Content uploaded by physicians was of a higher quality than non-physician content.

Patients getting information on Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) from TikTok were frequently exposed to low-quality information, a new study suggests.

"Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a painful, chronic inflammatory skin disease that negatively impacts quality of life," the authors wrote. "Conventional HS therapies are variably effective,and patients often turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for relief."

To assess the content and quality of information about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies for shared on the social media platform TikTok, the authors designed and conducted a cross-sectional study by searching TikTok using specific hashtags related to HS and CAM therapies. They evaluated a total of 91 videos uploaded by various sources, including non-physicians, dermatologists, and private companies. Two assessment tools, DISCERN and AVA, were used by independent reviewers to evaluate the quality of the videos.

According to the findings, the overall quality of information shared on TikTok regarding CAM therapies for HS was poor, as indicated by low DISCERN and AVA scores. Common CAM therapies discussed in the videos included natural salves, turmeric, Epsom salts, elimination diets, and zinc supplements. Notably, videos uploaded by physicians, particularly dermatologists, were of significantly higher quality compared to those uploaded by other sources. Physician-uploaded videos provided more comprehensive and evidence-based information, leading to fair-quality scores on both DISCERN (P<0.001) and AVA (P<0.009) instruments.

"TikTok videos were poor quality; physician-uploaded videos were fair quality," the authors concluded. "Dermatologists can improve video quality by adequately discussing the supporting evidence, mechanisms of action, and remaining questions for HS treatments."

Source: Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Hidradenitis Suppurativa Discussed on TikTok: A Cross-Sectional Analysis. J Drug Dermatol. Accessed February 26, 2024.