YouTube for Information on Childhood Constipation: Is It Reliable?

Abstract

Objective: To determine the quality and reliability of videos obtained by searching the keywords “constipation in children” on YouTube. Method: We obtained 73 videos by searching the keyword “constipation in children” on YouTube, which were evaluated and scored independently by two pediatricians using the scoring systems; “Global Quality Scale” and “quality criteria for consumer health information”. Results: When the mean scores of the viewers were evaluated, 54.8% of the videos were interpreted as poor, 13.7% as medium, and 31.5% as good quality according to “quality criteria for consumer health information” scoring, while 52.1% were interpreted as low, 19.2% as medium, and 28.7% as high quality according to “global quality scale” scoring. When video score ratings were compared with the duration, number of views, and likes of the videos, no significant relationship was found between the views of the videos and “quality criteria for consumer health information” and “global quality scale” scores of the first and second viewers (p=0.369, p=0.316, p=0.632, p=0.815 respectively). Similarly, no significant relationship was found between the number of likes and the “quality criteria for consumer health information” and “global quality scale” scores of the first and second viewers (p=0.367, p=0.407, p=0.645, p=0.931, respectively). Conclusion: Most YouTube videos on childhood constipation are of very low quality, and the high number of views and likes does not correlate with high quality.

Keywords

• constipation
• discern
• gqs
• pediatrics
• youtube