Instagram as a health education tool: Evaluating the efficacy and quality of medical content on Instagram in Azerbaijan

Background: In recent years, Instagram has become the most popular tool among professional doctors in Azerbaijan for educating their patients. The use of the Instagram application aims to raise patients' awareness of the importance of taking care of their health and to increase their knowledge about their health conditions using modern services. In this article, the authors examine the quality of Instagram content for health education among the population. Methods: We conducted a survey to collect anonymous data from more than 205 respondents and summarized the following points. Results: 65% of the respondents were already obtaining health information from Instagram before to participating in the study. 15.1 % of them frequently visit Instagram for health information while 5% had found the health information accessed there harmful. 71% of respondents think accessing health information in this way is beneficial but that the quality and usefulness of the content is average. 95% of respondents reported that the health information they obtained from the identical platform was not causing them any harm Conclusion: The medical information shared on Instagram is generally considered useful and beneficial by the population, but it is desirable to improve the quality of the content. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement This study did not receive any funding. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: The Human Research Ethics Committee (Scientific Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology) approved the study (Protocol 3-28-10/3-123/2023). I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors.