Analysing YouTube as a health resource: quality and reliability of videos on pediatric appendicitis.

BACKGROUND

This study aims to assess the content, quality, and reliability of YouTube videos related to appendicitis in children. It analyzes the extent to which these videos provide accurate information to parents and healthcare professionals and evaluates their potential contribution to improving the quality of medical education.

METHODS

The keywords "appendicitis" and "appendectomy", along with "pediatrics", "child", and "children", were searched both individually and in all possible combinations. Videos were ranked according to the number of views and the first 60 videos with the highest number of views were included in the analysis. The videos were evaluated by two independent pediatric surgeons using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), Modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) and American Medical Association (JAMA) scales. Video Power Index (VPI) values were calculated for each video to assess popularity. Inter-rater agreement was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), group comparisons with Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests, and correlations with Spearman's coefficient.

RESULTS

Of the analyzed videos, 46 (76.7%) were informational, and 14 (23.3%) were surgical. Videos uploaded by hospitals and doctors scored higher on mDISCERN, GQS, and JAMA scales than those by individuals or private channels (P < 0.001). Animation-containing videos had higher views, likes, and VPI scores than non-animated ones (P = 0.015, P = 0.003, P = 0.006). Surgical videos had significantly higher JAMA scores (P = 0.024) and longer durations (P = 0.021). No significant correlation was observed between quality scores and engagement metrics such as views or likes (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that YouTube videos on pediatric appendicitis are generally of low-to-moderate quality, with no significant correlation between content quality and popularity metrics such as view count or likes. Videos by hospitals and doctors were more reliable, while visual elements like animations increased engagement but not content quality. Findings highlight the need for scientifically accurate and informative content by healthcare professionals to better educate patients, families, and medical students.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

Not applicable.