A Systematic Review of the Use of Social Media for Dissemination of Clinical Practice Guidelines

Myopia information on TikTok: analysis factors that impact video quality and audience engagement

BACKGROUND

TikTok is emerging as a vital platform for health information dissemination. Despite myopia being a global public health issue, the high-quality myopia information shared by health educators often fails to go viral. It is imperative to analyze the factors influencing video quality and popularity, especially from diverse perspectives of researchers, health educators, and audiences.

METHODS

TikTok myopia-related videos were retrieved using TikTok's default comprehensive search (DCS) and most liked search (MLS) strategies. Venn diagrams were employed to illustrate the relationships and commonalities between the two strategies across four sample sizes (top 200, 150, 100, and 50). Video metadata, including details such as creator information, production properties, upload time, video duration, and viewer engagement, were collected. Video quality was assessed using the DISCERN tool. Video content covering six aspects of myopia were evaluated. The impact of search strategies, video sample sizes, production properties, and myopia content on video quality and audience engagement was analyzed through single-factor or multi-factor analysis.

RESULTS

DCS and MLS retrieval strategies, as well as varying sample sizes, resulted in differences in audience engagement for myopia videos (P < 0.039), while The DISCERN quality scores remained comparable (P > 0.221). Videos published by healthcare professionals (HCPs) and non-profit organizations (NPOs) were associated with high-quality (P ≤ 0.014) but comparatively lower popularity (P < 0.033). Videos that reported contents of risk factors, management, and outcomes showed high popularity (P < 0.018), while longer video duration (> 60s) exhibited the opposite trend (P < 0.032). Content on myopia evaluation (P ≤ 0.001) and management (P ≤ 0.022) and video duration were positively correlated with higher DISCERN quality.

CONCLUSION

Videos created by HCPs and NPOs deserve greater attention. Rather than pursuing entertaining effects, professional educators should emphasize producing concise, and high-quality myopia content that readily resonates with the audience and has the potential to go viral on the platform.

High costs, low quality of life, reduced survival, and room for improving treatment: an analysis of burden and unmet needs in glioma

Gliomas are a group of heterogeneous tumors that account for substantial morbidity, mortality, and costs to patients and healthcare systems globally. Survival varies considerably by grade, histology, biomarkers, and genetic alterations such as IDH mutations and MGMT promoter methylation, and treatment, but is poor for some grades and histologies, with many patients with glioblastoma surviving less than a year from diagnosis. The present review provides an introduction to glioma, including its classification, epidemiology, economic and humanistic burden, as well as treatment options. Another focus is on treatment recommendations for IDH-mutant astrocytoma, IDH-mutant oligodendroglioma, and glioblastoma, which were synthesized from recent guidelines. While recommendations are nuanced and reflect the complexity of the disease, maximum safe resection is typically the first step in treatment, followed by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy using temozolomide or procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine. Immunotherapies and targeted therapies currently have only a limited role due to disappointing clinical trial results, including in recurrent glioblastoma, for which the nitrosourea lomustine remains the de facto standard of care. The lack of treatment options is compounded by frequently suboptimal clinical practice, in which patients do not receive adequate therapy after resection, including delayed, shortened, or discontinued radiotherapy and chemotherapy courses due to treatment side effects. These unmet needs will require significant efforts to address, including a continued search for novel treatment options, increased awareness of clinical guidelines, improved toxicity management for chemotherapy, and the generation of additional and more robust clinical and health economic evidence.

'It depends': what 86 systematic reviews tell us about what strategies to use to support the use of research in clinical practice

BACKGROUND

The gap between research findings and clinical practice is well documented and a range of strategies have been developed to support the implementation of research into clinical practice. The objective of this study was to update and extend two previous reviews of systematic reviews of strategies designed to implement research evidence into clinical practice.

METHODS

We developed a comprehensive systematic literature search strategy based on the terms used in the previous reviews to identify studies that looked explicitly at interventions designed to turn research evidence into practice. The search was performed in June 2022 in four electronic databases: Medline, Embase, Cochrane and Epistemonikos. We searched from January 2010 up to June 2022 and applied no language restrictions. Two independent reviewers appraised the quality of included studies using a quality assessment checklist. To reduce the risk of bias, papers were excluded following discussion between all members of the team. Data were synthesised using descriptive and narrative techniques to identify themes and patterns linked to intervention strategies, targeted behaviours, study settings and study outcomes.

