YouTube as a Source of Information on Gout Disease: Cross-Sectional Evaluation

Abstract

Objective: YouTube is one of the biggest internet platforms used worldwide. Several studies showed that quality of the information on YouTube videos for patient information is poor. This study aimed to evaluate the content and quality of YouTube videos, as a source of patient information for gout disease. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a YouTube search with the keyword “gout disease” was performed, and the first 152 videos were listed according to relevancy. Advertisements, duplicate videos, videos in languages other than Turkish, and videos without audio were excluded. Video features (number of “likes”, “dislikes”, views, length of video), and source of upload were recorded. DISCERN and Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria were used for quality analysis. Video quality was assessed according to the source of upload and video features. The correlation analysis was performed between video features, JAMA, and DISCERN scores. Results: A total number of 106 videos were analyzed. The most common source of upload was physicians (49.1%) and majority of the content (30.2%) was about symptoms and treatment. Mean DISCERN and JAMA scores were 44.43 and 2.54, respectively. These scores were highest in videos uploaded by physicians [58 (28-74) and 3 (1-4), respectively]. There is a positive correlation between the duration of the video, DISCERN, and JAMA scores. Conclusion: The majority of content about gout on YouTube is poor quality. Health professionals should be aware of the importance of health-related information on YouTube and provide high-quality accurate and up-to-date content. © 2021 by Türkiye Klinikleri.