Health care scams are an escalating national concern, with significant health and financial implications. As these crimes continue to impact millions of Americans, public awareness is critical. This article reviews several government web sites to help readers identify, understand, prevent, and report common health care scams. The health care scam pages reviewed are on Medline Plus, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The East Brunswick Public Library (EBPL) is a single branch library located in the heart of New Jersey. Its grassroots program, Just for the Health of It, is a community-focused health literacy program that educates and empowers individuals with vital health and wellness information so that everyone, regardless of background, can make informed decisions about their health and have an equitable opportunity to live their best life possible. The program demonstrates the impact that a single suburban library can play in building a healthy community by fostering a broad network of partnerships with local hospitals, healthcare providers, and community organizations. These collaborations have afforded the community with a wide range of free health and wellness programs and screenings. Just for the Health of It puts good health within everyone's reach, with a focus on low-income residents, immigrants, seniors, people with disabilities and those with low literacy.
The need for health information from parents and caregivers of children is great. Parents and caregivers frequently turn to the internet for health information to make decisions for their children. Access to trustworthy health information impacts parents' and caregivers' anxiety and on the decisions that they make about their children's health. HealthyChildren.org is a parenting website published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) with written, audio, visual, and interactive content about parenting topics such as health, wellness, family dynamics, and safety. The content is created and reviewed by AAP's pediatrician members. Options for personalization, text, and email alerts make HealthyChildren.org a convenient and accessible source of information on pediatric health and wellbeing. By using HealthyChildren.org, parents may be able to make decisions for their children's wellbeing and navigate their children's healthcare journey with confidence.
In recent years, user-generated content on social media has become a major source of health information. YouTube, with its audiovisual format and global accessibility, plays a critical role in shaping public awareness of medical issues. However, there is limited knowledge on how chronic wounds-particularly pressure ulcers-are portrayed and perceived on this platform. Pressure ulcers are serious complications in immobilized patients, contributing to prolonged hospitalizations, increased morbidity, and substantial healthcare costs. This study aimed to investigate decade-long trends in public engagement, lexical patterns, and sentiment in YouTube comments related to pressure ulcers. A retrospective analysis was conducted on videos uploaded to YouTube between 2015 and 2025 using the keywords "pressure ulcer," "bed sore," and "decubitus ulcer." A total of 1,368 user comments from 161 eligible videos were extracted and processed using natural language processing. Annual trends in uploads, comment volume, and word count were analyzed. Frequent terms were identified, and sentiment was categorized as positive, neutral, or negative. Seasonal and temporal variations were assessed statistically. Public engagement increased over the decade, peaking in 2024 for video uploads and in 2025 for comments (n = 332) and total word count (n = 8,928). The most common words were "wound," "thank," and "good." Positive sentiment declined from nearly 50% in 2018 to below 40% in 2024, while neutral sentiment became dominant after 2021 (56%in2025). No significant seasonal differences were found (p > 0.05). This ten-year analysis reveals a growing YouTube discourse on pressure ulcers, marked by a shift toward neutral, informational content. YouTube holds promise as a tool for public education and caregiver awareness.
Objective: To compare video characteristics, information quality, and user engagement of SUI-related videos on TikTok and Bilibili, and to examine whether quality is associated with engagement. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional content analysis of 200 videos (100 per platform) retrieved using predefined Chinese keywords within the same time window. Video duration, time since upload, uploader type, and engagement metrics were extracted. Information quality was assessed using the Global Quality Score (GQS) and modified DISCERN. Between-platform comparisons, Spearman correlations, and regression analyses were performed. Results: TikTok videos showed significantly higher engagement than Bilibili videos. Bilibili videos were longer and older. TikTok had a higher GQS passing rate (>= 3), while modified DISCERN passing rates did not differ significantly. On both platforms, neither GQS nor modified DISCERN was significantly associated with engagement. Conclusions: Platform differences exist in engagement and selected quality indicators, but higher information quality does not translate into higher engagement.
Background Hantavirus is an incurable, highly contagious, and fatal infection caused by rodent exposure. Although it can be prevented with precautionary measures and public awareness, there is no evidence regarding the quality and readability of online information on this subject. It is important to evaluate online sources as a DISCERN study to help improve public knowledge and safety in this regard. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the quality and readability of online health resources on hantavirus. Methods Search engines used were Google, Bing, and Yahoo. A total of 20 websites were considered from each search engine using the top search words from Google Trends. The DISCERN tool was used to determine quality and readability. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA analysis were performed to evaluate the results. Results The included 37 websites from Google, Bing, and Yahoo belonged to healthcare (48.64%), government (18.91%), encyclopedia (8.10%), medical authors (13.51%), and news (10.81%). There was no significant difference between the search engine choices regarding information content (p > 0.05). Their readability was 36.68/40 (+/- 4.64), and treatment quality was 17.27/35 (+/- 6.12). Overall quality of the websites was 3.87/5 (+/- 0.89), scoring 25% excellent, 38.90% good, 25% fair, and only 11.1% poor in the DISCERN instrument. Conclusions The readability and quality of the first 20 websites about hantavirus searched from Google, Bing, and Yahoo were good and can be relied upon by users, as most of them were from healthcare, government, and medical author sources.
