Exploring TikTok's influence on surgical patient education

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Digital Health
• Surgical Specialties

Background:

• Social media platforms like TikTok are increasingly used for health information dissemination.
• TikTok's interactive features facilitate user participation, experience sharing, and awareness of medical conditions.
• The platform simplifies complex medical procedures and enhances user engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the influence of the TikTok short-video application on surgical patient education.
• To assess the role of TikTok in disseminating surgical information and patient awareness.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted using PRISMA guidelines.
• Databases searched included PubMed and ScienceDirect from inception to 2024.
• Search terms focused on "TikTok AND Surgery," "TikTok AND Surgical Education," and "TikTok AND surgery AND patient."

Main Results:

• Out of 697 initial citations, 50 relevant studies were included in the analysis.
• TikTok is widely used by patients across various surgical specialties, impacting their education.
• The platform aids public health awareness and allows surgeons to share educational content on techniques and patient information.

Conclusions:

• TikTok is increasingly utilized for health information dissemination in various surgical specialties.
• The platform offers opportunities to enhance surgical patient education and public health awareness.
• Challenges include information accuracy, potential misinformation, and lack of regulation, necessitating active surgeon and healthcare professional involvement in content creation.