Most gynecologic cancer information on TikTok is misleading or false, with a study showing 73% of content is inaccurate. The research also highlights racial disparities in the shared content, emphasizing the need for reputable and accurate sources.
Chambers was interested in learning more about the unspoken concerns of her patients, who are often mothers and young women. She wanted to understand how these patients were using social media, what information they were sharing, and how they were consuming that information. Laura Chambers, DO, studies gynecologic cancer content on TikTok and found the top posts to be of poor educational value. Chambers identified many posts that talked about unregulated substances and supplements to treat cancer with no medical proof. To combat the spread of misinformation on social media apps like TikTok, Chambers has an open dialogue with patients to answer questions. Credit: The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center — Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J.
“This data inspired a lot of questions about where to go next in addressing these inaccuracies and communicating with patients directly, especially focusing on opportunities to create more diverse content to overcome racial and cultural disparities related to treatment of these cancers,” says Chambers.