Waterbirth, the practice of laboring and/or delivering in warm water, has gained popularity for its reported benefits, including reduced pain, lower intervention rates, and higher maternal satisfaction, although concerns about safety remain. This study analyzed 90 YouTube videos (2009-2025) to examine the portrayal of waterbirth online. Most videos were personal, emotional, and anecdotal, often highlighting positive experiences while downplaying risks. Over time, content evolved from longer, experience-based videos to shorter, story-focused formats that featured more explicit depictions. Misleading claims appeared in some videos, and a few contained scientific references. Findings suggest YouTube significantly shapes public perceptions of waterbirth, emphasizing emotion over evidence.
Health misinformation on social media has led to difficulties in the implementation of public health measures. A questionnaire was developed through literature review, in-depth interviews, expert evaluations, and validated with a cross-sectional survey of 265 active social media users from Malaysia in December 2023. Construct validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. The final questionnaire consisted of five sections, including 32 items designed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and responses toward health misinformation on social media. Content validity showed satisfactory results, and Cronbach's alpha value was above 0.7, indicating good internal consistency.
The rapid evolution of technologies has given rise to a revolutionary advancement in the field of healthcare mobile applications. However, despite these technological advancement, a critical gap has emerged, concerning the postpartum health of mothers with limited literacy and no-literacy. This research is dedicated to addressing this gap by focusing on the design of a mobile app for postpartum healthcare among new mothers with limited literacy in Bangladesh. This study conducts a user requirement elicitation study to identify the specific user requirements. As outcome, the study specified the requirements and proposed a framework of a mobile app. A mobile app is designed in Bangla language based on the proposed conceptual framework with three modules to address the revealed requirements and is evaluated by concerned users. The data is analyzed to determine the usability parameters, such as effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. The participants were satisfied with the system after using it, as indicated by the overall satisfaction score of 4.43 on a 5-point scale. Through the designed mobile app which is sensitive to the unique needs of mothers with limited literacy of Bangladesh, this research seeks a way for a more accessible approach to address critical postpartum healthcare issues in Bangladesh.
Background: Individuals with cancer have increasingly sought cancer management-related advice, particularly demonstrating a growing interest in learning about cannabis use for symptom relief. However, patient-provider communication about cannabis use in cancer remain limited. Cancer survivors often seek information from providers and online sources, which may lead to misinformation. Understanding patient-provider communication and information-seeking behavior about non-opioid options, such as cannabis, is crucial for improving survivorship outcomes among cancer survivors. Methods: As part of a larger cross-sectional study, cancer survivors (n = 395) completed an online survey administered via Qualtrics from March to April 2022. Path model analyses were conducted to examine associations between patient-provider communication about cannabis use and information-seeking preferences with medical mistrust toward the healthcare system, healthcare satisfaction, and healthcare utilization, adjusting for age, sex, race and ethnicity. Results: Cancer survivors comfortable discussing cannabis use with cancer care providers had higher satisfaction with care (beta= -0.27, SE= 0.17, p<.001) but was not associated with medical mistrust toward the healthcare system or healthcare utilization (p = ns). Survivors seeking health information online was not associated with medical mistrust toward the healthcare system, healthcare satisfaction, or healthcare utilization (p= ns). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that comfort in discussing cannabis use with cancer care providers was significantly associated with higher healthcare satisfaction among cancer survivors. Cancer survivors who sought information online about cannabis and cancer did not report higher levels of medical mistrust toward the healthcare system, healthcare satisfaction, or healthcare utilization, compared to those who reported preferences for non-online sources.
National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) play a vital role in ensuring the safe use of medicines and empowering patients and prescribers to make informed decisions. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) employs diverse strategies to disseminate medicine safety information, including alerts, recall notices, newsletters, and targeted campaigns. In 2024, during Medicine Safety Week (November 4-10), DRAP adopted an innovative approach by delivering safety messages in 11 regional languages. This initiative leveraged Pakistan's linguistic diversity, where over 70 languages are spoken to overcome longstanding communication barriers. The multilingual campaign marked a shift toward inclusive and localized health communication, fostering stronger connections with diverse audiences. Early results underscore the effectiveness of this approach: videos in regional languages garnered unprecedented engagement. For instance, the Punjabi-language video attracted 18.1 K views and 131 reshares, while the Sindhi-language video recorded 12.4 K views and 57 reshares. These findings highlight the transformative potential of localization in public health communication. Delivering messages in native languages not only enhances comprehension and retention but also encourages active participation, such as reporting adverse drug reactions or adhering to safe medicine practices. DRAP's multilingual campaign exemplifies how culturally adaptive strategies can amplify the reach and impact of health messaging, providing valuable insights for other low- and middle-income countries navigating similar challenges.
