational materials show great potential, further experimental research is necessary to assess their long-term effectiveness.
    Keywords:  ChatGPT; Gemini; artificial intelligence; gestational diabetes mellitus; patient educational material; readability
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/JPN.0000000000000905
  11. Niger J Clin Pract. 2025 Jul 01. 28(7): 810-815
    Is ChatGPT-4o an Effective Tool for Providing Accurate Responses to Frequently Asked Questions by Varicocele Patients?
    M Karaaslan, I Dalva, H Akan, M E Sirin, S Tonyali, M Yilmaz.
       BACKGROUND: Varicocele is a common cause of male infertility. Recently, AI tools like ChatGPT have become popular sources of health information among patients.
    AIM: We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of ChatGPT-4o in addressing frequently asked questions (FAQs) about varicocele.
    METHODS: The study included 39 questions, comprising 33 FAQs and 6 questions based on the 2024 guidelines of the European Association of Urology (EAU). The responses provided by ChatGPT-4o were evaluated by two urology specialists for their quality and reliability using the Global Quality Score (GQS). The reproducibility of the responses was analyzed by asking each question twice on different days.
    RESULTS: ChatGPT-4o provided high-quality and comprehensive responses (GQS 5) to 30.7% of the questions, good-quality responses (GQS 4) to 59%, and insufficiently comprehensive and moderate-quality responses (GQS 3) to 10.3%. The reproducibility of responses varied, with general questions about varicocele and EAU guideline-based questions showing 83.3% reproducibility, specific questions about varicocele showing 100%, and treatment-related questions showing 76.5%.
    CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that ChatGPT-4o is a valuable tool in providing information about varicocele, with a high overall success rate in terms of accuracy and reliability. However, it is important to note the lack of excellence in the design of some responses and the low reproducibility of answers, particularly for treatment-related questions.
    Keywords:  Artificial intelligence; ChatGPT-4o; infertility; varicocele
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.4103/njcp.njcp_61_25
  12. Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Jul 20. pii: 1756. [Epub ahead of print]13(14):
    Benchmarking AI Chatbots for Maternal Lactation Support: A Cross-Platform Evaluation of Quality, Readability, and Clinical Accuracy.
    İlke Özer Aslan, Mustafa Törehan Aslan.
      Background and Objective: Large language model (LLM)-based chatbots are increasingly utilized by postpartum individuals seeking guidance on breastfeeding. However, the chatbots' content quality, readability, and alignment with clinical guidelines remain uncertain. This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the quality, readability, and factual accuracy of responses generated by three publicly accessible AI chatbots-ChatGPT-4o Pro, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Copilot Pro-when prompted with common maternal questions related to breast-milk supply. Methods: Twenty frequently asked breastfeeding-related questions were submitted to each chatbot in separate sessions. The responses were paraphrased to enable standardized scoring and were then evaluated using three validated tools: ensuring quality information for patients (EQIP), the simple measure of gobbledygook (SMOG), and the global quality scale (GQS). Factual accuracy was benchmarked against WHO, ACOG, CDC, and NICE guidelines using a three-point rubric. Additional user experience metrics included response time, character count, content density, and structural formatting. Statistical comparisons were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests with Bonferroni correction. Results: ChatGPT-4o Pro achieved the highest overall performance across all primary outcomes: EQIP score (85.7 ± 2.4%), SMOG score (9.78 ± 0.22), and GQS rating (4.55 ± 0.50), followed by Gemini 2.5 Pro and Copilot Pro (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). ChatGPT-4o Pro also demonstrated the highest factual alignment with clinical guidelines (95%), while Copilot showed more frequent omissions or simplifications. Differences in response time and formatting quality were statistically significant, although not always clinically meaningful. Conclusions: ChatGPT-4o Pro outperforms other chatbots in delivering structured, readable, and guideline-concordant breastfeeding information. However, substantial variability persists across the platforms, and none should be considered a substitute for professional guidance. Importantly, the phenomenon of AI hallucinations-where chatbots may generate factually incorrect or fabricated information-remains a critical risk that must be addressed to ensure safe integration into maternal health communication. Future efforts should focus on improving the transparency, accuracy, and multilingual reliability of AI chatbots to ensure their safe integration into maternal health communications.
    Keywords:  artificial intelligence; breastfeeding; chatbot; clinical accuracy; lactation support; large language models; patient education
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13141756
  13. Cureus. 2025 Jun;17(6): e87045
    Evaluating the Quality of Online Information on Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy (PELD) Using the DISCERN Instrument.
