Evaluating the quality of online medical information regarding vertebroplasty and percutaneous kyphoplasty on social media platforms.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the quality, reliability, and educational value of social media videos available on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook related to vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty using validated assessment tools.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in two rounds: October 5-6, 2024, and again on October 19-20, 2024, on YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook using the keywords "vertebroplasty," "kyphoplasty," and "vertebral augmentation." Only publicly accessible English-language videos specifically addressing these procedures were included. Exclusion criteria were non-relevant, promotional, duplicate, or technically inadequate content. Two interventional radiologists independently assessed the videos using the DISCERN instrument (range, 15-75), the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria (0-4), and the Global Quality Score (GQS, 1-5). Statistical analyses were performed to identify correlations between video characteristics and quality scores.

RESULTS

A total of 101 videos met the inclusion criteria (YouTube 85%, TikTok 8%, Facebook 7%). The mean DISCERN, JAMA, and GQS scores were 34 ± 1.45, 1.87 ± 0.07, and 2.18 ± 0.13, respectively, indicating poor overall quality. Videos with structured presentations and physician narration scored significantly higher, whereas video length correlated positively with quality up to a threshold of 460 s for DISCERN and 501 s for GQS. Video popularity (likes) showed no significant correlation with quality scores.

CONCLUSION

Social media videos on vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are generally of low educational quality and reliability. Videos presented by healthcare professionals and those with structured formats tend to score higher. These findings underscore the need for expert-driven, high-quality medical content to improve patient education and reduce misinformation on social media platforms.