Social Media and Health Education: Exploring the Role of YouTube and TikTok in Colon Cancer Awareness

Aims Social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok have become significant conduits for health information dissemination, impacting public awareness of critical issues such as colon cancer screening. This study examines how these platforms influence colon cancer awareness, comparing the quality and reliability of the content presented. By evaluating videos based on their educational value and trustworthiness, we aim to discern the potential of each platform to effectively educate and guide patients concerning colon cancer prevention and screening practices.

Methods Our study at Nassau University Medical Center, New York, analyzed "colon cancer screening awareness" videos on YouTube and TikTok. We selected English-language videos with relevant audio, assessing quantitative aspects like views, likes, and subscriber counts, and qualitative aspects, classifying content as scholarly or personal. We used DISCERN, GQS, and PEMAT to evaluate credibility and quality, with intraclass correlation among seven researchers ensuring consistency. Statistical analyses were conducted using Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS, highlighting differences in content quality between YouTube and TikTok

Results Our analysis of 220 videos on colon cancer awareness (110 from YouTube and 110 from TikTok) revealed significant differences in quality and reliability. YouTube videos scored higher in DISCERN (45.27±17.10 vs. 31.09±13.42, p<0.012), PEMAT (3.89±0.70 vs. 2.48±0.85, p<0.022), and GQS (3.98±0.55 vs. 2.58±0.74, p<0.041) compared to TikTok. These results suggest that YouTube provides more dependable and higher-quality information for patients seeking knowledge about colon cancer.

Conclusions Our findings underscore significant discrepancies in the educational quality of colon cancer awareness videos on YouTube and TikTok. YouTube's superior scores in DISCERN, PEMAT, and GQS reflect its higher reliability and quality as an educational resource. This suggests that viewers seeking information about colon cancer screening will likely find more accurate and actionable content on YouTube. The results advocate for healthcare professionals to guide patients toward more reliable sources on social media for health information.

Publication History

Article published online:
27 March 2025