In the current medical environment, kidney stone detection remains challenging due to limitations in diagnostic equipment and shortages of medical resources. There is an urgent need for a convenient online detection system. However, patients' expectations regarding such systems remain unclear, and further research is needed to identify these expectations and guide the design of more user-oriented solutions. This study aimed to assess the acceptance and expectations of an online kidney stone detection system among both kidney stone patients and the general population. Results from an online questionnaire revealed that although most respondents had limited knowledge of kidney stones, they expressed strong interest in, and a willingness to pay for, a convenient, accurate, and safe online detection system. In-depth interviews with kidney stone patients further highlighted key expectations, particularly with respect to accuracy, safety, and ease of use. Participants also indicated a willingness to pay, especially when the system was reasonably priced and capable of providing professional guidance. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of developing a user-friendly, scientifically accurate, safe, and cost-effective online kidney stone detection system to enhance public awareness and promote early diagnosis and management.
Despite the significant increase in demand for health information on adult ADHD, there is a substantial gap in research evaluating the information sources on adult ADHD. This study aims to systematically evaluate the readability and reliability of websites providing information on adult ADHD. The first 100 links generated from searches for "adult ADHD" on Google were screened, resulting in the selection of 58 websites for quality assessment. Each website was evaluated for reliability using the JAMA Benchmarks framework. Additionally, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch-Kincaid Readability, and SMOG Index scores were calculated to evaluate the readability of the information provided. Additionally, the correlation between readability and reliability was examined. 57% of the websites had a JAMA benchmark score of less than 3, suggesting low reliability among adult ADHD health information websites in general. Furthermore, readability scores of nearly 96 percent of the included websites surpassed the suggested sixth-to eighth-grade reading level, indicative of poor readability. Interestingly, website typology emerged as a relatively stronger predictor of readability. These findings highlight the urgent need for clearer, trustworthy online health information. Enhanced regulatory oversight and equipping healthcare professionals to guide patients toward high-quality, readable resources are critical steps to improve the digital information landscape for adults with ADHD.
Vaccine hesitancy refers to the reluctance or refusal to get vaccinated. This can be influenced by various factors, including concerns about vaccine safety, distrust of healthcare systems, misinformation circulating on social media, cultural beliefs, and inadequate health literacy. The aim of this study is to determine whether there is any relationship between vaccine hesitancy and health literacy of prospective science teachers. The sample of the study consists of 165 students studying at the faculty of education of a state university. It was observed that there was a low-level negative relationship between health literacy and vaccine hesitancy. The study shows that higher health literacy reduces vaccine hesitancy. Since teachers have responsibilities in improving the health literacy levels of society, the health literacy levels of teacher candidates need to be increased.
Chinese internet users increasingly seek health information online, yet little research has examined the quality of gynecological cancer resources specifically. This exploratory study analyzed 78 websites from Baidu search results to assess their information quality and communicative features. Three website categories emerged: encyclopedic health content (n = 32), expert-guided health content (n = 37), and self-media health content (n = 9). While most quality dimensions showed comparable performance across types, accuracy differed significantly (p = .026), with encyclopedia and expert-guided content outperforming self-media platforms. Source attribution proved the strongest predictor of overall quality. These preliminary findings provide practical guidance for librarians and health educators directing consumers to credible gynecological cancer information.
The widespread discussion of birth control on TikTok highlights significant public interest in hormonal contraception (HC) usage in the United States. This cross-sectional content analysis examined the 100 most-viewed TikTok videos using the hashtag #birth control, comparing consumer-generated content with that uploaded by professionals to better understand the nature of information presented. The 100 most widely viewed videos under the hashtag #birthcontrol were analyzed based upon video source and 31 content categories. The majority of videos (90%) were created in 2023, with consumers responsible for 84% of content. Videos averaged over 1.1 million views and 140,000 likes, indicating high engagement. Hormonal contraception was the predominant topic, mentioned in 91% of videos, with "hormone" birth control and oral contraceptives being the most frequently discussed methods. Professionals more commonly mentioned the vaginal ring than consumers (20% vs. 2.7%, p = 0.04). Non-hormonal methods such as cycle tracking were less frequently discussed (5%). Although benefits of HC were apparent, disadvantages dominated as the most common theme across all videos (76%). These findings highlight TikTok's potential role in shaping public perceptions of HC but also raise concerns about balance of information, given the predominance of consumer-generated content. Further research is needed to determine the extent to which TikTok can be used to disseminate evidence-based information to the public related to HC.
This study examines the effect of young adults' online privacy awareness on their e-health literacy. A cross-sectional design was used, and data were collected from 475 young adults living in Konya, T & uuml;rkiye, between January and February 2025. Convenience sampling was applied, and data were obtained using a "Personal Information Form," "Online Privacy Awareness Scale," and "E-Health Literacy Scale." Most participants (55.6%) were male and between 21-23 years old (57.3%), and 92.4% reported having regular internet access. In addition, 73.3% stated that they take precautions to protect personal information online. Analyses were performed using IBM SPSS 26. Since the normality assumption was met, parametric tests were used. The results indicated that higher levels of online privacy awareness were associated with higher levels of e-health literacy (p < .001). This highlights the importance of strengthening online privacy awareness to support individuals' ability to safely search for and evaluate health information in digital environments. Ethical approval was obtained prior to data collection.
