bims-librar 2023-10-22 papers

bims-librar

Biomed News

on Biomedical librarianship

Issue of 2023‒10‒22
twenty-six papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society

Understanding Libraries as Part of the Rural Active Living Environment: Evidence From a Content Analysis of Library Facebook Posts Made in Summer 2022.
The road from manual to automatic semantic indexing of biomedical literature: a 10 years journey.
Europe PMC annotated full-text corpus for gene/proteins, diseases and organisms.
Application of Artificial Intelligence to Patient-Targeted Health Information on Kidney Stone Disease.
Answering head and neck cancer questions: An assessment of ChatGPT responses.
Navigating Food and Drug Administration Mandated Breast Implant Patient Literature: A Call to Increase Equitable Healthcare Access Within Plastic Surgery.
Assessment of online patient education material for eye cancers: A cross-sectional study.
Should I Ask Doctor Google? Reliability of Israeli Web-based Information Regarding General Orthopedic Injuries and Symptoms.
Patient-Directed Vasectomy Information: How Readable Is It?
Readability of American Society of Metabolic Surgery's Patient Information Publications.
Assessment of Arabic Web-Based Knowledge About Clear Aligners: An Infodemiologic Study.
Lower Back Pain Imaging: A Readability Analysis.
Current Quality of Videos on Colorectal Cancer Screening for General Public.
YouTube as a learning source for contact lens insertion and removal.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): A Cross-Sectional Observational Study Analyzing the Quality of Content on YouTube.
An analysis of YouTube videos about restless leg syndrome: Choosing the right guide.
Exercises for fibromyalgia syndrome: what YouTube tells us as a source of information for patient and physician education.
Do YouTube videos on microscopic varicocelectomy provide reliable information?
Content Analysis of YouTube Videos on the Effect of Vitamin C on Common Cold.
Evaluation of the quality and reliability of anal cancer and its precancerous lesions-related content on YouTube: a cross-sectional study.
Navigating Digital Dermatology: An Analysis of Acne-Related Content on TikTok.
The quality and reliability of TikTok videos on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a propensity score matching analysis.
Usability of Patient-Education Oriented Cataract Surgery Websites.
Characterizing informational needs and information seeking behavior of patients with breast cancer.
Factors influencing proxy online health information seeking among the elderly: A study from the perspective of the elderly with chronic illnesses.
Quick links: Apprenticeship project.

Health Promot Pract. 2023 Oct 20. 15248399231206085

Understanding Libraries as Part of the Rural Active Living Environment: Evidence From a Content Analysis of Library Facebook Posts Made in Summer 2022.

Noah Lenstra, Nancy Tompkins O'Hara, Dina L Jones, Zachary Townsend, Sandra Slater, Andrew C Pickett, Kelsey R Day, M Renee Umstattd Meyer, Cynthia Perry.

  As both public health and public libraries continue to evolve, there are opportunities for collaboration focused on building policies, systems, and environments that support communities making healthy choices easy choices. Given the health disparities related to physical inactivity, such as diabetes and heart disease in rural America, public libraries within rural communities are emerging as important settings for health promotion and disease prevention. This study sought to better understand how rural libraries promote physical activity opportunities on Facebook. Based on a content analysis of Facebook posts of a random sample of 118 libraries made during the Summer of 2022, 47 of the 118 had at least one post related to physical activity and 42 had multiple posts. The most frequent offering was events or classes; libraries also supported physical activity by lending equipment and making changes to the built environment. This study provides evidence that some rural libraries are offering physical activity opportunities through community health partnerships, particularly for youth and families. Considering this evidence, public health professionals are encouraged to collaborate with local libraries to promote physical activity and advance rural health equity. Researchers are invited to continue to develop the evidence base around promoting physical activity with rural libraries.

Keywords:  active living; community partnerships; physical activity; recreational domain; rural health; social media

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/15248399231206085
Front Res Metr Anal. 2023 ;8 1250930

The road from manual to automatic semantic indexing of biomedical literature: a 10 years journey.

Anastasia Krithara, James G Mork, Anastasios Nentidis, Georgios Paliouras.

  Biomedical experts are facing challenges in keeping up with the vast amount of biomedical knowledge published daily. With millions of citations added to databases like MEDLINE/PubMed each year, efficiently accessing relevant information becomes crucial. Traditional term-based searches may lead to irrelevant or missed documents due to homonyms, synonyms, abbreviations, or term mismatch. To address this, semantic search approaches employing predefined concepts with associated synonyms and relations have been used to expand query terms and improve information retrieval. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) plays a significant role in this area, indexing citations in the MEDLINE database with topic descriptors from the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) thesaurus, enabling advanced semantic search strategies to retrieve relevant citations, despite synonymy, and polysemy of biomedical terms. Over time, advancements in semantic indexing have been made, with Machine Learning facilitating the transition from manual to automatic semantic indexing in the biomedical literature. The paper highlights the journey of this transition, starting with manual semantic indexing and the initial efforts toward automatic indexing. The BioASQ challenge has served as a catalyst in revolutionizing the domain of semantic indexing, further pushing the boundaries of efficient knowledge retrieval in the biomedical field.

Keywords:  BioASQ challenge; NLM; biomedical information; biomedical literature; semantic indexing

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/frma.2023.1250930
Sci Data. 2023 Oct 19. 10(1): 722

Europe PMC annotated full-text corpus for gene/proteins, diseases and organisms.

Xiao Yang, Shyamasree Saha, Aravind Venkatesan, Santosh Tirunagari, Vid Vartak, Johanna McEntyre.

