Harm Related to Social Media Misinformation on Pelvic Organ Prolapse in YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest Posts

Abstract

Social media can improve patient education but may pose risks due to misinformation. There is no consensus on categorizing types of misinformation and harm. This study aimed to categorize and quantify misinformation and resultant harm from posts on YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram on pelvic organ prolapse (POP), a prevalent benign condition that impacts quality of life. We conducted a descriptive study of 300 posts presented in these platforms in 2019. Using Fisher exact test, we show a significant difference in the distribution of misinformation between social media platforms. Harmful posts were most frequently present on Pinterest, leading to harmful inaction and economic harm.

Keywords

• social media
• misinformation
• harm
• pelvic organ prolapse