    Alessio Tarantino, Rodrigo Buharaja, Alessandro Aureli, Attilio Basile, Ignazio Tornatore.
       INTRODUCTION: Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure increasingly referenced in patient-oriented websites. However, the quality of such online health information is inconsistent. This study evaluates the quality of Italian-language web content on PELD using the DISCERN tool.
    METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on 25 May 2025 using the Italian-language interface of Google (Google LLC, Mountain View, California, United States) with the keywords "PELD," "discectomia endoscopica percutanea," and "ernia del disco PELD." Twenty websites targeted at the general public were selected. Each was independently assessed using the 16-item DISCERN instrument by two trained reviewers. Inter-rater reliability was calculated using Cohen's kappa coefficient.
    RESULTS: The mean overall DISCERN score across the 20 websites was 39.5 (SD = 8.7) out of 80, indicating moderate-to-low quality. High-scoring domains included clarity of procedural explanation (mean = 4.2/5), while critical aspects such as citation of sources (mean = 2.1/5) and discussion of uncertainties (mean = 1.7/5) were underrepresented. Cohen's kappa was 0.82, indicating strong agreement between reviewers.
    CONCLUSION: Online Italian-language resources on PELD exhibit moderate quality and frequently omit essential components such as treatment risks and alternative options. Enhancing transparency and evidence citation is essential to improve the quality of patient education materials.
    Keywords:  discern; health communication; health information quality; patient education; peld; spine surgery
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.87045
  14. Urology. 2025 Jul 30. pii: S0090-4295(25)00736-8. [Epub ahead of print]
    Editorial Comment on "An Analysis of the Accuracy, Quality, and Readability of Online Health Information for Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome".
    Simone Morra.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2025.07.056
  15. Epilepsy Behav. 2025 Jul 25. pii: S1525-5050(25)00362-2. [Epub ahead of print]171 110622
    Quality assessment of online information on the use of the ketogenic diet in Epilepsy: A comparative analysis of English and Polish sources.
    Dawid Zakrzewski, Jan S Woźniak, Justyna Orłowska, Kacper Łukasiński, Kornelia Renachowska, Wioleta Kitewska, Wiktoria Kubziakowska, Agnieszka Sawicka, Marta Zawadzka, Maria Mazurkiewicz-Bełdzińska.
       BACKGROUND: The Internet serves as an extensive database with easy access to diverse content, positioning it as an important source of medical information today. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality and credibility of information available online regarding the use of the ketogenic diet in the treatment of epilepsy.
    METHODOLOGY: The Chrome browser and Google search engine were used to search for "ketogenic diet epilepsy" (for English texts) and "dieta ketogenna padaczka" (for Polish texts). The initial database contained 200 articles; however, after applying the exclusion criteria, a total of 151 texts were considered eligible for analysis (81 in Polish and 70 in English). The articles were evaluated using the DISCERN scale and a set of questions developed by the researchers, focusing on critical information related to the topic.
    RESULTS: The analysis showed that most of the texts were of medium (38.27% of the Polish articles and 31.43% of the English texts) or poor (20.99% of the Polish texts and 30.00% of the English articles) reliability. The average DISCERN score across all texts was 45.72 points, with an average score per question of 2.86. Furthermore, the analysis of the answers to the researcher's questions revealed a lack of essential information in both language groups. The most frequently mentioned topic in both Polish and English articles was the complete cessation of epileptic seizures following the ketogenic diet. At the same time, the highest percentage of correct answers (100%) was recorded for eight questions in the English texts and five questions in the Polish texts. The study also compared the quality of the content based on language, although there were no statistically significant differences between the groups.
    CONCLUSION: The internet provides moderate quality information about the ketogenic diet in epilepsy treatment, significant improvements are still needed, especially on medical information portals.
    Keywords:  DISCERN; Epilepsy; Internet; Keto; Ketogenic diet; Social media
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110622
  16. J Cancer Educ. 2025 Jul 31.
    Quality of Online Information in Arabic for Patient Education Regarding Cancer Chemotherapy.
    Lamya Alnaim, Shog M Alali, Reema A Alkhbiah.
