Descriptive analysis of TikTok content on vaccination in Arabic

Abstract

The extensive impact of social media on communication of public health information is a growing concern. This is particularly worrying in the context of vaccination. Thus, we investigated the quality of TikTok videos regarding vaccination in Arabic, with examination of the association of video source and content type with the information quality and video engagement metrics. The final sample comprised a total of 129 TikTok videos in Arabic posted between January 2021 and July 2024. Videos were categorized based on the source [healthcare professional (HCPs), lay individuals, media], and content type (COVID-19 vaccination, childhood vaccination, general vaccination, others). We utilized a miniaturized version of the DISCERN instrument (mini-DISCERN) scale to evaluate information quality by two independent raters and assessed video engagement metrics (Likes, Comments, Shares, and Saves). The results indicated a statistically significant discrepancy in information quality, with videos from HCPs and media outlets scoring higher on the mini-DISCERN scale compared to those from lay individuals [mean: (4.818 ± 0.726) vs. (4.053 ± 1.441) vs. (2.003 ± 1.640), P < 0.001]. The highest information quality was found for videos on childhood vaccination, whereas content on COVID-19 vaccination was rated significantly lower on mini-DISCERN [mean: (4.510 ± 1.269) vs. (2.542 ± 1.827), P < 0.001]. Videos with higher engagement metrics, particularly those from lay individuals, were negatively correlated with information quality. Linear regression analysis confirmed the significant influence of the creator background (β = -0.618, P < 0.001) and video topic (β = 0.179, P = 0.009) on information quality. This study highlights the critical role of content creator background and topic on the quality of vaccination-related information on TikTok in Arabic. We emphasize the need for stringent verification of TikTok content, especially from lay individuals, as videos with higher engagement metrics often contained lower-quality information regarding vaccination. We recommend enhanced support for content from HCPs and targeted digital literacy programs to combat vaccine misinformation on TikTok effectively.

Keywords: content quality; health communication; misinformation; social media; vaccination.

Figure 1.. The list of original search keywords in Arabic and its corresponding translated versions in English. As noted in the first and fifth keywords, the term “vaccination” can be expressed with two synonyms in Arabic.

Figure 2.. The process of selecting TikTok videos' dataset.

Figure 3.. The distribution of TikTok videos included in the study based on the dialect. UAE: United Arab Emirates; KSA: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The map was generated in Microsoft Excel, powered by Bing, © GeoNames, Microsoft, Navinfo, TomTom, Wikipedia. We are neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in this map.

Figure 4.. Engagement metrics and weighted engagement categories based on the number of followers of the included TikTok videos stratified per source category. HCP: Self-identified health care professional; Media: Traditional media and journalists (including TV/news websites); Lay: lay individuals; CI: confidence interval of the mean; and P values were calculated using the Kruskal Wallis test.