JMIR Infodemiology · Published 2026-06-24 · DOI 10.2196/85397
Rui Huang, Yajing Shen, Guangqing Zou, Jun Zhou, Xiaolu Deng, Qian Li, Xiaoxiong Chen
Abstract BackgroundTetanus is a severe but vaccine-preventable neurological disease that remains a public health concern, especially in resource-limited settings. As social media becomes an important source of health information, concerns persist regarding the quality and reliability of tetanus-related content online. ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the quality, reliability, and thematic characteristics of tetanus-related videos on YouTube and TikTok and to examine the relationship between engagement metrics and information quality. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using tetanus-related videos retrieved from YouTube and TikTok on August 1, 2025. The top 100 eligible videos from each platform were included (n=200). Video quality was assessed using the Global Quality Scale, whereas reliability and transparency were evaluated using the modified DISCERN tool and the Journal of the American Medical Association ResultsYouTube videos showed significantly higher quality and reliability than TikTok videos, with higher median Global Quality Scale, modified DISCERN, and Journal of the American Medical AssociationPPPPP ConclusionsYouTube provided more comprehensive and reliable tetanus-related information than TikTok, although content quality on both platforms remained inconsistent. Greater involvement from health care professionals and clearer evidence-based communication may help improve the quality of health information shared on social media platforms.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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Huang, R., Shen, Y., Zou, G., et al. (2026). Tetanus Health Information on YouTube and TikTok: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Quality, Reliability, and Public Health Implications. JMIR Infodemiology. https://doi.org/10.2196/85397