Analysis Reveals Poor Quality of Most-Viewed TikTok Videos on Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Recent research has highlighted that the most popular TikTok videos discussing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are of low quality in terms of medical accuracy. Despite these videos garnering millions of views, they often lack reliable information and authoritative sources, raising concerns about the spread of misinformation on social media platforms. The study, published in Gastroenterology Nursing, analyzed 86 TikTok videos concerning IBD — all posted by individuals with the condition and none by healthcare professionals — and found that the average quality score on the Global Quality Scale was just two out of five.

It was observed that a significant proportion of these videos focused on ostomies, including topics like changing ostomy bags and normalizing living with an ostomy through humor and music. Advocacy and raising awareness about IBD’s invisible symptoms followed as common themes, alongside discussions on disease management and social interactions. While TikTok offers a platform where individuals can share their experiences and foster support, the low quality of medically-related content suggests a crucial opportunity for healthcare providers to engage more actively.

Experts emphasize that TikTok's huge reach among young adults, who are often in the typical age range for IBD onset, makes it an important venue for targeted education. Dr. Samantha Winders from the University of Washington notes that with proper contributions by healthcare professionals, TikTok could serve as a powerful tool for enhancing public understanding of IBD, dispelling myths, and providing accurate, tailored information. Overall, while TikTok can promote awareness, these findings underscore the need for qualified healthcare outreach to ensure accurate health messaging in the digital age.

source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-viewed-tiktok-videos-inflammatory-bowel.html