STORY FORMAT: Digital/Print Article WORD COUNT: 724 WRITTEN BY: Rebecca Guldberg TikTok Health Advice: How Accurate Is It Really? A Research Team at The Duke University School of Medicine Examined Health Videos On TikTok for Accuracy and Were Surprised By Some of Their Findings. Scrolling through TikTok can be a mind-numbing, easy source of entertainment but beyond the dance challenges and adorable animal videos, there is also a lot of health advice. Are these videos trustworthy, or are they just a lot of noise? Dr. Jenny Wu, an OB-GYN resident at The Duke University School of Medicine worked along with a team of researchers to answer this question. It all started when Dr. Wu, a millennial, stumbled upon a video that left her stunned. “I was scrolling through TikTok, and a video just stopped me in my tracks,” Dr. Wu recalls. The video showed a woman visibly in pain while getting an IUD (intrauterine device) placed — and it got Dr. Wu thinking. She noticed some of her patients were skeptical about IUDs, a T-shaped device put in the uterus to provide long-term birth control. “When I asked them, is it because of something you saw online? Is it because of TikTok? They would say, 'Yes, I've seen these things on TikTok that make me really concerned about this,” she explains. “And so that's kind of the initial reason why we studied this.” With TikTok now a major source of health information for many — over 50% of Gen Z users reportedly turn to the platform for health advice — Dr. Wu and her team decided to dig deeper. They analyzed TikTok videos on four key health topics: IUDs, endometriosis, vasectomies, and medication abortions. Their goal? To assess the accuracy and tone of the information being shared. IUDs: A Painful Picture Starting with IUDs, the team examined the 100 most-liked TikTok videos about the device. Overall, they discovered that most of the videos were not made by medical professionals and they did not contain a lot of accurate health information. “97% were really talking about and highlighting pain or negative side effects associated with the IUD," she explains. "It was really eye-opening that so many of these videos had such a negative experience or a negative impression of an IUD." The findings prompted Dr. Wu to adjust her practice. “I offer all my patients something for pain management during an IUD,” she explains. Interestingly, the impact of these TikTok videos extended beyond her clinic. “This week, the CDC updated its guidelines to recommend pain management options for IUD placement,” Dr. Wu adds. It seems the conversation on social media is influencing change at the highest levels. Endometriosis and Vasectomies: Personal Stories, Limited Medical Input When it came to endometriosis and vasectomies, Dr. Wu and her team found a similar trend. “About 75% of them were not made by healthcare professionals, they were made by people talking about their personal experience," she reveals. Most focused on personal stories of infertility, surgical experiences, and negative views on hormonal treatments. "I think that is kind of an overall trend on TikTok is a kind of negative sentiment towards hormonal contraception, hormonal options in general, which is pretty alarming," she says. The content on vasectomies was also predominantly anecdotal, often discussing reversibility and potential side effects with little factual grounding. Medication Abortions: A Surprising Twist One surprising finding emerged in the study of TikTok videos about medication abortions. Unlike other topics, the majority of these videos were relatively accurate. “Actually, we found that a lot of these videos were created by abortion service organizations. 45% of videos offered resources on how to obtain an abortion and there was pretty reliable and accurate health information on that topic," she says. "It's not all medical misinformation," she says. "There is an avenue and there are ways in which we can really engage patients where they are." The Verdict: Proceed with Caution So, what’s the takeaway? While TikTok can be a valuable source of information, it’s essential to approach it with a critical eye. Dr. Wu emphasizes the importance of double-checking the information and discussing concerns with healthcare providers. “What I really want to do is empower people to talk to their providers about what they see, especially if it's something that is concerning to them,” she says. While Dr. Wu isn’t planning on becoming a TikTok influencer herself, she advocates for collaboration between medical professionals and social media influencers to ensure more accurate health information circulates online. TikTok can be a great tool for learning — but when it comes to your health, always verify before you trust.