Observational studyJMIR formative research2024
Investigating Topical Steroid Withdrawal Videos on TikTok: Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Top 100 Videos.
Observational study in JMIR formative research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Videos on Bilibili, TikTok, and Xiaohongshu as Sources of Medical Information on Adenoid Hypertrophy: Cross-Sectional Content Analysis.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Examining the Unanswered Questions in TSW: A Case Series of 16 Patients and Review of the Literature.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Topical steroid withdrawal: dissecting the controversy.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Review
- Health Care Utilization in Patients With Atopic Dermatitis Experiencing Topical Steroid Withdrawal: Observational Cross-Sectional Social Media Questionnaire Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Observational
- Topical Steroid Withdrawal: Perspectives of Dutch Healthcare Professionals.Acta dermato-venereologica · 2025Article
- Topical Steroid Withdrawal: The Challenging Transition from Patient Self-Diagnosis on Social Media to Medical Science and Care.Acta dermato-venereologica · 2025Article
- Article
- Pediatric Topical Steroid Withdrawal Syndrome: What Is Known, What Is Unknown.Pediatric dermatologyReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSocial media platforms like TikTok are a very popular source of information, especially for skin diseases. Topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) is a condition that is yet to be fully defined and understood. This did not stop the hashtag #topicalsteroidwithdrawal from amassing more than 600 million views on TikTok. It is of utmost importance to assess the quality and content of TikTok videos on TSW to prevent the spread of misinformation.
objectiveThis study aims to assess the quality and content of the top 100 videos dedicated to the topic of TSW on TikTok.
methodsThis observational study assesses the content and quality of the top 100 videos about TSW on TikTok. A total of 3 independent scoring systems: DISCERN, Journal of the American Medical Association, and Global Quality Scale were used to assess the video quality. The content of the videos was coded by 2 reviewers and analyzed for recurrent themes and topics.
resultsThis study found that only 10.0% (n=10) of the videos clearly defined what TSW is. Videos were predominantly posted by White, middle-aged, and female creators. Neither cause nor mechanism of the disease were described in the videos. The symptoms suggested itching, peeling, and dryness which resembled the symptoms of atopic dermatitis. The videos fail to mention important information regarding the use of steroids such as the reason it was initially prescribed, the name of the drug, concentration, mechanism of usage, and method of discontinuation. Management techniques varied from hydration methods approved for treatment of atopic dermatitis to treatment options without scientific evidence. Overall, the videos had immense reach with over 200 million views, 45 million likes, 90,000 comments, and 100,000 shares. Video quality was poor with an average DISCERN score of 1.63 (SD 0.56)/5. Video length, total view count, and views/day were all associated with increased quality, indicating that patients were interacting more with higher quality videos. However, videos were created exclusively by personal accounts, highlighting the absence of dermatologists on the platform to discuss this topic.
conclusionsThe videos posted on TikTok are of low quality and lack pertinent information. The content is varied and not consistent. Health care professionals, including dermatologists and residents in the field, need to be more active on the topic, to spread proper information and prevent an increase in steroid phobia. Health care professionals are encouraged to ride the wave and produce high-quality videos discussing what is known about TSW to avoid the spread of misinformation.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.