Named entity recognition (NER) is a widely used text-mining and natural language processing (NLP) subtask. In recent years, deep learning methods have superseded traditional dictionary- and rule-based NER approaches. A high-quality dataset is essential to fully leverage recent deep learning advancements. While several gold-standard corpora for biomedical entities in abstracts exist, only a few are based on full-text research articles. The Europe PMC literature database routinely annotates Gene/Proteins, Diseases, and Organisms entities. To transition this pipeline from a dictionary-based to a machine learning-based approach, we have developed a human-annotated full-text corpus for these entities, comprising 300 full-text open-access research articles. Over 72,000 mentions of biomedical concepts have been identified within approximately 114,000 sentences. This article describes the corpus and details how to access and reuse this open community resource.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02617-x
J Ren Nutr. 2023 Oct 13. pii: S1051-2276(23)00169-3. [Epub ahead of print]

Application of Artificial Intelligence to Patient-Targeted Health Information on Kidney Stone Disease.

Reza Kianian, Matthew Carter, Ilana Finkelshtein, Sriram V Eleswarapu, Naveen Kachroo.

  OBJECTIVE: The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends health information to be written at a 6th grade level reading level. Our aim was to determine whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) can outperform the existing health information on kidney stone prevention and treatment.METHODS: The top 50 search results for "Kidney Stone Prevention" and "Kidney Stone Treatment" on Google, Bing, and Yahoo were selected. Duplicate webpages, advertisements, pages intended for health professionals such as science articles, links to videos, paid subscription pages, and links non-related to kidney stone prevention and/or treatment were excluded. Included pages were categorized into academic, hospital-affiliated, commercial, non-profit foundations, and other. Quality and readability of webpages were evaluated using validated tools, and the reading level was descriptively compared with ChatGPT generated health information on kidney stone prevention and treatment.
RESULTS: 50 webpages on kidney stone prevention and 49 on stone treatment were included in this study. The reading level was determined to equate to that of a 10th to 12th grade student. Quality was measured as "fair" with no pages scoring "excellent" and only 20% receiving a "good" quality. There was no significant difference between pages from academic, hospital-affiliated, commercial, and non-profit foundation publications. The text generated by ChatGPT was considerably easier to understand with readability levels measured as low as 5th grade.
CONCLUSIONS: The language used in existing information on kidney stone disease is of subpar quality and too complex to understand. Machine learning tools could in generating information that is comprehensible by the public.

Keywords:  Artificial Intelligence; Consumer Health Information; Kidney Stones; Readability

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jrn.2023.10.002
Am J Otolaryngol. 2023 Oct 05. pii: S0196-0709(23)00299-5. [Epub ahead of print]45(1): 104085

Answering head and neck cancer questions: An assessment of ChatGPT responses.

Kimberly Wei, Christian Fritz, Karthik Rajasekaran.

  PURPOSE: To examine and compare ChatGPT versus Google websites in answering common head and neck cancer questions.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Commonly asked questions about head and neck cancer were obtained and inputted into both ChatGPT-4 and Google search engine. For each question, the ChatGPT response and first website search result were compiled and examined. Content quality was assessed by independent reviewers using standardized grading criteria and the modified Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) tool. Readability was determined using the Flesch reading ease scale.
RESULTS: In total, 49 questions related to head and neck cancer were included. Google sources were on average significantly higher quality than ChatGPT responses (4.2 vs 3.6, p = 0.005). According to the EQIP tool, Google and ChatGPT had on average similar response rates per criterion (24.4 vs 20.5, p = 0.09) while Google had a significantly higher average score per question than ChatGPT (13.8 vs 11.7, p < 0.001) According to the Flesch reading ease scale, ChatGPT and Google sources were both considered similarly difficult to read (33.1 vs 37.0, p = 0.180) and at a college level (14.3 vs 14.2, p = 0.820.) CONCLUSION: ChatGPT responses were as challenging to read as Google sources, but poorer quality due to decreased reliability and accuracy in answering questions. Though promising, ChatGPT in its current form should not be considered dependable. Google sources are a preferred resource for patient educational materials.

Keywords:  Artificial intelligence; Chatgpt; Common questions; Head and neck cancer; Patient education

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjoto.2023.104085
Ann Plast Surg. 2023 Sep 11.

Navigating Food and Drug Administration Mandated Breast Implant Patient Literature: A Call to Increase Equitable Healthcare Access Within Plastic Surgery.

Louisa C Boyd, Aurora M Kareh, Katherine A Rodby.

OBJECTIVES: In October 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration mandated patient decision checklists and new labeling for breast implants with the goal of improving the informed decision-making process for patients considering breast implantation. Given growing concerns over breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma, breast implant-associated squamous cell carcinoma, and breast implant illness, patients should be able to easily review these resources to make a fully informed decision when considering surgery. This study seeks to elucidate the accessibility, and therefore the utility of the newly mandated literature for the average breast implant patient.METHODS: Patient decision checklists and breast implant boxed warnings were obtained from the most used breast implant manufacturers in the United States-Allergan, Mentor, and Sientra. Readability analysis of all Food and Drug Administration required documents was performed using the Flesch Reading Ease Score, Flesch Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning-Fog Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook, and Automated Readability Index.
RESULTS: The overall readability of all Allergan, Mentor, and Sientra patient materials correlates with a college reading level. Documents from all 3 implant manufacturers were of a statistically significantly higher reading level than that recommended by the American Medical Association and US Department of Health and Human Services. No materials were found to be at or below the recommended sixth-grade level.
CONCLUSIONS: The newly mandated breast implant patient decision guides are written at a college reading level. These materials should be simplified to improve health literacy shared decision making.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/SAP.0000000000003674
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2023 ;3(10): e0001967

Assessment of online patient education material for eye cancers: A cross-sectional study.

Courtney van Ballegooie, Jasmine Wen.

