Assessment of the Quality of Information of YouTube Videos Regarding Cervical Disc Replacement.

BACKGROUND

Patients have been shown to use YouTube as a source of information regarding medical procedures. There is currently limited information regarding the quality and educational content of information regarding cervical disc replacement (CDR). The purpose of this study was to determine the quality and educational content of YouTube videos on CDR using a procedure-specific scoring system.

METHODS

A search was performed on YouTube using the phrase "cervical disc replacement." The first 50 videos were included in this study. Video data were collected, including the title, duration, provider type, number of views, days since upload, number of comments, and the number of likes and dislikes. The videos were also assessed using the and Global Quality Score criteria for video quality and educational content, as well as a cervical disc replacement-specific score (CDRSS) was devised for this study.

RESULTS

The average number of views was 73785.2. The average video duration was 5.9 minutes. Overall, video quality and educational content were low. The largest proportion of videos was classified as "surgeon professional" at 32%. The average CDRSS was 4.7. None of the quality measure scores recorded correlated with video variables.

CONCLUSION

Videos concerning CDR were available for review on YouTube. The educational quality and reliability of these videos were low.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

We suggest that other sources of information be utilized by patients and surgeons as an adjunct for education and informed consent regarding CDR.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE