BACKGROUND

The increasing use of online platforms as sources of medical information has led to a growing concern regarding the accuracy, reliability, and quality of the content available. YouTube, one of the most widely accessed platforms, serves as a prominent source for health-related information, including topics like tympanostomy tubes. However, the variability in the quality of uploaded videos and the lack of standardization raise questions about their utility for patient education and decision-making. This study aims to evaluate the quality and reliability of the information provided by YouTube videos about tympanostomy tubes along with some key metrics of the videos.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, a search was conducted on YouTube on June 6, 2024, using the keywords tympanostomy tubes, ear tubes, ventilation tubes, myringotomy, and grommet insertion. A total of 68 videos with over 10,000 views that met the inclusion criteria were included. Video Power Index (VPI) and Global Quality Scale (GQS), Modified DISCERN and JAMA scores obtained by 2 independent otolaryngologists were statistically analysed.

RESULTS

Only 13.2% of the videos mentioned complications, and 39.7% addressed anesthesia techniques, with informative videos mentioning anesthesia techniques more frequently than surgical videos (P = 0.003). The average length of the videos was 223.3 ± 155.4 s, the average number of views was 153,884 ± 320,786, and the average VPI was 59.73 ± 93.19. The average quality scores for all videos were 2.81 ± 1.01 for GQS, 3 ± 1.43 for Modified DISCERN, and 2.75 ± 0.9 for JAMA, with the quality scores for informative videos being statistically significantly higher than for surgical videos (P < 0.001, P = 0.007, P = 0.010, respectively). The quality and reliability of the videos varied significantly depending on the uploader, with medical schools/universities and private hospitals generally providing higher quality content.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that while YouTube can be an additional source of information about tympanostomy tubes, there are significant deficiencies in content quality. We believe that patients and their relatives should consider videos uploaded by professionals rather than relying on the number of views and likes when using YouTube as an information source.