The objective of this study was to assess online American patient education material (PEM) related to eye cancers in order to determine the quality of the content and appropriateness of the contents' reading level as it relates to the American population. PEMs were extracted from fifteen American cancer and ophthalmology associations and evaluated for their reading level using ten validated readability scales. PEMs then had all words extracted and evaluated for their difficulty and familiarity. The quality of the PEMS were assessed according to DISCERN, Heath On the Net Foundation Code of Conduct (HONCode), and JAMA benchmarks. Overall, online PEMs from the associations were written at a 11th grade reading level, which is above the recommended 6th grade reading level. The difficult word analysis identified that 26% of words were unfamiliar. Only one of the fifteen association held a HONCode certification while no organization met the standards of all four JAMA benchmarks. The average score for DISCERN was 2.4 out of a total of 5 for the fifteen questions related to treatment option information quality. Consideration should be made to create PEMs at an appropriate grade reading level to encourage health literacy and ultimately promote health outcomes. Associations should also focus on incorporating easily identifiable quality indicators to allow patients to better identify reputable resources.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001967
Isr Med Assoc J. 2023 Oct;25(10): 688-691

Should I Ask Doctor Google? Reliability of Israeli Web-based Information Regarding General Orthopedic Injuries and Symptoms.

Yaniv Steinfeld, Omri Besor, Yaniv Yonai, Yaron Berkovich, Elad Apt, Nadav Rinott, Yaniv Keren.

BACKGROUND: Websites serve as a source of medical information for a large part of the public, some claim to be a substitute for a physician's consultation. Many patients meet a physician after conducting internet research. Medical staff are concerned that internet sources of information are unreliable and may lead to erroneous decisions by patients.OBJECTIVES: To examine the reliability of web-based sources of information (through the Google™ search engine) regarding five common orthopedic complaints and injuries.
METHODS: We performed a search of five common orthopedic complaints and injuries using the Google search engine. The reliability of web-based information was measured by the DISCERN tool, which is a valid and verified tool for examining the reliability of medical information sources to the public. The reliability of 47 websites was examined by two orthopedic surgeons and two senior residents.
RESULTS: The overall average score given to the sites was 2.8, on a scale of 1 to 5. We found that the higher the site appeared in the search results, the higher the quality of its information. Commercial sites scored higher than general internet information sources.
CONCLUSIONS: The internet network is a very broad source of information. For those who lack scientific education and training it is not easy to distinguish between reliable and unreliable or biased sources. The trend of searching for medical information and self-healing is increasing. We must strengthen the network with reliable sources by creating official scientific position papers by medical teams and promoting them online.
World J Mens Health. 2023 Sep 01.

Patient-Directed Vasectomy Information: How Readable Is It?

Reza Kianian, Ming-Yeah Y Hu, Abigail J Lavold, Juan J Andino, Jeffrey C Morrison, Sriram V Eleswarapu, Jesse N Mills.

  PURPOSE: To assess the quality and readability of online health information on vasectomy using validated readability and quality assessment tools.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The top 50 search results for "vasectomy" on Google, Bing, and Yahoo were selected. Duplicate links, advertisements, blog posts, paid webpages, and information intended for healthcare providers were excluded. Flesch Reading Ease score, Flesch-Kincaid Grade level, Gunning Fog Index, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) index were used to assess readability, with optimal readability level for online health information established as being at sixth grade reading level. DISCERN Instrument and JAMA Benchmark were used to assess the quality of selected webpages. Inter-assessment score correlation and results by webpage type were analyzed.
RESULTS: We analyzed 44 webpages, including 16 academic, 5 hospital-affiliated, 6 commercial, 13 non-profit health advocacy, and 4 uncategorized sources. The average readability of the evaluated webpages was at a 10th grade reading level as measured by the Flesch Kincaid Assessment tool, and an undergraduate reading level per the SMOG and Gunning Fog indices. Non-profit health advocacy webpages had the best reading level but still was not at the recommended level of grade 6 to 7. The overall DISCERN quality of the webpages was "fair", with non-profit health advocacy pages performing best.
CONCLUSIONS: The assessed webpages offer education on vasectomy in a language that is too complex for the general population to understand. Furthermore, several sources for online health information, such as non-profits, outperformed webpages by academic institutions. Increased healthcare collaboration and dedication to producing quality online patient resources is necessary to address these shortcomings and build trust among patients to increase utilization of vasectomy and decrease decisional regret.

Keywords:  Artificial intelligence; Comprehension; Consumer health information; Vasectomy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.230033
J Surg Res. 2023 Oct 18. pii: S0022-4804(23)00429-8. [Epub ahead of print]293 727-732

Readability of American Society of Metabolic Surgery's Patient Information Publications.

Pierce L Massie, Seyed A Arshad, Edward D Auyang.

  INTRODUCTION: Appropriate education and information are the keystones of patient autonomy. Surgical societies support this goal through online informational publications. Despite these recommendations, many of these sources do not provide the appropriate level of reading for the average patient. Multiple national organizations, including the AMA and NIH, have recommended that such materials be written at or below a 6th-grade level. We therefore aimed to evaluate the readability of patient information publications provided by the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).METHODS: Patient information publications were collected from the ASMBS webpage (https://asmbs.org/patients) and evaluated for readability. Microsoft Office was utilized to calculate Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) scores. Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) is a 0-100 score, with higher scores equating to easier reading (≥80 = 6th-grade reading level). Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) rates text on a US grade school level. Qualitative and univariate analyses were performed.
RESULTS: Eleven patient information publications were evaluated. None of the publications achieved an FRE score of 80 or an FKGL of a 6th-grade reading level. The average FRE score was 35.8 (range 14.9-53.6). The average FKGL score was 13.1 (range 10.1-17.5). The publication with the highest FRE and lowest FKGL (best readability) was that for benefits of weight loss. The brochure with the lowest FRE and highest FKGL (worst readability) was that for Medical Tourism.
CONCLUSIONS: Although the ASMBS patient information publications are a trusted source of patient literature, none of the 11 publications met the recommended criteria for patient readability. Further refinement of these will be needed to provide the appropriate reading level for the average patient.