      Despite being a significant educational resource for health-related information, the available data on the Internet lack quality control, which can lead to misconceptions and incorrect adoption of health interventions. Patients with cancer may rely on this information regarding treatment options, side effects, and precautions. This study aimed to evaluate the online Arabic content related to cancer medications, including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and biological therapy. A search was conducted using the Google search engine with the translated Arabic keywords of "cancer medications," "cancer treatment," "targeted therapy for the treatment of cancer," "targeted therapy," "biologic therapy for cancer," and "chemotherapy medications." The first four search result pages were screened; 69 websites met the inclusion criteria. Two authors performed a quality assessment using the DISCERN instrument. The average scores on the DISCERN tool for each website ranged from 22 to 62.5. The websites were categorized as excellent, good, fair, poor, or very poor. The results showed that 37% of the websites were rated as fair, 27.5% as good, 24.6% as poor, and 10.1% as very poor. Two-thirds of all included websites rated as either fair or good, whereas the remaining websites were rated as poor or very poor, with no websites having excellent ratings. We recommend that website owners and health experts, especially pharmacists, cooperate to deliver reliable health-related information.
    Keywords:  Cancer patients; Chemotherapy medications; DISCERN; Health information quality; Medication website evaluation; Patient education
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-025-02688-x
  17. J Pediatr Orthop B. 2025 Jul 17.
    Social media as an information source for pediatric musculoskeletal infections: a quality analysis of English language content.
    Michael William Stickels, Varun Mahadevan, Kajol Majhail, Meghana Belthur, M'Hamed Temkit, Amirreza Fatehi, Mohan V Belthur.
      Social media is an accessible information source for patients and families but data on its educational veracity for pediatric musculoskeletal infections are limited. We aim to explore this gap by quantifying information quality on three social media platforms for two infections: acute hematogenous osteomyelitis and septic arthritis. Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram were searched using the keywords 'acute hematogenous osteomyelitis' and 'septic arthritis'. Four raters with medical backgrounds evaluated posts using the modified DISCERN 16-point scoring system to quantify educational value. The intraclass correlation coefficient measured the reviewers' agreement, group differences were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcox-rank sum tests, and predictors for DISCERN scoring were calculated with linear regression. Pairwise comparisons among septic arthritis posts showed higher scores with YouTube (n = 50, 45.41 ± 12.44) than for Facebook (n = 34, 32.70 ± 8.73) and Instagram (n = 100, 24.71 ± 4.68) (P < 0.001). For osteomyelitis, pairwise comparisons showed higher scores for YouTube (n = 50, 46.62 ± 6.29) versus Facebook (n = 19, 37.95 ± 9.69) and Instagram posts (n = 100, 36.14 ± 6.16) (P < 0.001). When aggregating infections, YouTube had the highest DISCERN score (46.01 ± 9.83) followed by Facebook (34.58 ± 9.35) and Instagram (30.42 ± 7.91); all pairwise comparisons were significantly different (all P < 0.001). Across all posts, authorship from medical institutions was associated with higher DISCERN scoring (P < 0.001). Social media lacks educational veracity for pediatric musculoskeletal infections. Patients using social media as an information source for these diseases should preferentially gather information from medical institutions.
    Keywords:  DISCERN; orthopedics; osteomyelitis; pediatrics; septic arthritis; social media
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/BPB.0000000000001273
  18. J Craniofac Surg. 2025 Jul 29.
    Discrepancy Between Quality and Engagement in Digital Neonatal Health Education: A Cross-Sectional Evaluation of YouTube Videos on Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.
    Mustafa Törehan Aslan, Nedim Samanci.
       OBJECTIVE: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remains a significant source of morbidity among preterm infants, necessitating ongoing caregiver education. With YouTube becoming an increasingly popular platform for health-related content, this study aimed to evaluate the educational quality, reliability, and engagement performance of videos related to neonatal BPD.
    METHODS: The authors conducted a cross-sectional review of the top 200 most-viewed English-language YouTube videos retrieved on February 16, 2025, using the term "bronchopulmonary dysplasia in newborns." After applying predefined exclusion criteria, 118 videos were evaluated independently by 2 neonatologists using 3 validated instruments: the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, the Global Quality Scale (GQS), and the modified DISCERN tool. Viewer interaction was measured using the Video Engagement Index (VEI), and videos were classified by uploader type.
