Is the information about lateral epicondylitis on the YouTube platform reliable and of good quality?

Is YouTube a Sufficient and Reliable Source to Inform Patients About Cardiac Rehabilitation?: A Cross-sectional Study

PURPOSE

There is a growing concern surrounding the utility of medical content on social media. In this study, the popularity metrics and content quality of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) videos on YouTube regarding patient education were examined.

METHODS

Using the search key word "cardiac rehabilitation," we analyzed the 50 most relevant videos. Our video popularity analytics encompassed viewing rate, such as ratio, number of comments, and the video power index (VPI). We assessed content quality using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), the modified DISCERN questionnaire, Journal of the American Medical Association ( JAMA ) benchmark criteria, Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audio/Visual Materials (PEMAT-A/V), and a novel tool, the Cardiac Rehabilitation Specific Scale (CRSS).

RESULTS

Notably, 78% of the videos were uploaded by medical organizations. The average viewing rate was 4.6 views per day. There were positive correlations between the scores from different content quality scales. Median scores for the GQS, the modified DISCERN questionnaire, JAMA benchmark criteria, and the CRSS were 3, 3.5, 2, and 5, respectively. Mean PEMAT-A/V scores were 60.4% for understandability and 38.3% for actionability. Videos published by entities other than medical centers predicted lower CRSS and GQS scores. High JAMA benchmark criteria scores were negative predictors of VPI, view rate, and number of comments.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that CR-related videos on YouTube are characterized by low popularity, average content quality and understandability, but a lack of reliability and actionability. To ensure individuals seek accurate CR information on social media platforms, we recommend directing them to videos uploaded by medical centers.

Analyzing the Quality, Reliability, and Educational Value of ACL Rehabilitation Exercises on TikTok: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Videos relating to rehabilitation exercises for common injuries relevant to younger populations such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear receive high view counts on social media platforms such as TikTok.

Purpose/Hypothesis

The purpose of this study was to analyze the quality, reliability, and educational value of TikTok videos among the patient population for ACL injury. It was hypothesized that TikTok videos related to ACL rehabilitation exercises would lack quality, reliability, and educational value.

Study Design

Cross-sectional study.

Methods

TikTok was queried for relevant videos using the hashtags "#ACLrehab" and "#ACLexercises." For each included video, the type of uploader (general user or health care professional) was identified. In addition, the number of views, likes, shares, comments, and favorites for each included video was recorded, and the content of each video was graded using the DISCERN (a well-validated informational analysis tool) and the ACL exercise education score (ACLEES - a custom-designed tool for the evaluation of ACL-related exercises).

Results

A total of 111 videos with 5,520,660 cumulative views were included; the median number of views per video was 9801.0 (interquartile range [IQR], 3583.0-28,000.0). Of these videos, 84 and 27 were created by the general public and health care professionals, respectively. The videos collectively received 335,577 likes, 2969 comments, 22,856 favorites, and 6142 shares, with a median of 439 (IQR, 111-1374), 10 (IQR, 2.5-25.5), 54 (IQR, 18-172.5), and 12 (IQR, 2-36), respectively. The tabulated scores for the DISCERN and ACLEES between general users and health care professionals were all statistically nonsignificant. Health care professionals had a higher percentage of videos with a "very poor" DISCERN score in comparison with the general public (66.67% vs 53.57%, respectively).

Conclusion

The overall educational value of the TikTok videos related to ACL rehabilitation exercises was very poor. Health care professionals should be aware of the broad distribution of ACL rehabilitation exercise videos that are accessible on TikTok and raise awareness of the deficiencies of the platform as a medium for educational medical-related information.