Keywords:  Bariatric surgery; Metabolic surgery; Morbid obesity; Patient education; Patient information publications; Readability

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2023.09.018
Cureus. 2023 Oct;15(10): e46879

Assessment of Arabic Web-Based Knowledge About Clear Aligners: An Infodemiologic Study.

Mahmoud Alsulaimani, Muath S Alassaf, Hatem H Hamadallah, Aseel M Aloufi, Khalid N Alturki, Ahmed M Almghamsi, Rawah T Eshky.

  BACKGROUND: Orthodontic treatments aim to enhance dental aesthetics, functionality, and long-term oral health. Clear aligners have gained popularity as an aesthetic and convenient option for patients seeking orthodontic correction. However, the quality and readability of online Arabic patient-centered information regarding clear aligners has not been studied yet. The aim of our study is to investigate the quality and readability of Arabic patient-centered information about clear aligners.METHODS: We conducted an extensive evaluation of Arabic web-based content pertaining to clear aligners using three prominent search engines. Eligible websites were categorized based on specialization, organizational affiliation, material type, and presentation style. We assessed website quality and reliability using the DISCERN instrument, Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, and Health on the Net (HON) code. In addition, we measured readability using the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL).
RESULTS: Out of 600 search results, 195 websites met the inclusion criteria. None of the websites were HON-code accredited. DISCERN assessments revealed low content quality, with none of the websites achieving high-quality status. The JAMA benchmarks showed limited compliance with the four items, with currency being the most frequently achieved. Readability assessments indicated generally high readability, with FKGL scores suggesting easy comprehension for the average readers.
CONCLUSION: While Arabic web-based information on clear aligners is highly readable, its credibility and quality require significant improvement. Websites should adhere to medical information standards, subject content to rigorous assessments, and seek accreditation to ensure reliability. Enhancing the accessibility and comprehensibility of health-related content will empower individuals to make informed health decisions. Addressing limitations, such as social media and video content evaluation, and conducting comparisons with English websites in future research will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the landscape of online orthodontic information.

Keywords:  clear aligners; discern; online health information seeking; orthodontics; patient-centered information; readability; web-based knowledge

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.46879
Cureus. 2023 Sep;15(9): e45174

Lower Back Pain Imaging: A Readability Analysis.

Michael J Valentine, Gannon Cottone, Hunter D Kramer, Ankur Kayastha, James Kim, Nicholas J Pettinelli, Robert C Kramer.

  PURPOSE: The internet provides access to a myriad of educational health-related resources which are an invaluable source of information for patients. Lower back pain is a common complaint that is discussed extensively online. In this article, we aim to determine if the most commonly accessed articles about lower back pain imaging use language that can be understood by most patients. According to the American Medical Association (AMA) and National Institute of Health (NIH), this corresponds to a sixth-grade reading level.METHODS: Online searches were conducted from the most commonly used search engine, Google, to assess the present state of readability on radiograph imaging for LBP. Then the top 20 populated URL links from each search were utilized based on "health & fitness" search trends and click-through rates (CTRs). The readability of various websites was evaluated with WebFX online software that analyzed the unique websites' text when put into reader view on Firefox web browser version 116.0.3 (64-bit). Evaluation occurred via five common readability indices: the Automated Readability Index (ARI), the Coleman Liau Index (CLI), the SMOG index, the Gunning Fog Score Index (GFSI), and the Flesch Kincaid Grade Level Index (FKGLI). In addition, the Flesch Kincaid Reading Ease Index (FKREI) was also used but was excluded from the calculation due to its measuring scale outside of US grade levels. The number of samples was analyzed via health and fitness-specific CTR from an open-access database from July 2022 to July 2023. This was used to calculate the number of persons clicking and visiting positional URLs (first URL to the 20th URL) from each unique keyword search and the rational criteria for selecting the first 20 websites for each query.
RESULTS: Online material that included LBP imaging information was calculated to have an overall readability score of 10.745 out of the 23 websites obtained from unique searches. The range was a mean readability score of 8 to 14. Notably, 17 websites were excluded from a total of 40 websites due to duplication of the same data (URLs that resulted from both unique searches) and accessibility requiring payment (specifically, an UpToDate link). A readability score of 10.745 refers to an 11th-grade reading level. That is to say, the most commonly visited sites on Google that contain information about lower back pain imaging are, on average, five grade levels higher than the sixth-grade reading level recommended by the AMA and the NIH.
CONCLUSIONS: Most internet content regarding lower back pain imaging is written at a reading level that is above the recommended limit defined by the AMA and NIH. To improve education about lower back pain imaging and the patient-physician relationship, we recommend guiding patients to online material that contains a reading level at the sixth-grade level as suggested by the AMA and NIH.

Keywords:  back pain; click-through rate; health literacy; imaging; lower back pain; lumbar pain; online information; radiograph; radiography; readability

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.45174
Am Surg. 2023 Oct 18. 31348231206583

Current Quality of Videos on Colorectal Cancer Screening for General Public.

Qi Yan, Jason E Jensen, Katherine J Jensen, Haisar E Dao Campi, Alicia Logue, W Brian Perry, Mark G Davies.

