(A302) CANCELLED: A Quality, Accuracy, and Reliability Assessment Analysis of Hypothyroidism-Related Content on TikTok

Introduction: TikTok, with 1.5 billion monthly active users, has emerged as a popular platform for patient medical education. This study analyzes the quality, accuracy, reliability, and content of hypothyroidism-related videos.

Methods: From December 9-11, 2024, two independent researchers inputted search terms "low thyroid" and "hypothyroid” into TikTok, collecting the first 70 videos from each term. After removing duplicates from the combined sample, a Python script extracted video metadata including views, likes, and engagement metrics. Each video was evaluated using three scales: the Global Quality Scale (GQS), DISCERN reliability metrics, and Accuracy in Digital-health Instrument (ANDI). Additionally, videos were coded for clinical content (symptoms, treatments), creator credentials (healthcare professional status), and content characteristics (educational, entertainment, anecdotal).

Results: A total of 189 unique videos were collected. Healthcare professionals created 74.7% of content, with significantly higher quality metrics (GQS: 2.67 vs. 2.17, p = 0.0017; DISCERN: 2.20 vs. 1.60, p = 0.0001) compared to non-professional content. Videos averaged 82.5 seconds with substantial reach (mean views = 718,926). Content analysis revealed predominantly educational material (92.6%), with limited entertainment focus (10.2%) and moderate anecdotal presentation (33.5%). There were significant gaps in symptom presentation (n = 66) and treatment recommendations (n = 86). Fatigue was the most commonly mentioned symptom (4.1%), and synthroid/levothyroxine was the most frequently suggested treatment (14.6%). Content creators were predominantly female (75%) and US-based (79.1%).

Conclusions: This study demonstrates both opportunities and challenges in the presence of patient education on hypothyroidism via TikTok. While there was strong healthcare professional representation delivering higher quality content, substantial standardization gaps persist. Targeted involvement of otolaryngologists in social media content creation could help improve patient education for thyroid conditions.