TransTok – An analysis of surgical gender affirmation content on TikTok

Wang, Fei; Cheng, Tiffany; Chemakin, Katherine; Rothchild, Evan; Ricci, Joseph A.

doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2023.05.038

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…It is important for surgeons to consider that patients seeking FF surgery are often in the same demographic consuming TikTok and Instagram at the highest rates. Recent data show that 60% of people who identify as transgender are younger than 30 years 6 ; similarly, 60% of TikTok users are between the ages of 9 and 24 years 7 . Therefore, it is important for medical providers to be aware of the medical information (and potential misinformation) being circulated within this patient cohort.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, among these, only 30% are produced by board-certified plastic surgeons 1 . These statistics are even more skewed for gender-affirming content: 75% of gender-affirming surgery content is produced by patients rather than by providers, and less than 8% of videos are created by plastic and reconstructive surgeons 6 . This pattern raises questions about the accuracy of information patients may rely on.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing the Reliability of Facial Feminization Content on Social Media and Its Impact on the Dissemination of Misinformation

Hauc,

Mehrzad,

Rivera

et al. 2024

Ann Plast Surg

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Background The surge in social media usage has transformed the dissemination and consumption of healthcare information, notably impacting plastic surgery and cosmetic specialties. This study focuses on the influence of social media, particularly Instagram and TikTok, in shaping perceptions of individuals seeking facial feminization (FF) procedures. Methods Using the validated DISCERN scale, we assessed the reliability and accuracy of FF content on TikTok and Instagram. The study also analyzed the relationship between content reliability on engagement metrics (likes, comments, views) and the type of content shared (educational, testimonial, promotional). Results The analysis encompassed 225 TikTok videos and 75 Instagram posts. TikTok content showed 9.33% as “very poor,” 66.2% as “poor,” 22.6% as “fair,” and only 1.33% as “excellent.” Similarly, Instagram content demonstrated 14.67% as “very poor” and 69.33% as “poor,” with no content rated as “good” or “excellent.” Educational content received higher reliability scores on both platforms. TikTok engagement metrics showed lower reliability ratings correlating with more views, comments, and likes. Conclusion The study underscores the critical role of social media in shaping patient perspectives on FF procedures. The prevalence of inaccurate information necessitates a focus on responsible engagement by healthcare professionals, aiming to provide accurate, educational content that aligns with patients' informational needs and ultimately enhances surgical outcomes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Reliability of Facial Feminization Content on Social Media and Its Impact on the Dissemination of Misinformation

Hauc,

Mehrzad,

Rivera

et al. 2024

Ann Plast Surg

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: Social Media and Gender-affirming Surgerymentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Similarly, a study of 429 TikTok gender affirmation surgery videos, including GGAS, found that physician-created TikToks scored significantly higher both modified DISCERN and PEMAT scores [32]. Patient-made TikToks had significantly higher likes and comments than physician-made content [32]. Notably, a recent study assessed GGAS surgeon perspective on a new online platform for surgeon and community engagement, finding that GGAS surgeons were generally not in support for such an online space [33].…”

Section: Social Media and Gender-affirming Surgerymentioning

confidence: 99%

Patient education and surgical decision-making in genital gender-affirming surgery

Arteaga,

Dryden,

Blasdel

2024

Current Opinion in Urology

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Purpose of review An update on the latest advances in surgical decision-making for genital gender-affirming surgery (GGAS), with an emphasis on patient education from three perspectives: surgeon-team perspectives, patient perspectives, and educational resources available to the public on social media. Recent findings Transgender, nonbinary, and other culturally specific gender identities (TGNB) patients overwhelmingly desire an active role in the decision-making process. New developments in patient-engagement strategies help mitigate the harm of historical gatekeeping practices by centering the needs and experiences of TGNB patients to create a prioritized research agenda for GGAS effectiveness. Patient educational resources play an integral role in navigating the complexity of GGAS-surgical options, informing patients of the technical and logistical knowledge required for GGAS surgical decision-making. Peer support experiences are a critical facilitator for patient surgical decision-making, both for informed decision-making and for psychosocial support. Summary Several developments have been made in examining shared-decision making, educational resources from the perspectives of both the surgical team and patients, and the role of social media in GGAS. Surgeons must continue to initiate robust conversations of patient goals, GGAS surgical options, the possible risk and benefit profiles of each option, and aftercare requirements, all while prioritizing patient-engagement strategies.

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Prejuvenation: What Social Media Tells Us About the Rising Trend

Rothchild,

Jung,

Wang

et al. 2023

Aesthetic Surgery Journal

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Background “Prejuvenation,” a practice gaining enormous popularity amongst younger adults, can largely attribute its explosive growth to TikTok (ByteDance, Culver City, CA), the platform where many first encounter this trend. Despite the rising usage of prejuvenation, however, there is a lack of clarity regarding its clinical practice and efficacy. Objectives To investigate the understandability, reliability, and actionability of prejuvenation-related TikTok content. Methods TikTok was queried using 13 hashtags consisting of popular colloquial terms associated with prejuvenation treatments, and the top 25 videos meeting inclusion criteria for each hashtag were analyzed. For each video, poster credentials and video type were determined. Videos considered “educational” was analyzed using the validated modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) score and the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) scales. Creator’s prejuvenation recommendations were recorded. Univariate and linear regression models were utilized for analysis. Results 303 videos amassed over 61,000,000 million views, 3,957,091 likes, 24,455 comments, and 71,697 shares. Non-physicians posted the most videos (n = 257, 84.8%) and had significantly higher median views, likes, comments, and engagement than physician videos. Analysis of “educational” videos showed that most videos (50, 67%) supported the use of prejuvenation treatments, 18 (24%) were neutral, and 6 (8%) were opposed. Conclusions Prejuvenation content on TikTok varies widely in terms of quality and recommendations, calling for more standardization regarding the practice. Physician-generated prejuvenation content was more reliable, but distinguishing it from non-physician content is challenging, underscoring the need for platform-specific verification tools.

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TransTok – An analysis of surgical gender affirmation content on TikTok

Cited by 7 publications

References 27 publications

Assessing the Reliability of Facial Feminization Content on Social Media and Its Impact on the Dissemination of Misinformation

Assessing the Reliability of Facial Feminization Content on Social Media and Its Impact on the Dissemination of Misinformation

Patient education and surgical decision-making in genital gender-affirming surgery

Prejuvenation: What Social Media Tells Us About the Rising Trend

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