  BACKGROUND: One-third of American adults encompassed by current colorectal cancer screening guidelines fail to obtain recommended screening evaluations. Educational videos are a valuable medium through which to educate and encourage recommended health behaviors in patients.METHODS: A cross-sectional study reviewing the quality of patient education videos addressing colorectal cancer screening. Video quality was assessed in 3 domains: accountability, content, and production.
RESULTS: Forty-four videos met inclusion criteria. Out of 33 possible points, videos scored a median of 15.0 (interquartile range 12.9-16.6). Videos scored 1.0 (interquartile range .8-1.0) out of 4.0 for accountability, 6.0 (interquartile range 4.4-8.0) out of 20 for content, and 8.0 (interquartile range 7.4-8.0) out of 9.0 for production. Colonoscopy was the most frequently discussed method of screening (38, 86%). While 13 (34%) videos discussed the risk of colorectal cancer in the general population and 15 (32%) discussed the risk in those with a family history, few videos addressed those with other risk factors. Most (31, 70%) videos discussed the medical consequences of not receiving screening, but only 1 (2%) video discussed the social consequences. Similarly, medical benefits were discussed in 34 (77%) videos while other benefits were not discussed by any video. Only one-fifth of the videos address three or more barriers to screening.
CONCLUSIONS: Videos on colorectal cancer screening have excellent production quality but need improvement in the domains of accountability and content. The videos included in this analysis did not adequately address the concerns of viewers nor the benefits of colorectal cancer screening.

Keywords:  cancer prevention; colorectal cancer screening; internet web resources; youtube

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/00031348231206583
Clin Exp Optom. 2023 Oct 17. 1-6

YouTube as a learning source for contact lens insertion and removal.

Ka Yin Chan, Connie Chen.

  CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Contact lens neophytes often learn about contact lens insertion and removal through YouTube videos of unknown quality.BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the quality of soft contact lens insertion and removal videos on YouTube.
METHODS: A search for the keywords 'Contact lens insertion', 'Contact lens removal', 'Put in contact lens', and 'Take off contact lens' was performed on YouTube. The first 50 videos for each keyword were evaluated. The number of views, source of the publisher, days since upload, and video quality were scored based on the content in the videos. The maximum score of insertion and removal videos were 7 and 5 respectively. The videos were classified into three groups by publisher category: videos published by eye care professionals, companies and YouTubers.
RESULTS: Only 45 contact lens insertion and 44 removal videos met the inclusion criteria and were analysed. Insertion and removal videos published by YouTubers had the highest view and view rate. However, their quality scores were significantly lower than videos published by eye care professionals and companies. Videos uploaded by companies had the highest scores (insertion: 5.00 ± 1.10; removal: 3.25 ± 0.75). The mean scores of insertion and removal videos published by YouTubers were 1.65 ± 0.93 and 1.00 ± 0.89, respectively, while the insertion and removal videos uploaded by eye care professionals scored 3.58 ± 2.07 and 2.75 ± 1.53, respectively. There was also a negative correlation between the quality scores and view rate (p = 0.008, r = -0.41).
CONCLUSION: Contact lens insertion and removal videos uploaded by YouTubers had the highest view rate but the lowest quality. Videos made by companies included most essential elements.

Keywords:  Contact lens wear; YouTube; insertion; removal

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/08164622.2023.2259918
Cureus. 2023 Sep;15(9): e45354

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): A Cross-Sectional Observational Study Analyzing the Quality of Content on YouTube.

Shereece Clarke, Gurusha Jangid, Summer Nasr, Axelle Atchade, Britney L Moody, Gaurang Narayan.

  INTRODUCTION: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a chronic multifactorial disorder in women of reproductive age group, is a major public health problem. With most women resorting to platforms like "YouTube" that form a perfect source of edutainment, our aim was to analyze the quality of content available regarding the same.AIMS: The aims and objectives of this study were to assess the quality and reliability of content related to PCOS on YouTube by analyzing the DISCERN score, global quality score (GQS), and video power index (VPI).
METHODOLOGY: It was a facility-based cross-sectional study undertaken on a single day with each author reviewing 10 videos from YouTube on PCOS using predetermined keywords. The number of likes, dislikes, views, comments, and uploader backgrounds were evaluated. DISCERN score, GQS, and VPI were also calculated for each video. While data entry was done using Microsoft Excel 2020 (Microsoft Corporation, Washington, United States), the analysis was carried out using SPSS Statistics version 16 (SPSS Inc. Released 2007. SPSS for Windows, Version 16.0. Chicago, SPSS Inc.). Categorical variables were expressed as frequency and percentages, and statistical significance was determined using the Kruskal-Wallis test/one-way ANOVA.
RESULTS: A total of 80 videos that fit the inclusion criteria were analyzed. A majority of the videos (80%) were posted a year back with no updates. Only 28.8% of the video content was posted by doctors. Though most videos (96.25%) shared information pertaining to symptomatology, only 45% spoke regarding prevention. Promotional content was noted in 28.75% of the video content. GQS and VPI were better with information being provided by doctors, hospitals, and healthcare organizations (p-value 0.033 and 0.006, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: With women reaching out to edutainment platforms like YouTube to clarify their concerns surrounding lifestyle diseases such as PCOS in the digital era, it becomes relevant to evaluate the quality of content available on such platforms. The findings of the study form a prototype for addressing the existing gaps in the knowledge available on YouTube. Furthermore, the findings warrant frequent monitoring of such available web-based content and delivery of such content only from qualified wellness experts.

Keywords:  discern score; gqs score; polycystic ovary syndrome (pcos); vpi; youtube

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.45354
Medicine (Baltimore). 2023 Oct 20. 102(42): e35633

An analysis of YouTube videos about restless leg syndrome: Choosing the right guide.

Duygu Tutan, Jan Ulfberg.