    RESULTS: Among the included videos, 73.7% were uploaded by health care professionals. These videos exhibited significantly higher scores across all quality metrics (JAMA, GQS, and modified DISCERN) compared with those uploaded by independent users (P < 0.001). Conversely, independently uploaded videos demonstrated higher engagement (median VEI: 43.1 versus 21.6, P = 0.011). A strong positive correlation was found between GQS and DISCERN scores (ρ = 0.81), and inter-rater reliability was excellent across all tools (ICC > 0.90).
    CONCLUSION: Despite higher educational value, professional health care videos on neonatal BPD received less user engagement than those of lower quality. As one of the first studies specifically evaluating YouTube content on neonatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia, this discrepancy highlights the need for improved visibility of evidence-based medical content on open-access platforms and underscores the importance of integrating media literacy into caregiver education to ensure an accurate understanding of neonatal conditions.
    Keywords:  Bronchopulmonary dysplasia; YouTube; digital health; neonatology; online education; video evaluation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/SCS.0000000000011697
  19. Medicine (Baltimore). 2025 Jul 25. 104(30): e43437
    Platelet-rich plasma videos for knee osteoarthritis on YouTube are of acceptable quality and content.
    Ebubekir Eravsar, Numan Mercan.
      Individuals seeking information about platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment for knee osteoarthritis, a controversial topic, may turn to YouTube. However, the quality and content adequacy of these videos should be questioned. This study analyzed YouTube videos related to PRP to evaluate their quality and content. The primary aim was to assess these videos' quality and content, while the secondary aim examined the relationship between video quality/content and video characteristics, information sources, and themes. A total of 250 videos related to PRP treatment for knee osteoarthritis were identified through YouTube searches, and 68 of them were included in the study. The number of views, number of days since upload, view ratio, video duration, number of comments, the source of the information presented in the video, and the overall theme of the video were recorded. The quality and content of the videos were evaluated using the DISCERN, Journal of the American Medical Association, Global Quality Score, and PRP scoring systems. Median scores for video quality and adequacy were: DISCERN: 48 (range: 19-76), Journal of the American Medical Association: 2 (range: 1-4), Global Quality Score: 3.5 (range: 1-5), and PRP score: 6 (range: 2-10). Video quality and content positively correlated with the number of views, view ratio, duration, and comments. Videos in which patients provided the information had the lowest scores in terms of quality and content. While sports medicine physicians generally achieved higher scores, no difference was found between orthopedic surgeons and other specialized physicians. This study has shown that YouTube videos related to PRP treatment for knee osteoarthritis are not of low quality. The positive correlation between video characteristics, such as the number of views and comments, and quality suggests that the YouTube algorithm may prioritize higher-quality content, potentially enabling individuals to access better videos. Physicians provided higher-quality content compared with patients, although differences were observed among medical specialties. This finding suggests that the quality of informative content on PRP may vary depending on the expertise of the content creator. Despite certain limitations, YouTube may serve as a useful resource for individuals seeking information about PRP treatment. However, for the most reliable information, academic sources with an editorial process should be consulted.
    Keywords:  YouTube; knee; osteoarthritis; platelet-rich plasma
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000043437
  20. Muscle Nerve. 2025 Jul 30.
    Evaluating the Educational Value and Content Quality of YouTube Videos on Myasthenia Gravis.
    Hatice Betigül Meral, Tehran Aliyeva, Eren Toplutaş.
       INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Although numerous YouTube videos on myasthenia gravis (MG) are available, the educational quality and comprehensiveness of this digital health information have not been assessed. This study addresses that gap using structured scoring tools to evaluate informational value for both patients and healthcare professionals.
    METHODS: A systematic search on December 3, 2024, retrieved the top 50 English-language YouTube videos on MG. The videos were assessed using the modified DISCERN scale (1-5), Global Quality Scale (GQS; 1-5), and a custom comprehensiveness checklist (0-5). Descriptive, comparative, and inter-rater analyses were performed. Group comparisons used the Kruskal-Wallis test; associations were analyzed with Spearman's correlation.
    RESULTS: Substantial agreement was observed (κ = 0.79). The median video duration was 8 min with a median of 53,459 views. The mean DISCERN score was 3.18 (±1.06), indicating moderate quality of treatment-related information; the mean GQS score was 2.88 (±1.02), reflecting moderate overall usefulness and coherence; and the mean comprehensiveness score was 2.78 (±1.11), showing moderate coverage of educational content. Higher comprehensiveness was positively associated with longer duration, more likes, and professional orientation (p < 0.05). The educational content varied: symptoms (84%) and treatments (70%) were commonly covered, whereas rehabilitation (8%) and long-term management (10%) were rarely included.
