Evaluation of quality and reliability of YouTube videos on spondylolisthesis

Abstract

Background: YouTube is the most popular and the largest video portal and is a source of information in all areas. In our study, we aim to investigate the quality of videos on spondylolisthesis in the YouTube video portal and to detail the parameters for low-quality videos.

Material and methods: A search was made by using keyword "spondylolisthesis" on the YouTube search portal. 50 most watched videos were included in the study. The duration of the videos, view counts, like counts, dislike counts, number of comments, the date the video was published, and the video's release time were noted. Popularity of the video is determined by Video Power Index (VPI) and video quality is evaluated with DISCERN (Quality Criteria for Consumer Health Information), JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), and Global Quality Score (GQS) scoring systems. Video content was categorized as physician and non-physician, video length, release date, view count, daily view count, VPI, comments/year. The relationship between the groups and video quality was evaluated.

Results: Video uploaders consist of 27 physicians (54%), 7 health channels, 6 physiotherapists, 4 patients, 4 hospital channels, 1 chiropractic, 1 fitness coach. The mean JAMA score was 2.7 +/- 0.6 (1-4), the mean DISCERN score was 35 +/- 11.1 (16-64) and the mean GQS score was 2.84 +/- 1.05. DISCERN, JAMA, and GQS scores correlate among themselves. In linear regression analysis, there was a significant difference between the duration of the videos, the view counts and the video quality scores (DISCERN and JAMA) (p < 0.05), no significant difference was observed between the daily view counts, like counts, dislike counts, VPI and comment count (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: The video quality of videos on Spondylolisthesis on YouTube was found to be low. Especially videos by non-physician uploaders, short videos, most viewed videos were found to have low quality.