(109) AS SEEN ON TIKTOK: PERCEPTIONS AND UNDERSTANDINGS OF HORMONAL CONTRACEPTIVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Authors: Kalifa N , Beil J , Tesema F , Watkins S E 
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Contraception plays an integral role in many women’s lives and is essential for family planning and treatment of myriad health conditions. Between 2017-2019, approximately 65% of women aged 15 to 49 in the United States were actively using a form of birth control. Social media has a significant influence over the contraceptive choices of many reproductive-aged women. TikTok, a platform established in 2017, is one of the fastest growing worldwide social media applications. In 2018, it was recognized in top charts as “Most Downloaded”, and by 2023, approximately 150 million Americans became active users. Beyond its entertainment value, TikTok serves as a communication platform to nearly 5 million businesses, and the healthcare sector is no exception.

Objective

This study assessed the attitudes and information users share about hormonal contraceptives (HC) on TikTok, to elucidate the type of information women are receiving. Additionally, the potential for healthcare providers to use this platform as a means to educate and reach millions of patients was explored.

Methods

Apify, a free data-scraping tool, was used to automatically extract and compile 593 TikTok videos. Frequently searched hashtags, such as #birthcontrol, #hormonalcontraceptive, and #pregnancyprevention, were utilized to identify videos. Inclusion criteria included videos from US-based content creators and videos with English audio or text. The number of views and shares, length of video, and location of content creator for each TikTok were populated by the online application and imported onto RedCap for data collection. Demographic data such as gender and what type of content creator was providing the information, along with topics being portrayed and characteristics of each video, were also collected on RedCap.

Results

150 TikTok videos met our inclusion criteria. The average length of each TikTok was 47.08 seconds. The average number of views and shares were 4,623,942 and 9,952, respectively. The predominant HCs discussed were intrauterine devices (IUDs), depo-provera injections, and contraceptive implants. Prevalent themes included negative personal anecdotes, general health information, and side effects. Additionally, the most common characteristics of the Tiktoks were humor and education. Most of the content creators were female (91%), and non-medical professionals (62%). Of the videos created by medical professionals, 25% were created by physicians, 26% by nurse practitioners, followed by nurse midwives (19%), physician assistants (14%), and registered nurses (5%).

Conclusions

Through short and engaging videos, TikTok has the ability to reach a wide and diverse audience. Oftentimes, users create TikToks that reveal their concerns, frustrating encounters, and how side effects impact their lives. Further studies may include determining how personal experiences of HC influence TikTok users’ acceptability, adherence, and attitudes. Given its reach, medical professionals should consider using the platform to engage with patients and provide evidence based education regarding HC.

Disclosure

No.