    DISCUSSION: Although the mean scores indicated moderate quality, significant variability in educational depth was observed. The limited representation of rehabilitation and chronic care content suggests the need for more comprehensive and balanced digital resources on MG.
    Keywords:  YouTube; internet; myasthenia gravis; patient education; social media
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.28490
  21. Clin Diabetes. 2025 ;43(3): 361-365
    A Retrospective Analysis of Dermatologic Manifestations of Diabetes on TikTok.
    Sarah C Beach, Kirsten M Bogunovich, Samuel J Borgemenke, Sophia M Thompson, Allyson S Hughes.
      This study evaluated 166 TikTok videos about three skin conditions associated with diabetes. It found that the quality of health information in these videos significantly differed based on the five creator types making the videos (person with diabetes, caregiver/parent, noncaregiver, health care professional, or health coach). There were also significant differences in the understandability and actionability of the health information provided. There is a need within the diabetes online community for higher-quality information from reliable sources regarding dermatological conditions associated with diabetes.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2337/cd24-0089
  22. JMIR Form Res. 2025 Aug 01. 9 e75120
    Quality and Dissemination of Uterine Fibroid Health Information on TikTok and Bilibili: Cross-Sectional Study.
    Lan Wang, Yiwen Chen, Duo Zhao, Tao Xu, Fu Hua.
       Background: The rise of short-video platforms, such as TikTok (Douyin in China) and Bilibili, has significantly influenced how health information is disseminated to the public. However, the quality, reliability, and effectiveness of health-related content on these platforms, particularly regarding uterine fibroids, remain underexplored. Uterine fibroids are a common medical condition that affects a substantial proportion of women worldwide. While these platforms have become vital sources of health education, misinformation and incomplete content may undermine their efficacy.
    Objective: This study aims to address these gaps by evaluating the quality and dissemination effectiveness of uterine fibroid-related health information on TikTok and Bilibili.
    Methods: A total of 200 uterine fibroid-related videos (100 from TikTok and 100 from Bilibili) were selected through a keyword search. The videos were evaluated by 2 trained gynecological experts using the Global Quality Score (GQS) and a modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) tool. In addition, the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audio and Visual Materials was used to assess the understandability and actionability of the videos. Statistical analyses, including the Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman rank correlation, and stepwise regression analysis, were used to assess differences between platforms and identify predictors of video quality.
    Results: The results indicated that TikTok outperformed Bilibili in terms of user engagement metrics, such as likes, comments, shares, and followers (all P<.001). However, Bilibili videos were generally longer than those on TikTok (P<.001). The videos on both platforms demonstrated suboptimal overall quality and reliability, reflected by median GQS score of 3 (IQR 3-4) for TikTok and the median GQS score of Bilibili is 3 (IQR 2-4). The median modified DISCERN scores were also low: 2 (IQR 2-2) for TikTok and 2 (IQR 2-2) for Bilibili, with no significant differences between the 2 platforms (P=.62 for GQS; P=.18 for mDISCERN). The videos on both platforms yielded comparable median scores for Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool-Understandability (PEMAT-U) and Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool-Actionability (PEMAT-A). The median score of PEMAT-U was 77% (IQR 69%-83%) for TikTok and 77% (IQR 69%-85%) for Bilibili. The PEMAT-A yielded a median score of 67% (IQR 33%-67%) for TikTok and 67% (IQR 0-67%) for Bilibili. Videos uploaded by medical professionals on TikTok had significantly higher quality scores compared to those uploaded by nonprofessionals. A moderate positive correlation was observed between the GQS and mDISCERN scores (r=0.41, P<.01), indicating an interrelationship between quality and reliability. Stepwise regression analysis identified "completeness score," "source," and "PEMAT scores" as significant predictors of video quality.
    Conclusions: This study highlights the generally low quality of uterine fibroid-related health information on short-video platforms, although TikTok showed better performance in terms of engagement and quality. The involvement of medical professionals was found to enhance video quality. These findings underscore the need for improved oversight of health content on social media platforms and greater involvement of health care professionals to ensure the dissemination of accurate and reliable health information.
    Keywords:  Bilibili ; Global Quality Score; PEMAT-A/V; Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool-Audiovisual Materials; Spearman correlation analysis; TikTok; modified DISCERN; stepwise regression analysis; uterine fibroids; videos quality
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/75120
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