JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Approximately 81,000 monkeypox cases have been confirmed globally during the ongoing 2022 outbreak. Online and social media platforms can help disseminate up-to-date information on monkeypox but can also cause patient harm by propagating misinformation. TikTok is currently the most downloaded app globally, with >1 billion monthly active users. However, there have been no studies investigating the quality of monkeypox content on TikTok. Hence, our aim was to analyze popular monkeypox content on TikTok to assess metrics affecting user engagement and content quality. TikTok was searched for videos using the term “monkeypox” on August 27, 2022. Metadata and content quality were assessed by two independent reviewers using DISCERN, a validated 16-item instrument to evaluate quality of health information scored from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). The mean DISCERN score was 2.8 (standard deviation [SD]=1.0), with high interrater reliability (Cohen’s kappa >0.8). Physician videos had a significantly higher mean DISCERN score (4.0) and lesser variation in scores (SD=0.5) compared to non-physician videos (mean DISCERN=2.1, SD=1.0; p<0.00001). Low DISCERN scores were most common on items involving sources of information and treatment choices. Only one video mentioned tecovirimat, and no videos mentioned vaccinia immune globulin, cidofovir or brincidofovir. Our findings highlight the potential for physicians to reduce monkeypox misinformation on TikTok. Physician creators posting monkeypox content on TikTok should consider including discussion of treatments and using hashtags selectively to increase user engagement.