RESULTS

We identified 32 reviews conducted between 2010 and 2022. The reviews are mainly of multi-faceted interventions (n = 20) although there are reviews focusing on single strategies (ICT, educational, reminders, local opinion leaders, audit and feedback, social media and toolkits). The majority of reviews report strategies achieving small impacts (normally on processes of care). There is much less evidence that these strategies have shifted patient outcomes. Furthermore, a lot of nuance lies behind these headline findings, and this is increasingly commented upon in the reviews themselves.

DISCUSSION

Combined with the two previous reviews, 86 systematic reviews of strategies to increase the implementation of research into clinical practice have been identified. We need to shift the emphasis away from isolating individual and multi-faceted interventions to better understanding and building more situated, relational and organisational capability to support the use of research in clinical practice. This will involve drawing on a wider range of research perspectives (including social science) in primary studies and diversifying the types of synthesis undertaken to include approaches such as realist synthesis which facilitate exploration of the context in which strategies are employed.

Social Media in Neuro-Ophthalmology: Paradigms, Opportunities, and Strategies

BACKGROUND

Social media (SoMe) is an integral part of life in the 21st century. Its potential for rapid dissemination and amplification of information offers opportunities for neuro-ophthalmologists to have an outsized voice to share expert-level knowledge with the public, other medical professionals, policymakers, and trainees. However, there are also potential pitfalls, because SoMe may spread incorrect or misleading information. Understanding and using SoMe enables neuro-ophthalmologists to influence and educate that would otherwise be limited by workforce shortages.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

A PubMed search for the terms "social media" AND "neuro-ophthalmology," "social media" AND "ophthalmology," and "social media" AND "neurology" was performed.

RESULTS

Seventy-two neurology articles, 70 ophthalmology articles, and 3 neuro-ophthalmology articles were analyzed. A large proportion of the articles were published in the last 3 years (2020, 2021, 2022). Most articles were analyses of SoMe content; other domains included engagement analysis such as Altmetric analysis, utilization survey, advisory opinion/commentary, literature review, and other. SoMe has been used in medicine to share and recruit for scientific research, medical education, advocacy, mentorship and medical professional networking, and branding, marketing, practice building, and influencing. The American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Ophthalmology, and North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society have developed guidelines on the use of SoMe.

CONCLUSIONS

Neuro-ophthalmologists may benefit greatly from harnessing SoMe for the purposes of academics, advocacy, networking, and marketing. Regularly creating appropriate professional SoMe content can enable the neuro-ophthalmologist to make a global impact.

Impact of changes in clinical practice guidelines for intra-articular injection treatments for knee osteoarthritis on public interest and social media

OBJECTIVE

To summarize changes in recommendations for injection treatments for knee osteoarthritis (OA) in current clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and to assess whether these changes have affected public interest according to Google data and content in YouTube videos.

DESIGN

A literature search to identify CPGs revised since 2019 that provide recommendations regarding the five intra-articular injection treatments for knee OA (corticosteroid [CS], hyaluronic acid [HA], stem cell [SC], platelet-rich plasma [PRP], and botulinum toxin [BT]) was conducted to assess perspective changes for each treatment. Data from Google Trends were examined to identify changes in search volume from 2004 to 2021 using a join-point regression model. Relevant YouTube videos were divided into those uploaded before and after changes in CPGs and compared according to degrees of recommendation for each treatment to identify the effect of changes in CPGs on video production.

RESULTS

All eight identified CPGs released after 2019 recommended HA and CS use. Most CPGs were the first to state a neutral or opposing stance concerning the use of SC, PRP, or BT. Interestingly, relative searches on Google for SC, PRP, and BT has increased greater than those for CS and HA. YouTube videos produced after CPGs changed continue to recommend SC, PRP, and BT as much as those produced before CPGs were revised.

CONCLUSIONS

Although knee OA CPGs have changed, public interest and healthcare information providers on YouTube have not reacted to this shift. Improved methods to propagate updates to CPGs warrant consideration.

Why and how to publish aphasia-friendly research summaries

BACKGROUND

A common complaint of people with aphasia and their families is their inability to find information about current aphasia treatment research (Hinckley, Boyle, Lombard & Bartels-Tobin, 2014; Hinckley & El-Khouri, 2021). Plain language summaries, video summaries, and graphical summaries are three ways to disseminate research results that are more accessible to a broader audience. The purpose of this tutorial is to discuss the motivations for disseminating research in understandable ways, and to provide information and resources on how aphasia-friendly dissemination can be done.