Individuals often resort to YouTube as a means of accessing insights into their medical conditions and potential avenues for treatment. Among prevalent and incapacitating afflictions within the general populace, restless leg syndrome assumes significance. The focal objective of this investigation is to scrutinize the caliber inherent in videos pertaining to restless leg syndrome disseminated via the YouTube platform. The sorting of videos was accomplished by gauging their pertinence subsequent to conducting a search for "restless leg syndrome" on YouTube, specifically on the 20th of August, 2023. The evaluation encompassed videos curated from the selection of the top 50 English language videos deemed most relevant. The review process entailed the comprehensive assessment of relevance and content by 2 distinct medical professionals operating independently. Furthermore, pertinent descriptive attributes of each video, such as upload date, view count, likes, dislikes, and comments, were meticulously documented within the dataset. To ascertain video quality, the DISCERN Score, global quality score, and Journal of the American Medical Association rating scales were employed as evaluative tools. Significant statistical disparities were observed in terms of DISCERN scores between videos uploaded by medical doctors and those uploaded by individuals without medical qualifications (P < .001). Correspondingly, upon comparing the 2 aforementioned groups, videos uploaded by healthcare professionals exhibited statistically superior quality scores in both the Journal of the American Medical Association and global quality score assessments (P < .001 for both comparisons). The informational quality regarding restless leg syndrome on YouTube presents a spectrum of variability. Notably, videos that offer valuable insights, as well as those that could potentially mislead viewers, do not display discernible variations in terms of their viewership and popularity. For patients seeking reliable information, a useful and safe approach involves favoring videos uploaded by medical professionals. It is imperative to prioritize the professional identity of the content uploader rather than being swayed by the video's popularity or the quantity of comments it has amassed.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000035633
Clin Rheumatol. 2023 Oct 16.

Exercises for fibromyalgia syndrome: what YouTube tells us as a source of information for patient and physician education.

Mert Zure, Merve Damla Korkmaz, Ahmet Kıvanç Menekşeoğlu.

  OBJECTIVE: YouTube, a popular worldwide source to access health information online, may have an impact in enhancing exercise therapy for fibromyalgia patients. This study is aimed to investigate the quality and reliability of exercise videos prepared for fibromyalgia syndrome on YouTube.METHODS: A thorough search on YouTube using six search terms related to fibromyalgia treatment and exercise was conducted. The videos with content on exercises for fibromyalgia, acceptable audio-video quality, and are in English language were included, whereas duplicates were excluded from the analysis. Quality was determined using the Global Quality Scale (GQS) and JAMA system, and reliability using the mDISCERN criteria.
RESULTS: Out of a total of 600 videos, 70 videos that met the inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. Physicians were found to produce content mostly in high and medium quality (%70.2), other medical professionals mostly in low and medium quality (93.8%), while non-medical users mostly in low quality (86.7%). Ninety percent of the videos targeted patients, while 10% targeted healthcare professionals as an audience, and the majority (93.7%) of videos targeting patients were of low and medium quality, as most (85.7%) of the videos targeting healthcare professionals were of high quality.
CONCLUSION: YouTube can be used as a tool to increase exercise adherence in fibromyalgia patients, as it offers a wide range of content that is easily accessible and useful at times. To implement this tool, physicians need to upload more content online as they stand for pioneers of high-quality information dissemination on the internet. KeyPoints • This research emphasizes the need for high-quality online healthcare information which is accessed by a vast number of individuals and the implementations that effectively address and prevent the spread of misinformation. • Additionally, it presents suggestions for the future regarding the uploading of such content on the internet. • Physicians hold the key responsibility in ensuring the availability of high-quality online health content, thereby carrying significant implications for its overall impact.

Keywords:  Education; Exercise; Fibromyalgia; Patient; Youtube

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-023-06792-5
Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2023 ;pii: S0104-42302023001100605. [Epub ahead of print]69(11): e20230210

Do YouTube videos on microscopic varicocelectomy provide reliable information?

Mehmet Uslu, Mehmet Ezer, Ümit Yildirim, Bumin Örs.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the quality of YouTube videos about microscopic varicocelectomy.METHODS: On November 20, 2022, a YouTube search for "Microscopic Varicocelectomy" was conducted. Non-English videos uploaded by producers for commercial purposes that lacked audio and subtitles were excluded from the study. A total of 50 videos were evaluated using the Journal of the American Medical Association Benchmark Score and the Global Quality Score, both of which are recognized internationally. Additionally, the researcher developed the Microscopic Varicocelectomy Score to evaluate the videos' technical content. The upload source, video length, number of views, likes, dislikes, and video power indexes were evaluated.
RESULTS: The Global Quality Score, Journal of the American Medical Association Benchmark Score, and Microscopic Varicocelectomy Score of the academically prepared videos were significantly higher than those of the physician-prepared videos (p<0.05). The Global Quality Score, Journal of the American Medical Association Benchmark Score, and Microscopic Varicocelectomy Score of uploaded videos with audio, audio, and subtitles were significantly higher than those with only subtitles (p<0.05). The video duration was positively correlated with Journal of the American Medical Association Benchmark Score, Global Quality Score, and Microscopic Varicocelectomy Score. The video power index had a strong positive correlation with the number of likes. Moreover, a strong positive correlation was observed, indicating that the Global Quality Score and Journal of the American Medical Association Benchmark Score increased as the Microscopic Varicocelectomy Score increased.
CONCLUSION: YouTube videos regarding microscopic varicocelectomy were of notably low quality. If the video content created by specialist physicians and academic centers is more meticulously organized, more accurate data can be transmitted. Consequently, viewing video content may not be advised based on the available data.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.20230210
Korean J Fam Med. 2023 Oct 18.

Content Analysis of YouTube Videos on the Effect of Vitamin C on Common Cold.

Donghwi Park, Sang Gyu Kwak, Saeyoon Kim, Min Cheol Chang.

