ArticleCureus2026
A Questionnaire-Based Survey to Assess the Awareness and Usage of Social Media by Orthodontic Patients in Kerala, India, for Treatment-Related Information.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction Social media has revolutionized healthcare information delivery, with orthodontic patients increasingly seeking treatment-related information online. This study assessed the awareness level of orthodontic patients regarding the availability and utilization of orthodontic information on social media platforms in Kerala, India. Materials and methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 400 orthodontic patients aged 15-35 years at the Government Dental College, Kozhikode, Kerala. A validated questionnaire comprising 13 questions across three domains (social media usage, access to orthodontic treatment, and orthodontic information) was administered. Content validity was assessed by a panel of orthodontists, and the questionnaire was translated into the local language. Results The 403 participants (55% women and 45% men) aged 17-22 years (mean: 19±4 months) primarily accessed YouTube (60.5%) and Instagram (30.5%) for orthodontic information. Chi-square (χ²) tests revealed significant associations between age and information-seeking about treatment difficulties (p=0.045) and clinic searching (p=0.002). Multiple response analysis showed a strong gender-social media preference association (χ²=25.197; p<0.05). Gender significantly influenced searching for orthodontists (p=0.026) and cost information (p=0.001). Logistic regression identified age (Exp(B)=1.091; p=0.002) and regular social media use as significant awareness predictors. Conclusion Orthodontic patients in Kerala actively use social media for orthodontic information, particularly YouTube and Instagram, and demonstrate willingness to follow orthodontists online, with age and usage frequency predicting information-seeking behavior despite preferring direct professional consultation for emergencies.
Indexed as
Identifiers
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.