METHOD

We report an overview of evidence on the importance of and characteristics of dissemination. Next, we provide specific characteristics and resources for producing plain language summaries, video summaries, and graphical abstracts. Finally, we conducted a systematic search for journals in the area of stroke rehabilitation after consultation with a research librarian. The publication webpages of each journal were inspected to gather information about whether and how the journal published plain language summaries, video summaries, or graphical abstracts. Editors were contacted as needed to complete the information. Sixty journals in stroke rehabilitation were identified, and a total of 43 journals (71%) publish video abstracts, graphical summaries, and/or plain language summaries either independently or through third-party platforms.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings are discussed in the context of the importance of making research consumer-friendly. We offer specific recommendations for aphasia researchers, and future directions for publishing research in ways that will have an impact on the broader public are suggested.

The Power of Hashtags in Social Media: Lessons Learnt from the Urology Tag Ontology Project

Standardisation of hashtags for urologic diseases in the Urology Tag Ontology (UTO) project has facilitated more efficient filtering of social media content. Hashtags must be recognisable and easy to understand. The UTO list should be expanded to include hashtags for urologic procedures and the hashtags could be used on social media platforms other than Twitter to reach a wider audience.

Protocol for a Global Burns Research Priority Setting Partnership to agree the most important unanswered questions in international burns care

INTRODUCTION

Burns affect 11 million people globally and can result in long-term disability with substantial associated healthcare costs. There is limited research funding to support trials to provide evidence for clinical decision-making. Research prioritisation ensures that research focuses on the topics most important to stakeholders, addressing issues of research waste and evidence gaps. The aim of this project is to agree the global top 10 research priorities important to international patients, carers and clinicians from all income status countries.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The Global Burns Research Priority Setting Partnership will use James Lind Alliance methods to establish the top 10 research priorities in global burns care. An initial international online multilingual survey will collect candidate research priorities from stakeholders. To increase equity in participation, the survey will also be available via the social media app WhatsApp. Additionally, interviews will be conducted. Data will be analysed to identify and collate research questions and to verify that the priorities are true clinical uncertainties. This list will then be ranked by stakeholders in order of importance via a second online survey. Finally, a consensus meeting will identify the top 10 research priorities.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The University of Bristol Medical School Faculty Ethical Committee has approved this project. Research into burn care should be prioritised to ensure that funding is focused where most needed. This should be undertaken internationally, to ensure inclusion of the views of professionals and patients from lower income countries, where the incidence of thermal burns is highest. The involvement of the James Lind Alliance will ensure that the methodology is robust and that the patient voice is heard. The final top 10 priorities will be disseminated to funders, governments and researchers internationally to inform future global burns research.

Infodemics and health misinformation: a systematic review of reviews

Objective

To compare and summarize the literature regarding infodemics and health misinformation, and to identify challenges and opportunities for addressing the issues of infodemics.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE®, Embase®, Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews, Scopus and Epistemonikos on 6 May 2022 for systematic reviews analysing infodemics, misinformation, disinformation and fake news related to health. We grouped studies based on similarity and retrieved evidence on challenges and opportunities. We used the AMSTAR 2 approach to assess the reviews’ methodological quality. To evaluate the quality of the evidence, we used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation guidelines.

Findings

Our search identified 31 systematic reviews, of which 17 were published. The proportion of health-related misinformation on social media ranged from 0.2% to 28.8%. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram are critical in disseminating the rapid and far-reaching information. The most negative consequences of health misinformation are the increase of misleading or incorrect interpretations of available evidence, impact on mental health, misallocation of health resources and an increase in vaccination hesitancy. The increase of unreliable health information delays care provision and increases the occurrence of hateful and divisive rhetoric. Social media could also be a useful tool to combat misinformation during crises. Included reviews highlight the poor quality of published studies during health crises.

Conclusion

Available evidence suggests that infodemics during health emergencies have an adverse effect on society. Multisectoral actions to counteract infodemics and health misinformation are needed, including developing legal policies, creating and promoting awareness campaigns, improving health-related content in mass media and increasing people’s digital and health literacy.

Testicular cancer and YouTube: What do you expect from a social media platform?

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the quality information on testicular cancer uploaded on YouTube™ videos.

METHODS

YouTube™ videos were searched using "Testicular cancer" as a keyword. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool, the Misinformation scale, and the DISCERN tool were used to assess the quality information of YouTube™ videos on testicular cancer.

