“Does My Kid Have an Ear Infection?” An Analysis of Pediatric Acute Otitis Media Videos on TikTok

Abstract

IntroductionWith the rise of social media, online platforms have become a common way to access healthcare information. This study examines the quality of pediatric acute otitis media (AOM) videos on TikTok, a popular short‐form video social media platform.MethodsA TikTok search was conducted between 8/18 and 8/19/2023 using pediatric AOM hashtags: #pediatric acute otitis media management, #kid ear infections remedy, #child ear infections treatment, and #kid ear infection. Data collected include number of views/shares per day, uploader type (nonmedical influencer, lay individual, and medical professional), and content categories. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Material (PEMAT‐AV) and DISCERN questionnaire measured understandability, actionability, and quality of videos. Multivariable linear regression models were used (significance set at ≤0.05).ResultsOf 166 videos, 38.6% (64) of uploaders were medical professionals, and 32.5% (54) were nonmedical influencers. Nonmedical influencer videos were viewed and shared significantly more than those by medical professionals (p < 0.05). Controlling for covariates, physicians were more likely to produce more beneficial and higher quality videos as compared with nonmedical influencers (β = 2.4 and 1.3, p < 0.01, respectively). However, physicians did not have significantly different ratings for understandability compared with nonmedical influencers (β = 0.45, p > 0.05).DiscussionAOM content on TikTok is often geared toward caretakers of symptomatic children. Although physician‐created AOM content was significantly higher quality, these videos reached a statistically smaller audience than those from nonmedical influencers. Addressing misinformation on social media platforms requires physicians to reach larger audiences by producing more actionable and understandable content.Level of EvidenceNA Laryngoscope, 2024