Analysis of Content Related to Retrograde Cricopharyngeal Dysfunction on TikTok: Opportunities for Patient Education and Advocacy.

Abstract

Objective: TikTok has experienced exponential growth as a social media platform, with over 1 billion active users. Concurrently, retrograde cricopharyngeal dysfunction (RCPD) has seen a surge in awareness among patients and on social media. Our objective was to characterize the most popular RCPD-related content on TikTok.

Methods: The top 50 videos associated with the following hashtags were analyzed: "RCPD," "noburp," "retrograde cricopharyngeal dysfunction," and "noburpsyndrome." Recorded metrics included views, likes, and comments, along with information regarding the creator's identity, gender, geographical location, and the video's purpose.

Results: One hundred and three videos were included in the final analysis, with a cumulative total of 32 284 962 views, 3 185 271 likes, and 54 664 comments. Over 90% of these videos were created by patients or the general public, with less than 5% attributed to physicians. The primary purpose of these videos varied, with 46.60% aimed at educating viewers about RCPD, 23.30% serving as post-treatment testimonies, and 14.56% demonstrating symptoms.

Conclusion: TikTok is a highly popular platform for RCPD-related content. Patient education, treatment testimonies, and symptom demonstration were the most common primary purposes of these videos. Considering the limited representation of physician-generated content, this social media landscape represents an opportunity for otolaryngologists to leverage TikTok for educational outreach and patient advocacy.