Table 2 Currency, relevance, authority, accuracy and purpose domains and differences in mean scores for contraception TikTok videos by creator type, N = 174

Domains of Currency, n(%)

Date created*

 < 1 year

112 (64.7)

59 (59.6)

53 (71.6)

 1–5 years

61 (35.3)

40 (40.4)

21 (28.4)

 > 5 years

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0.101

Information out of date

 No

160 (95.2)

98 (99.0)

62 (89.9)

 Yes

8 (4.8)

1 (1.0)

7 (10.1)

0.009

Embedded links still accessible?

 Yes

27 (15.7)

13 (13.3)

14 (18.9)

 No

8 (4.7)

3 (3.1)

5 (6.8)

 None listed

137 (79.7)

82 (83.7)

55 (74.3)

0.267

Overall Currency Mean (SD) Score, possible range 0–5

2.91 (0.95)

2.88 (0.84)

2.96 (1.10)

0.580

Domains of Relevance, n (%)

Information answers central question

 Yes

159 (92.4)

99 (100.0)

60 (82.2)

 No

13 (7.6)

0 (0.0)

13 (17.8)

< 0.001

Information identifies intended audience

 Yes

171 (100.0)

98 (100.0)

73 (100.0)

 No

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

n/a

Information appropriate for needs of intended audience

 Yes

159 (94.1)

97 (100.0)

62 (86.1)

 No

10 (5.9)

0 (0.0)

10 (13.9)

< 0.001

Information avoids overgeneralization

 Yes

144 (82.8)

94 (95.0)

50 (66.7)

 No

30 (17.2)

5 (5.1)

25 (33.3)

< 0.001

Overall Relevance Mean (SD) Score, possible range 0–4

3.64 (0.85)

3.92 (0.37)

3.27 (1.12)

< 0.001

Domains of Authority, n(%)

Identity of author/source

 Expert in field

97 (58.4)

95 (96.0)

2 (3.0)

 Medication user/patient

40 (24.1)

1 (1.0)

39 (58.2)

 Unclear

29 (17.5)

3 (3.0)

26 (38.8)

< 0.001

Author’s credentials

 Licensed medical professional

97 (57.1)

95 (96.0)

2 (2.8)

 Lived experience

41 (24.1)

1 (1.0)

40 (56.3)

 Unclear

32 (18.8)

3 (3.0)

29 (40.9)

< 0.001

Author qualified to discuss topic

 Yes

133 (94.3)

95 (100.0)

38 (82.6)

 No

8 (5.7)

0 (0.0)

8 (17.4)

< 0.001

Overall Authority Mean (SD) Score,

possible range 0–5

3.46 (1.96)

4.82 (0.88)

1.67 (1.48)

< 0.001

Domains of Accuracy, n{%)

Derivation of information

 Evidence-based review

23 (13.6)

16 (16.3)

7 (9.9)

 Professional experience

80 (47.3)

79 (80.6)

1 (1.4)

 Individual lived experience

41 (24.3)

2 (2.0)

39 (54.9)

 Unclear

25 (14.8)

1 (1.0)

24 (33.8)

< 0.001

Information supported by evidence?

 Yes

153 (87.9)

98 (99.0)

55 (73.3)

 No

21 (12.1)

1 (1.0)

20 (26.7)

< 0.001

What kind of evidence supports the claim?

 Published evidence-based guidelines

137 (80.6)

94 (95.9)

43 (59.7)

 Expert/consensus opinion

8 (4.7)

4 (4.1)

4 (5.6)

 Individual lived experience

8 (4.7)

0 (0.0)

8 (11.1)

 None

17 (10.0)

0 (0.0)

17 (23.6)

< 0.001

Overall Accuracy Mean (SD) Score,

possible range 0–7

4.93 (1.93)

6.02 (0.76)

3.49 (2.06)

< 0.001

Domains of Purpose, n(%)

Purpose of information

 Teaching

30 (17.4)

22 (22.2)

8 (11.0)

 Informing

125 (72.7)

72 (72.7)

53 (72.6)

 Persuading/entertainment

12 (7.0)

2 (2.0)

10 (13.7)

 Advertising

5 (2.9)

3 (3.0)

2 (2.7)

0.008

Intentions/purpose clear?

 Yes

169 (98.8)

98 (99.0)

71 (98.6)

 No

2 (1.2)

1 (1.0)

1 (1.4)

1.000

Nature of information

 Facts

134 (77.5)

98 (99.0)

36 (48.7)

 Opinion

33 (19.1)

1 (1.0)

32 (43.2)

 Propaganda

6 (3.5)

0 (0.0)

6 (8.1)

< 0.001

Point of view objective and impartial

 Yes

143 (84.1)

97 (99.0)

46 (63.9)

 No

27 (15.9)

1 (1.0)

26 (36.1)

< 0.001

Political, ideological, cultural, religious biases

 No

165 (96.5)

98 (99.0)

67 (93.1)

 Yes

6 (3.5)

1 (1.0)

5 (6.9)

0.084

Overall Purpose Mean (SD) Score,

possible range 0–8

6.49 (1.33)

7.09 (0.70)

5.71 (1.55)

< 0.001