INTRODUCTION: The internet has become a primary resource for health information, and social media offers an interactive dimension absent from traditional search engines. Nearly one-third of women under 40 report social media as their primary source of menopause-related knowledge. Although social media may be a way to disseminate medical and supportive treatments for menopausal symptoms, the demand has opened the door for commercial advertising and misinformation. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to characterize and assess the quality of menopause-related content on popular social media platforms (TikTok and Instagram). We hypothesized that most content would originate from non-medical contributors and that a significant proportion would be inaccurate or misleading. METHODS: A cross-sectional content analysis was conducted of the 100 most popular posts on TikTok and Instagram using the search term “menopause.” To enhance algorithm-driven content delivery, a mock profile representing a woman in her 50s was created, allowing the platforms to generate targeted posts and advertisements. Exclusion criteria included non-English, irrelevant, or duplicate content. Extracted variables included source, video length, engagement metrics, sponsorship/advertisement status, intervention type, and symptom focus. Content accuracy was classified. Data and Information Scrutinizing and Evaluating Reliability of News (DISCERN) criteria and the Patient Education Materials and Assessment Tool (PEMAT) were applied to evaluate quality and understandability/actionability of the social media content. RESULTS: A total of 200 posts were analyzed. Engagement was higher on TikTok (30,822.7 ± 77,554.9 likes) compared with Instagram (13,641.8 ± 26,231.8 likes). Of all posts, 22.5% were sponsored and 6% were advertisements. Sources included lay individuals (54%), non-obstetrician and gynecologist (OBGYN) physicians (13.5%), OBGYNs (12%), other healthcare providers (7%), advertisements (6%), naturopaths (5.5%), news outlets (1%), and pharmaceutical companies (1%). The most common interventions mentioned were supplements (51.5%), hormone replacement therapy (25.5%), coaching (16%), exercise (8.5%), and diet (4%). Symptoms most frequently addressed included weight and metabolism (32%), vasomotor (31.5%), mood and cognitive (31%), sleep and energy (30.5%), and sexual and genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) symptoms (20%). Of the 200 posts, 48.5% were medically accurate, 11.5% inaccurate, 34% misleading, and 6% made no medical claims. Inaccurate and misleading posts were predominantly created by lay individuals (78% and 54%, respectively). Posts by OBGYNs had the highest accuracy rate (96%) and were significantly more likely to be accurate than those by non-OBGYN physicians (59%, p=0.006). The average DISCERN score indicated fair to good quality (TikTok: 2.5 ± 0.81; Instagram: 2.78 ± 0.79). PEMAT scores suggested moderate understandability (TikTok: 7.32 ± 1.20; Instagram: 7.06 ± 1.07) but poor actionability (TikTok: 1.62 ± 1.20; Instagram: 1.12 ± 1.13). CONCLUSIONS: Social media is a widely used but variably reliable source of menopause-related information. Most content is produced by non-medical contributors, with commercial promotion—especially of supplements—outpacing evidence-based interventions. Nearly half of posts were inaccurate or misleading, with lay sources contributing the majority of misinformation. DISCERN and PEMAT scores highlight areas for improvement in content quality, understandability, and actionability. These findings underscore the need for greater professional engagement and structured efforts to promote accurate, evidence-based menopause content online.Figure 1Table 1
Kasoff et al. (Fri,) studied this question.