YouTube as a source of information on pediatric scoliosis: a reliability and educational quality analysis

Evaluation of YouTube videos as a source of information in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation: A cross-sectional study

Due to the lengthy and challenging nature of traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation, patients and carers increasingly rely on YouTube for information. However, no previous research has assessed the quality and reliability of these TBI rehabilitation videos on this platform. This study aims to assess the quality and reliability of YouTube videos on TBI rehabilitation. In this cross-sectional study, a YouTube search with the keyword "traumatic brain injury rehabilitation" was performed, and the first 100 videos were listed according to relevancy. After applying exclusion criteria, a total of 72 videos were included in the analysis. DISCERN, Journal of the American Medical Association, and Global Quality Score were used to evaluate the quality and reliability of the videos. Video characteristics, including the number of likes, dislikes, duration, and source of upload, were recorded. The mean DISCERN total score was determined to be 39.56 ± 8.4. Additionally, the mean Journal of the American Medical Association score was 1.93 ± 0.57, the Global Quality Score was 2.6 ± 0.81, and the DISCERN quality score was 2.55 ± 0.79. Analysis showed that videos with a longer duration (P < .001) and those uploaded earlier (P = .002) were more likely to be of higher quality. Videos produced by healthcare professionals had higher DISCERN scores (P = .049) than those uploaded by non-healthcare professionals. Examination of YouTube videos on TBI rehabilitation indicates a moderate overall quality. The study revealed that videos uploaded by healthcare professionals have higher quality. For obtaining reliable information on TBI rehabilitation, it is also advisable to prioritize videos with longer durations and earlier upload dates. Given the significant role of social media platforms in educational outreach for rehabilitation, it is crucial to enhance the quality of these videos through appropriate measures.

Bruxism treatment on Youtube: evaluating reliability and information accuracy

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the content and quality of videos about bruxism treatments on YouTube, a platform frequently used by patients today to obtain information.

METHODS

A YouTube search was performed using the keywords "bruxism treatment" and "teeth grinding treatment". "The sort by relevance" filter was used for both search terms and the first 150 videos were saved. A total of 139 videos that met the study criteria were included in the study. Videos were classified as poor, moderate or excellent based on a usefulness score that evaluated content quality. The modified DISCERN tool was also used to evaluate video quality. Additionally, videos were categorized according to the upload source, target audience and video type. The types of treatments mentioned in the videos and the demographic data of the videos were recorded.

RESULTS

According to the usefulness score, 59% of the videos were poor-quality, 36.7% were moderate-quality and 4.3% were excellent-quality. Moderate-quality videos had a higher interaction index than excellent-quality videos (p = 0.039). The video duration of excellent-quality videos was longer than that of moderate and poor-quality videos (p = 0.024, p = 0.002). Videos with poor-quality content were found to have significantly lower DISCERN scores than videos with moderate (p < 0.001) and excellent-quality content (p = 0.008). Additionally, there was a significantly positive and moderate (r = 0.446) relationship between DISCERN scores and content usefulness scores (p < 0.001). There was only a weak positive correlation between DISCERN scores and video length (r = 0.359; p < 0.001). The videos uploaded by physiotherapists had significantly higher views per day and viewing rate than videos uploaded by medical doctors (p = 0.037), university-hospital-institute (p = 0.024) and dentists (p = 0.006). The videos uploaded by physiotherapists had notably higher number of likes and number of comments than videos uploaded by medical doctors (p = 0.023; p = 0.009, respectively), university-hospital-institute (p = 0.003; p = 0.008, respectively) and dentists (p = 0.002; p = 0.002, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the majority of videos on YouTube about bruxism treatments are produced by professionals, most of the videos contain limited information, which may lead patients to debate treatment methods. Health professionals should warn patients against this potentially misleading content and direct them to reliable sources.

Assessing the Quality and Reliability of Videos Related to Fibromyalgia on TikTok: A Comprehensive Analysis

