Exploring the Quality of TikTok-Based Diabetes Self-Management Education in English and Spanish: A Digital Health Study.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate TikTok videos about type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in English and Spanish, with a focus on the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists' 7 self-care behaviors (ADCES7).

Methods: This descriptive study analyzed 300 TikTok videos via English and Spanish hashtags related to T2DM and categorized self-management education content utilizing the ADCES7 self-care behavior framework. Video content creators were categorized into 3 groups: health care professionals, personal accounts, and companies. The Global Quality Scale (GQS) was used to assess video quality from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). User engagement metrics were recorded to examine differences across videos.

Results: The analysis of videos revealed that healthy eating was the most frequently addressed ADCES7 self-care behavior, followed by reducing risk. In contrast, problem-solving and healthy coping were the least represented. Spanish-language videos emphasized healthy coping more than English content. Health care professionals' videos had higher GQS scores than personal accounts and companies. However, overall GQS scores remained low-engagement varied by source, with personal creators generating the highest levels of likes and comments.

Conclusions: Traditional in-person diabetes education has limited accessibility, especially for various groups, including Hispanic communities. This study found that TikTok content often lacked high-quality and comprehensive coverage of ADCES7 self-care behaviors, with personal accounts generating the most engagement despite lower quality. Given TikTok's rapid growth, there is an urgent need to improve the quality of diabetes-management content to ensure users receive accurate and reliable information.