Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Wikipedia has become a widely consulted source for health-related information, including transfusion medicine, by both healthcare professionals and the general public. However, the accuracy and completeness of transfusion-related content on this platform remain understudied. So, we aimed to systematically evaluate the current state and quality of transfusion medicine-related content available on Wikipedia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Wikipedia Subgroup of the Clinical Transfusion Working Party of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) conducted a cross-sectional analysis of transfusion medicine-related Wikipedia articles up to 31 December 2024. Articles were identified using the search terms 'Transfusion', 'Blood Components', 'Blood Groups' and related topics. Data extracted and analysed included article metadata, content metrics, visibility indicators and editorial activity.
RESULTS: A total of 190 Wikipedia pages related to transfusion medicine were identified, with an additional 14 domain-specific webpages. The most common categories were blood groups (15.3%), blood components (13.7%) and clinical transfusion medicine (11.6%). Nearly 50% of pages were created between 2006 and 2010. Only 21.6% of pages were classified as complete, while 48.4% remained in the development phase.
CONCLUSION: This study uncovers significant gaps in transfusion medicine content on Wikipedia, with many articles found to be incomplete or poorly maintained. These findings present a clear opportunity for healthcare professionals, particularly members of the ISBT Clinical Transfusion Working Party's Wikipedia Subgroup, to enhance the quality, accuracy and accessibility of transfusion-related information through coordinated, collaborative editing efforts.