  Background: With the growth of the Internet, social media platforms have emerged as major sources of medical information. We assessed the reliability, quality, and accuracy of the most-viewed YouTube videos containing information on the effect of vitamin C on the common cold.Methods: The YouTube videos were searched on August 1, 2022, using the keywords: ("ascorbic acid" OR "vitamin C" OR "Sodium Ascorbate" OR "L-ascorbic") AND "common cold". The 30 most-viewed videos were included in our study. The reliability and quality of the videos were analyzed using modified DISCERN and Global Quality Scales, respectively. When the videos included at least one correct or inaccurate scientific statement about the effect of vitamin C on the common cold, they were classified as accurate or misleading videos, respectively; those without any pertinent information were considered neither accurate nor misleading. If a video contained both accurate and inaccurate statements, it was classified as misleading.
Results: Of the 30 most-viewed videos, 73% were unreliable, and 67% contained misleading information and were of a poor quality. Of these 30 videos, 14 videos were produced and posted by customers who were not specialized in medicine or nutrition. Moreover, these videos were of significantly lower reliability, quality, and accuracy than those produced by nutrition or fitness channels or by medical or nutrition professionals.
Conclusion: The reliability, quality, and accuracy of videos uploaded by non-professionals were low. Therefore, video creators should upload reliable, high-quality videos to ensure the dissemination of accurate medical information.

Keywords:  Common Cold; Information; Internet; Review; Social Media; Vitamin C

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.23.0093
BMJ Open. 2023 Oct 18. 13(10): e074787

Evaluation of the quality and reliability of anal cancer and its precancerous lesions-related content on YouTube: a cross-sectional study.

Zeyang Chen, Shaorong Pan, Meng Zhou, Xin Wang.

  OBJECTIVES: This research aims at evaluating the quality of anal cancer and its precancerous lesions-related videos on YouTube.DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey design.
SETTING: USA.
PARTICIPANTS: The top 150 videos on YouTube were selected for analysis based on three search terms. The duplicate, irrelevant, commercial, operation-related and audio-free videos were excluded. Finally, 105 relevant videos were included.
METHODS: We assessed the completeness of video content from six dimensions and marked the men having sex with men (MSM)-related videos. To measure the video quality, DISCERN, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Benchmark Criteria, Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) and Global Quality Scale (GQS) were used. The correlation between DISCERN classification and duration, JAMA, PEMAT and GQS scores were recorded.
RESULTS: The video content was mainly about the management of the disease (mean score 1.086). Overall, the quality of videos uploaded by the non-profit organisation was relatively high. A correlation existed between each other of the JAMA, DISCERN and GQS scores (p<0.001). Moreover, they were positively correlated with video duration and PEMAT scores (p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Although the overall quality of information about anal cancer and its precancerous lesions videos on YouTube is acceptable, it might not fully meet the health information needs of patients. Therefore, they should exercise caution when using YouTube as a source of anal cancer-related information, especially the MSM population.

Keywords:  epidemiology; public health; surgery

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-074787
Cureus. 2023 Sep;15(9): e45226

Navigating Digital Dermatology: An Analysis of Acne-Related Content on TikTok.

Bilal Irfan, Ihsaan Yasin, Aneela Yaqoob.

  Background With TikTok's rising popularity as a hub for health information dissemination, the quality and nature of such content require assessment. This study investigates the popularity and quality of the top 100 most-liked videos tagged with "#acne" on TikTok. This study aims to examine the engagement and quality of acne-related content on TikTok, assess contributions from diverse sources, including physicians and non-physicians, and guide healthcare professionals in leveraging this platform for public health education. Methodology A cross-sectional analysis of the top 100 most-liked videos tagged with "#acne" on TikTok as of June 7, 2023, was conducted. Parameters assessed included the profession of the creator, gender, specialty, content type, and other observable characteristics. The quality was measured using the DISCERN tool. Results Of the dataset, 38 videos were by physicians and 29 by non-physicians. Physician-created content had higher mean views, likes, comments, shares, and favorites than non-physician-created content. Videos by dermatologists and non-dermatologists received similar engagement. Videos sharing personal experiences achieved the highest DISCERN score. Overall, DISCERN scores were uniformly low across all categories. Conclusions Physicians, especially dermatologists, are trusted sources of acne-related information on TikTok. The study underscores the need for professionals to provide reliable, evidence-based information on such platforms, guiding effective health communication in the digital age.

Keywords:  acne; content quality; social media analytics; social media education; tiktok

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.45226
Front Public Health. 2023 ;11 1231240

The quality and reliability of TikTok videos on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a propensity score matching analysis.

Yongkang Lai, Zixuan He, Yilong Liu, Xiaojing Yin, Xuanming Fan, Ziang Rao, Hongyu Fu, Lun Gu, Tian Xia.

  Background: Lifestyle modification is the cornerstone of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) prevention and treatment. Short video platforms can facilitate easier access to health information for patients, thereby influencing lifestyle changes. An increasing number of individuals rely on online platforms to acquire health-related information about NAFLD. However, the quality of information regarding NAFLD on these platforms remains unclear.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the quality of information about NAFLD on TikTok.
Methods: A total of 497 videos were retrieved from TikTok. The basic video information, including the video source, was extracted. Two independent raters evaluated the quality and reliability of the videos using the Global Quality Score system and a modified DISCERN tool. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to compare video quality across sources.
Results: NAFLD-related videos on TikTok were divided into three groups according to the uploader: health professionals, medical institutions, and science bloggers. Overall, the quality of NAFLD videos on TikTok was not satisfactory. Before PSM, there were no significant differences in video quality or content between the three groups. After PSM, the quality of NAFLD videos from health professionals was significantly better than the videos created by other groups. Besides, the videos of health professionals outperformed those of medical institutions and science bloggers in terms of the definition of disease, risk factors, and treatment, but were inferior to those of medical institutions considering the symptoms and tests of NAFLD.
Conclusion: The quality of NAFLD-related videos on TikTok needs improvement. Compared with videos created by science bloggers and medical institutions, videos from health professionals may provide accurate guidance on the treatment and prevention of NAFLD.

