Descriptive Analysis and Quality Assessment of Colorectal Cancer Videos on TikTok

Abstract

Social media is constantly evolving. This study assessed 150 TikTok videos related to colorectal cancer (CRC) using the hashtags #colonoscopy, #coloncancer, and #coloncancerawareness, measured video quality engagement metrics, and examined the potential effect of influencers. Two independent raters used the Global Quality Scale (GQS) tool to rate video quality. The study found that videos posted by healthcare professionals (M = 2.89, SD = 1.19) had a significantly higher GQS score (p < .001) compared to personal content creators (M = 1.79, SD = 0.90). Videos with music, including popular trending sounds, had a significantly greater number of views than videos with dialogue alone (p = .05). This study sheds light on the substantial role of influencers in increasing engagement. The hashtags #coloncancer and #coloncancerawareness were more likely to be utilized after a young influencer raised awareness and later died from colon cancer. The relationship was significant χ2 (2,  = 6.84), p = .033, and videos had a statistically significantly higher average GQS rating (p = .012). Future research should examine TikTok and influencer collaborations as effective strategies for raising awareness about CRC among young, diverse minority populations at heightened risk, ensuring communication efforts resonate with these communities.