Tumor Immunotherapy–Related Information on Internet-Based Videos Commonly Used by the Chinese Population: Content Quality Analysis

Abstract

Background Tumor immunotherapy is an innovative treatment today, but there are limited data on the quality of immunotherapy information on social networks. Dissemination of misinformation through the internet is a major social issue. Objective Our objective was to characterize the quality of information and presence of misinformation about tumor immunotherapy on internet-based videos commonly used by the Chinese population. Methods Using the keyword “tumor immunotherapy” in Chinese, we searched TikTok, Tencent, iQIYI, and BiliBili on March 5, 2022. We reviewed the 118 screened videos using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool—a validated instrument to collect consumer health information. DISCERN quality criteria and the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) Benchmark Criteria were used for assessing the quality and reliability of the health information. The videos’ content was also evaluated. Results The 118 videos about tumor immunotherapy were mostly uploaded by channels dedicated to lectures, health-related animations, and interviews; their median length was 5 minutes, and 79% of them were published in and after 2018. The median understandability and actionability of the videos were 71% and 71%, respectively. However, the quality of information was moderate to poor on the validated DISCERN and JAMA assessments. Only 12 videos contained misinformation (score of >1 out of 5). Videos with a doctor (lectures and interviews) not only were significantly less likely to contain misinformation but also had better quality and a greater forwarding number. Moreover, the results showed that more than half of the videos contain little or no content on the risk factors and management of tumor immunotherapy. Overall, over half of the videos had some or more information on the definition, symptoms, evaluation, and outcomes of tumor immunotherapy. Conclusions Although the quality of immunotherapy information on internet-based videos commonly used by Chinese people is moderate, these videos have less misinformation and better content. Caution must be exercised when using these videos as a source of tumor immunotherapy–related information.