RESULTS

According to the selection criteria, 121 YouTube™ videos were collected for the analysis and stratified according to uploading year (2009-2014 vs 2015-2020). According to the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for audio-visual content, the overall Understandability score was 60% (interquartile range 45.5-75) and the overall Actionability score was 100% (interquartile range 66.7-100). According to the Misinformation scale, the lowest median was recorded for item 6 ("Effects on fertility") and the overall median Misinformation score was 2 (interquartile range 1.3-2.8). No statistically significant differences were observed according to uploading year (all P > 0.05). Of all, only 54 (44.6%) videos mentioning treatment were subsequently analyzed. Of these videos, the overall Understandability was 71.4% (interquartile range 56.3-84.6) and the overall Actionability was 100% (interquartile range 66.7-100). The overall Misinformation score was 2.8 (interquartile range 2.2-3.5). The median DISCERN score recorded for question 16 was 5 (interquartile range 3-5).

CONCLUSIONS

YouTube™ is a fast and open-access source for mass information. The overall quality of the testicular cancer contents provided is sadly unsatisfactory, in the present likewise in the past. However, YouTube™ videos mentioning treatment options showed higher quality content, than the remaining one. Nevertheless, all the videos analyzed underestimated the testicular cancer effects on fertility. Nowadays, YouTube™ cannot be recommended as a reliable source of information on testicular cancer.

Navigating the Next Wave of Social Media: Future Plans to Boost Dissemination of the European Association of Urology Guidelines

The uptake and utilisation of social media (SoMe) in medicine are rapidly increasing, and several new platforms and media have come to the forefront in recent times. The European Association of Urology Guidelines Office Dissemination Committee is at the forefront of this evolution and has a multifaceted strategy with content on appropriate use of SoMe that includes a new guidelines chapter, cheat sheets to present existing guidelines, precision SoMe content, social audio, and greater patient advocacy in its content and dissemination.

A quality evaluation of the clinical practice guidelines on breast cancer using the RIGHT checklist

Background

Breast cancer is the most frequent type of cancer in women. The methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) on breast cancer has been shown to be heterogeneous. The aim of our study was to evaluate the quality of breast cancer CPGs published in years 2018-2020, using the Reporting Items for Practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT) checklist.

Methods

We searched Medline (via PubMed), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang and Chinese Biomedical Literature (CBM) as well as websites of guideline organizations for CPGs on breast cancer published between 2018 and 2020. We used the RIGHT checklist to evaluate the reporting quality of the included guidelines by assessing whether the CPGs adhered to each item of the checklist and calculated the proportions of appropriately reported RIGHT checklist items. We also presented the adherence reporting rates for each guideline and the mean rates for each of the seven domains of the RIGHT checklist.

Results

A total of 45 guidelines were included. Eighteen (40.0%) guidelines had an overall reporting rate below 50% and only three (6.7%) reported more than 80% of the items. The domains “Basic information” and “Background” had the highest reporting rates (75.9% and 62.5%, respectively). The mean reporting rates of the domains “Evidence”, “Recommendation”, “Review and quality assurance”, “Funding and declaration and management of interests” and “Other information” were 42.7%, 53.0%, 33.3%, 45.0%, and 44.4%, respectively.

Conclusions

The reporting quality varied among guidelines for breast cancer, showing the need for improvement in reporting the contents. Guideline developers should pay more attention to reporting the evidence, review and quality assurance, and funding and declaration and management of interests in future.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Usage during COVID-19: Motivating Factors and Implications

This study was designed to investigate the roles information and communications technology (ICT) played during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we focused on the relationships between ICT use and perceived importance of social connectedness and future anxiety, while considering relevant personality and psychosocial factors. A U.S. sample of 394 adults answered questions about ICT use, pandemic-related reactions and actions, demographics, and psychosocial factors via an online survey. Using logistic regression, findings indicated that personality (extraversion and conscientiousness) and psychosocial (need to belong and perceived attachment to phone) factors, types of ICT as news source, and gender were associated with perceived importance of social connectedness. Neuroticism, time spent on ICT for social purposes, and perceived threat of COVID-19 were associated with future anxiety. In addition, using Mann-Whitney U test, people who rated higher on importance of social connectedness had higher ICT use, both in terms of types and time spent on ICT. Overall, results are consistent with the idea that technology is a coping tool during the pandemic and balanced use can lead to feelings of social connectedness and less future anxiety. Therefore, it is important for authorities to align their messaging and outreach with people's psychosocial, personality, and health considerations through ICT channels while empowering ICT users to be responsible for their interactions with the technology.