Comparative assessment of YouTube and TikTok videos as a source of information for minimally invasive benign prostatic obstruction surgical therapies

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Background Minimally invasive surgical therapies (MISTs) for benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) are increasingly popular, but their benefits may be overstated. Patients progressively turn to online sources like YouTube and TikTok for health information, with questionable accuracy and clarity, especially in treatments with unclear benefit–risk profile, such as MISTs. This study aims to evaluate the quality, understandability and reliability of content about MISTs for BPO on YouTube and TikTok. Methods We conducted an independent search on YouTube and TikTok for videos about MISTs for BPO, with prespecified eligibility criteria. Video characteristics (views, likes, duration, publication year, procedures discussed) were collected. For each video, quality, understandability and actionability were assessed using the DISCERN and Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) A/V instruments. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann–Whitney U test and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (ρ). Results Overall, 100 YouTube and 100 TikTok videos were included. Compared to TikTok, YouTube videos were longer and demonstrated better content quality (DISCERN Q16: U = 6,192, p < 0.001, probability of superiority [PS] = 0.62; total score: U = 6,917, p < 0.001, PS = 0.69) but not understandability (U = 4,823, p = 0.67, PS = 0.48), while actionability scores were low across both platforms. The most frequently discussed procedures were Rezum and Aquablation on YouTube, and UroLift and prostatic artery embolization on TikTok. Across the sample, video quality was modestly associated with longer duration (DISCERN Q16: ρ = 0.48, p < 0.01; total score ρ = 0.53, p < 0.01) and slightly more views and likes. Conclusion YouTube and TikTok videos about MISTs for BPO are of adequate understandability, but with suboptimal quality and actionability. Overall, YouTube videos tend to score significantly higher than TikTok ones.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.