An Analysis of the Quality of TikTok Videos on Epidural Anesthesia

Introduction: TikTok is a social media application that is an informal hub for health information. One of the prominent health topics on social media is epidural anesthesia. Epidurals decrease the need for systemic medications, effectively lowering the risk of sedation, nausea, and respiratory depression compared to general anesthesia. This study evaluates the relationship between engagement metrics and content quality of TikTok videos related to epidural anesthesia using the DISCERN assessment tool. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on the top 50 TikTok videos under the hashtag "#epidural." Each video was independently evaluated by three medical students using the DISCERN instrument. Engagement metrics-including likes, shares, and saves-were collected and compared against DISCERN scores. Videos were also categorized by author type (healthcare vs. non-healthcare), and statistical comparisons were made using Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: Healthcare content showed slightly higher DISCERN scores than non-healthcare content, though differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.113). Across all engagement metrics, low-engagement videos generally had higher DISCERN scores, suggesting that higher-quality content does not necessarily translate to broader user interaction. Non-healthcare videos received more likes and saves, indicating greater popularity despite potentially lower quality content. Conclusion: This study findings underscore the need for healthcare professionals to produce more engaging, high-quality content and increased communication between anesthesiologists and obstetricians. Further research can also be done on how platform algorithms, audience demographics, and posting strategies affect the dissemination of accurate medical information.