Introduction Fibromyalgia, characterized by chronic musculoskeletal pain and associated symptoms, poses significant challenges in diagnosis and management. While social media platforms like TikTok have emerged as popular sources of health information, their variable content quality necessitates critical evaluation. This study aimed to assess the quality and reliability of TikTok videos related to fibromyalgia, thereby enhancing the understanding of their impact on patient education and self-management. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in June 2024, which analyzed 150 TikTok videos using search terms like "Fibromyalgia", "Fibromyalgia Symptoms", and "Fibromyalgia Treatment". Videos were evaluated for inclusion based on relevance and language (English), by employing the Global Quality Scale (GQS) and Quality Criteria for Consumer Health Information (DISCERN) score for assessment. Statistical analysis was performed by using IBM SPSS Statistics v21.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). The Kruskall-Wallis test was employed, and a p-value less than 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. Results Of the 150 videos initially reviewed, 96 (64%) met the inclusion criteria. Content categories included disease description (34, 35.42%), symptoms (81, 84.38%), management (64, 66.67%), and personal experiences (63, 65.63%). The videos were uploaded by doctors (8, 8.33%), patients (63, 65.63%), healthcare workers ( 7, 7.29%), and others (18, 18.75%). Mean GQS scores varied significantly by uploader type: doctors (4.63 ± 0.52), healthcare workers (3.43 ± 0.79), patients (2.37 ± 0.81), and others (2.11 ± 0.47) (p<0.001). DISCERN scores followed a similar trend: doctors (3.88 ± 0.64), healthcare workers (2.14 ± 1.46), patients (1.08 ± 0.27), and others (1.61 ± 0.50) (p<0.001). Conclusions TikTok serves as a pivotal platform for fibromyalgia-related discourse, predominantly shaped by patient-generated content. However, even though it provides insights into symptoms and management strategies, gaps exist in comprehensive medical guidance and preventive measures. The study underscores the critical role of healthcare professionals in enhancing content reliability and educational value on social media. Future research should explore cultural and linguistic diversity to broaden the accessibility and relevance of health information on platforms like TikTok.

Assessment of the Quality and Reliability of YouTube as an Information Source for Transforaminal Interbody Fusion

BACKGROUND

This study aims to assess the quality and reliability of the information for patients from YouTube videos on transforaminal interbody fusion (TLIF).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

One hundred videos were listed by inputting "TLIF," "TLIF surgery," and "transforaminal interbody fusion" in the YouTube search engine. The top 50 most popular videos based on video power index (VPI), view ratio, and exclusion criteria were selected for review. One orthopedic consultant surgeon and one neurosurgeon consultant analyzed the videos together. The modified DISCERN score, the Global Quality Score (GQS), the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) score, and a novel interbody fusion score were used to evaluate videos. Data of video length, view count, number of likes and dislikes, like ratio (like x 100/(like+dislike)), video source, and comment rate were collected.

RESULTS

The quality of the videos could have been better according to all scoring systems, regardless of the video source. The scores of the videos published by patients and commercials were significantly lower than those of physicians and allied professionals (p <0.05). VPI and view ratios were similar in all sources.  Conclusion: The study demonstrates that YouTube videos providing information related to TLIF surgery are available and accessed by the public. The results of this study would suggest that YouTube is not currently an appropriate source of information on TLIF surgery for patients. Most of the YouTube videos about TLIF surgery contain information about the surgical technique and have limited information about the post-operative condition of the patients.

YouTube online videos as a source for patient education of cervical spondylosis-a reliability and quality analysis

BACKGROUND

Given a prolonged course of Cervical spondylosis (CS) could cause irreversible neurological deficits, it is crucial to disseminate CS-related health information to the public to promote early diagnosis and treatment. YouTube has been widely used to search for medical information. However, the reliability and quality of videos on YouTube vary greatly. Thus, this study aimed to assess the reliability and educational quality of YouTube videos concerning CS and further explore strategies for optimization of patient education.

METHODS

We searched YouTube online library for the keywords "cervical spondylosis", "cervical radiculopathy" and "cervical myelopathy" on January 15, 2023. Ranked by "relevance", the first 50 videos of each string were recorded. After exclusions, a total of 108 videos were included. All videos were extracted for characteristics and classified based on different sources or contents. Two raters independently evaluated the videos using Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, Modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) tool, Global Quality Scale (GQS) and Cervical-Spondylosis-Specific Scale (CSSS), followed by statistical analyses. All continuous data were described as median (interquartile range).

RESULTS

All videos had median values for JAMA, mDISCERN, GQS and CSSS scores of were 3.00 (1.00), 3.00 (2.00), 2.00 (1.00) and 7.00 (8.88), respectively. There were significant differences in VPI (P = 0.009) and JAMA (P = 0.001), mDISCERN (P < 0.001), GQS (P < 0.001) and CSSS (P < 0.001) scores among different sources. Videos from academic source had advantages in reliability and quality scores than other sources. VPI (P < 0.001), mDISCERN (P = 0.001), GQS (P < 0.001) and CSSS (P = 0.001) scores also significantly differed among videos of various contents. Spearman correlation analysis indicated VPI was not correlated with either reliability or quality. Multiple linear regression analysis showed a longer duration and an academic source were independent predictors of higher reliability and quality, while a clinical source also led to the higher video quality.

CONCLUSIONS

The reliability and educational quality of current CS-related videos on YouTube are unsatisfactory. Users face a high risk of encountering inaccurate and misleading information when searching for CS on YouTube. Longer duration, source of academic or clinician were closely correlated to higher video reliability and quality. Improving the holistic reliability and quality of online information requires the concerted effort from multiple parties, including uploaders, the platform and viewers.