Keywords:  TikTok; health education; lifestyle modification; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; social media

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1231240
Ophthalmology. 2023 Oct 16. pii: S0161-6420(23)00765-0. [Epub ahead of print]

Usability of Patient-Education Oriented Cataract Surgery Websites.

Michael X Lin, Gavin Li, David Cui, Priya M Mathews, Esen K Akpek.

  PURPOSE: To assess the web accessibility and readability of patient-oriented educational websites for cataract surgery.DESIGN: Cross-sectional electronic survey.
SUBJECTS: Websites with information dedicated to educating patients about cataract surgery.
METHODS: An incognito search for "cataract surgery" was performed using a popular search engine. The top 100 patient-oriented cataract surgery websites that came up were included and categorized as institutional, private practice, or medical organization according to authorship. Each site was assessed for readability using four standardized reading grade-level formulas. Accessibility was assessed through multilingual availability, accessibility menu availability, complementary educational video availability, and conformance and adherence to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. A standard t-test and chi-squared analysis were performed to assess the significance of differences with regard to readability and accessibility among the three authorship categories.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measures were the website's average reading grade level, number of accessibility violations, multilingual availability, accessibility menu availability, complementary educational video availability, accessibility conformance level, and violation of the perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust (POUR) principles according to the WCAG 2.0.
RESULTS: 32, 55, and 13 sites were affiliated with institutions, private practice, and other medical organizations, respectively. The overall mean reading grade was 11.8 ± 1.6, with higher reading levels observed in private practice websites compared to institutions and medical organizations combined (12.1 vs. 11.4; P=0.03). Fewer private practice websites had multiple language options compared to institutional and medical organization websites combined (5.5% vs. 20.0%; P=0.03). More private practice websites had accessibility menus than institutions and medical organizations combined (27.3% vs. 8.9%; P=0.038). The overall mean number of WCAG 2.0 POUR principle violations was 17.1 ± 23.1 with no significant difference among groups. Eighty-five percent of websites violated the perceivable principle.
CONCLUSIONS: Available patient-oriented online information for cataract surgery may not be comprehensible to the general public. Readability and accessibility aspects should be considered when designing these resources.

Keywords:  Cataract surgery; patient education

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2023.10.019
Am J Surg. 2023 Oct 08. pii: S0002-9610(23)00503-2. [Epub ahead of print]

Characterizing informational needs and information seeking behavior of patients with breast cancer.

Abigail Ludwigson, Victoria Huynh, Sudheer Vemuru, Karina Romandetti, Christine Fisher, Helen L Coons, Jessica Pettigrew, Karen Hampanda, Christodoulos Kaoutzanis, Gretchen Ahrendt, Anosheh Afghahi, Camille Stewart, Sarah Tevis.

  BACKGROUND: Appropriate information may facilitate adjustment to cancer diagnoses. Our study aims to characterize informational satisfaction in breast cancer patients and assess resources used by patients to gain information.METHODS: Newly diagnosed Stage 0-III breast cancer patients seen at an academic medical center between May and September 2020 received questionnaires assessing information satisfaction. Patients indicated resources used to obtain information along with satisfaction with information received in various topics. A subset of questionnaire respondents completed semi-structured interviews.
RESULTS: Fifty-two (35 %) patients completed the questionnaire. Patients received information from physicians (96 %), the internet (81 %), nurses (79 %), and fellow breast cancer patients (54 %). Interview participants preferred receiving information from providers when making medical decisions but found patient forums and social media to be important adjuncts for receiving information.
CONCLUSION: Patients are satisfied with information received about diagnosis and treatment, but finances, sexual health, and fertility are less frequently discussed.

Keywords:  Breast cancer; Information seeking; Patient satisfaction; Resources

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.09.047
Technol Health Care. 2023 Oct 07.

Factors influencing proxy online health information seeking among the elderly: A study from the perspective of the elderly with chronic illnesses.

Wen-Bo Xu, Zhi-Zeng Lu, Lan Mu.

  BACKGROUND: With the ageing population in China and an increasing number of the elderly developing chronic illnesses, health services for the elderly have become a major concern. They have significant needs for health information (HI) such as online medical consultation, disease prevention, and medical insurance.OBJECTIVE: To explore the influencing factors and their relative significance in proxy online health information (OHI) seeking among the elderly with chronic illnesses so as to provide a reference for enriching theoretical research and optimizing care for the elderly with chronic illness.
METHODS: Twenty-three elderly people with chronic illnesses participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews in this study. The interview transcripts were subject to three levels of coding (open, axial, and selective coding) based on grounded theory to determine the factors influencing proxy OHI seeking among the elderly and to understand how the main categories are interconnected. We used the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) process to analyze the hierarchy and associated pathways among the factors influencing proxy OHI seeking.
RESULTS: From our analysis, we identified four main categories affecting proxy HI seeking: the health status, emotional needs, electronic HI literacy, and self-efficacy of the elderly. There were six subcategories that could be further subclassified into direct factors, key factors, and root factors, which constituted the hierarchical model of influencing factors.
CONCLUSION: We found that proxy HI seeking among the elderly was directly triggered by self-efficacy and emotional needs following changes in their evaluation of health information and emotional needs, which originates from their perceptions of their health, concerns about their health, and information retrieval capability.

Keywords:  Elderly; grounded theory; interpretative structural modeling; proxy seeking

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3233/THC-230270
Health Info Libr J. 2023 Oct 19.

Quick links: Apprenticeship project.

Katy Greenfield.

  This project was designed to support people to find information, resources, and evidence independently within Health Education England (now NHS England Workforce Training and Education) and allow the Knowledge Management team more time to focus on other services offered. This project aimed to pull together a number of resources in to one simple 'Quick links' page, with relevant information, resources and further training, providing people with opportunities to build on their own knowledge and skills.

Keywords:  evaluation; knowledge management; library collection development; web sites

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12510