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, Türkiye, 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.

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.

The way individuals obtain information about their health has changed, shifting from health professionals to the media and the internet. With these tools, individuals have assumed the role of being their doctors and have turned into consumers who diagnose themselves, research and determine alternative treatment methods, apply the treatment, and purchase the services necessary for them. However, the fact that health can be a subject open to disinformation and commodification affects the belief in health news and may lead individuals to consume and cause abuse. In this study, the perception of health news is discussed with the concepts of commodification and disinformation, and evaluations are made regarding the mediating role of belief in health news. SPSS and the “Process Macro” package program were used to analyze the data. As a result of the research, it was found that belief in health news plays a mediating role in several relationships. Specifically, it mediates the relationship between health news related to commercial concern and advertisement, and health news related to orientation to consumption, behavior change, and health behavior abuse. Additionally, belief in health news also mediates the relationship between health news about orientation to consumption and both health behavior abuse and behavior change. As a result of the study, it was emphasized that the level of consciousness and awareness to be created in individuals will play a positive role in preventing disinformation and information pollution related to health news and recommendations were presented to public authorities and stakeholders of the subject.

Objective Social media is an important source of information for patients and the general public. This is especially true for gender-affirming medical treatment. Although social media platforms do have safeguards against misleading information being shared, these safeguards are not perfect. We sought to evaluate the accuracy of information about gender-affirming medical treatment on TikTok. Methods The top 100 most popular videos from three hashtags (#genderaffirmingcare, #hrt, and #pubertyblockers) were reviewed. Videos primarily describing personal experience were classified as Personal, those with accurate information were classified as Useful, and those with inaccurate information were classified as Misleading. Descriptive characteristics of the videos were also recorded. Results Of 300 videos pulled, 251 met inclusion criteria. Most were classified as Personal (52%, n = 130), with 71 (28%) classified as Useful, and 50 (20%) as Misleading. Classification agreement between raters was good (kappa statistic of 0.807). Non-healthcare professionals created most of the misleading videos, although not significantly more than healthcare professionals. Conclusions One in five gender-affirming care videos on TikTok were classified as Misleading. Of these, about half were created by supporters—and about half by opposers—of gender-affirming care. Clinicians and the community should be aware of misinformation on the internet, even when content is created by individuals supportive of gender-affirming care.

Objective The study aimed to characterize the relationship between smartphone addiction, participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, and digital healthy diet literacy in Türkiye. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 260 women who participated in an online survey. Data were collected using a descriptive information form, self-reported anthropometric measurements, the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Form (SAS-SF), and the Digital Healthy Diet Literacy Scale (DHDL). Independent t-tests and hierarchical binary logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the relationships between variables. Results The study determined that 37.7% of the women were addicted to smartphones. Smartphone-addicted women had lower average DHDL-mean, DHDL-index, and DHDL-total scores compared to non-addicted women. These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Regression analysis further confirmed that smartphone addiction was a negative predictor of healthy diet literacy, independent of other factors such as age, educational level, employment status, income, and body mass index. Conclusion The findings suggest that smartphone addiction may hinder women’s ability to access and apply reliable dietary information, potentially leading to poorer dietary choices. Interventions aimed at reducing smartphone addiction and enhancing digital health literacy could promote healthier eating behaviors. Public health initiatives emphasizing media literacy and evidence-based dietary information dissemination are recommended to mitigate the negative effects of smartphone addiction on dietary decision-making.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that is marked by inattention, hyper­activity, and/or impulsivity that interferes with normal development. The organization, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) (www.chadd.org), provides evidence-based information, support services, and advocacy efforts to people affected by ADHD and their families. This review will cover the main sections of the site, highlight its strengths, and share its notable features for a wide range of users. Overall, this website presents useful and accessible information about ADHD in a way that shines a positive light on the condition.

This review examined 120 disease awareness campaign websites to assess inclusion of informal caregivers. Campaigns were global or based in four high-income countries, primarily addressing noncommunicable diseases. While over half targeted conditions across all ages, fewer than three-fifths mentioned informal caregivers. Only 3.3% addressed caregivers directly, and 40% provided caregiver resources. These gaps suggest that despite caregivers’ central role in health, they remain underrepresented in public health communication. Expanding caregiver-focused content on awareness websites presents a key opportunity to better support informal caregivers and strengthen caregiver-centered health communication.

webPOISONCONTROL, developed by the National Capital Poison Center, is a digital triage tool for poison exposures, accessible via web and mobile app. It guides users through exposure reporting and provides recommendations ranging from home observation to emergency referral. Studies demonstrate that its safety and accuracy are comparable to traditional call-based poison centers. Limitations include handling multiple exposures and high-risk cases, which are directed to call Poison Control. The app’s intuitive design and anonymous reporting support its growing use, offering a scalable solution for poison management.

YouTube has become a popular source of health information, including information on orthopedic conditions, such as chondromalacia patella (CP). The aim of the present study was to assess the quality and scientific accuracy of videos about CP available on the platform in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that analyzes the content and quality of YouTube videos. A total of 150 videos were initially selected, 131 of which were included in the analysis after applying the eligibility criteria. The quality of the information was assessed using the DISCERN and JAMA scales. The quality of the videos in English was considered “good” when using the DISCERN scale and “high” when using the JAMA scale. The videos in Spanish and Portuguese were classified as having “average” quality on the DISCERN scale. When using the JAMA scale, the quality of the videos in Spanish was considered “moderate”, whereas the videos in Portuguese were classified as having “high” quality. Most of the videos were produced by healthcare providers, which may have led to the relatively good results. However, no significant correlation was found between the quality of the content and the number of views, likes, or comments, indicating that audience engagement may not be directly related to the reliability of the information. These findings highlight the need for more rigorous curation and the development of strategies to promote higher quality content on the YouTube platform, ensuring that patients and healthcare providers can access accurate information about CP.

The increasing morbidity and mortality due to cancer highlight the importance of identifying the care needs of individuals with gynecologic cancer in women’s health. Since gynecologic cancers can be seen as taboo in some countries and cultures, it may cause difficulties in expressing feelings, thoughts, and needs. The study consisted of the posts shared between September and December 2022 in the groups with the highest number of members among those created by women with gynecologic cancer on Facebook. The research was conducted with the netnographic research method, which is among the qualitative research methods. The analysis included posts shared between September and December 2022. Content analysis was conducted using the netnographic research method. The 253 comments included were subjected to thematic analysis and 17 sub-codes, 3 main themes, namely, Making Cancer and Life Adaptation, Reflection of Helplessness, Anxiety and Uncertainty, and themes and 7 sub-themes, namely, ‘seeking information for care’, ‘seeking similar experiences’, ‘seeking information about the course of treatment’, ‘seeking support’, ‘positive thinking/turning to spirituality’, ‘uncertainty about the treatment process’, ‘anxiety about the treatment process’, were produced. In the analyzed posts, it was determined that the support received by women with cancer from health professionals remained only at the medical treatment stage, and the physical and psycho-social care needs of women after treatment were not fully met.