Rhinoplasty and YouTube: A Cross-Sectional Study to Assess the Quality, Dependability, and Reliability of Videos on Rhinoplasty

INTRODUCTION

Rhinoplasty, also referred to as a nose job or a reconstruction of the nose, is a surgical procedure that alters and reconstructs the nose for aesthetic or functional purposes. With the emergence of social media and modern internet accessibility, YouTube has gained popularity among users of all ages. Despite this, the accuracy and credibility of these videos and the information they include could be cause for concern.

AIMS

This study intends to assess the competence, quality, and dependability of the information in the videos related to "Rhinoplasty surgery" on YouTube.

METHODOLOGY

This is a cross-sectional observational study that analyzes rhinoplasty information on YouTube. A Google Forms questionnaire was used to collect the data. The Global Quality Score (GQS), reliability score, and Video Power Index (VPI) were used to assess quality and reliability, and statistical analysis was performed using IBM Corp. Released 2012. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. The inclusion criteria were videos ranging from 1 minute to 20 minutes in duration, pertinent to the topic of rhinoplasty surgery, and in either English or Hindi.

RESULTS

A total of 71 videos were analyzed, and 70 videos were included. A comparison of GQS, reliability score, and VPI based on the type of uploader was done by the Kruskal-Wallis test. The association between VPI, GQS, and reliability score with that of the uploader of the video was found to be statistically insignificant (p<0.05). Videos uploaded by healthcare organizations, news outlets, patients, or other relevant groups have the most GQS (4.5), whereas videos uploaded by hospitals have the lowest.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to the type of uploader, videos have no statistically significant changes in quality, reliability, or video power, implying that the type of uploader does not necessarily impact the overall quality or reliability of the information presented in the investigated YouTube videos. While the majority of the videos addressed the indications of rhinoplasty and provided information about the etiology, there were gaps in discussing pre-procedural investigations and preventive measures. Due to our limitations, expanding the number of accounts used for search and increasing the number of videos might overcome the search algorithm.

A Study of Global Quality Scale and Reliability Scores for Chest Pain: An Instagram-Post Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Utilized in the healthcare sector, social media offers numerous benefits. However, its drawbacks encompass the variable quality of unregulated and unsupervised content. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the information in content related to chest pain found across Instagram and analyze the quality and reliability of chest pain-related content via Instagram posts.

METHODOLOGY

Instagram posts with content related to chest pain were analyzed with the help of a structured questionnaire that included the Global Quality Scale (GQS) and DISCERN score (DS). To collect Instagram posts, several distinct hashtags were employed: #chestpain, #chestpains, #angina, #anginatreatment, #heartattack, #heartattacksurvivor, #heartattackprevention.

RESULTS

A total of 262 posts were included, of which 29.7% of the total posts (n=78) contained information that describes the etiology of the disease. 27.8% of the total posts (n = 73) enclosed promotional content. Posts were found to be uploaded by doctors (18.7%), hospitals (15.6%), patients (17.9%), dieticians (11.1%), healthcare organizations (9.2%), and others (27.5%). Both Global Quality and DISCERN scores were statistically significant with a p-value of 0.001.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study revealed that most of the Instagram content on chest pain posted via physicians were highly reliable and had a better global quality score. Information regarding various causes, symptoms and preventive measures on Instagram can be considered as an acceptable source for patients to surf on. A major limitation is that only English content was analyzed. In the future, the use of higher quality posts produced by healthcare professionals could potentially contribute to enhancing patient education via Instagram.

YouTube as a Patient Information Source for Tendon Repair Surgery

Background For tendon rupture, a disabling musculoskeletal injury, surgical management is considered the gold standard. The goal is to reduce complications and enable the patient to regain full mobility and strength. With the rise of modern internet accessibility and social media, YouTube has become a frequently used platform for all ages; however, the accuracy and reliability of the videos and the information therein may be a point of concern. Methodology This cross-sectional, observational study was designed to analyze tendon repair surgery information available on YouTube. Data were collected using a Google Forms questionnaire which included questions analyzing the videos and their content and the professional status of the uploaders. Quality and reliability scores were assessed through the Global Quality Score (GQS), reliability score, and Video Power Index (VPI). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). We included videos one minute to twenty minutes in length that were relevant to the topic of tendon repair surgery and in the English language. Results A total of 82 videos were evaluated, of which 67 videos were chosen. A comparison of GQS, reliability score, and VPI based on the type of uploader was done using the Kruskal-Wallis test. The association between GQS and reliability score with that of the video uploader was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Videos uploaded by hospitals had the highest GQS (4) and reliability score (4). Conclusions On comparing the uploader type, videos uploaded by hospitals had good quality and were useful for patients. The quality and reliability of the videos were almost above average. Only half discussed the signs and symptoms and even fewer discussed pre- and post-procedural care. The most important aspect, i.e., prevention, was mentioned in none of the videos. Due to our limitations, expanding the number of accounts used for search and increasing the number of videos might overcome the search algorithm.