YouTube as an information source during the COVID-19 outbreak: a cross sectional study of Turkish video content

Year 2021, , 340 - 343, 21.05.2021

Serhat Sirekbasan , Serap Suzuk

https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.906178

Abstract

Aim: Although videos posted on YouTube are popular sources of information on public health issues, they generally need confirmation. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the content of the most viewed Turkish YouTube videos as an information source during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Material and Method: On March 26, 2021, videos containing information about the disease were searched on YouTube using the keywords 'coronavirus' and 'COVID-19'. The videos were classified as useful, misleading, personal experiences and news updates based on the type of information they contain. Inter-rater agreement was evaluated using the kappa coefficient. The total number of views, days since upload, total video time and upload source were noted.
Results: 96 of a total of 200 videos met the inclusion criteria. The total number of views of the 96 videos included was 21,598,563. 47.92% of the videos were classified as useful, 37.5% as news updates, and 6.25% as personal experiences. It was determined that 8.33% of the videos presented medically misleading information.
Coclusion: This study shows that most of the internet videos about COVID-19 on YouTube are considered as beneficial. Videos prepared by reliable sources such as academic institutions and health institutions were few. It is very important that news agencies take measures to prevent the dissemination of false information in public health emergencies and that the content of the videos they publish is correct.

Keywords

Knowledge, COVID-19, epidemic diseases, YouTube, public health

References

• Baloch S, Baloch MA, Zheng T, Pei X. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Tohoku J Exp Med 2020; 250: 271-8.
• World Health Organization. Rolling updates on coronavirus disease (COVID-19). https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-they-happen?utm_medium=email&utm_source=transaction.
• World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019.
• Sun P, Lu X, Xu C, Sun W, Pan B. Understanding of COVID-19 based on current evidence. J Med Virol 2020; 92: 548-51.
• YouTube. YouTube Social impact. pandemic. https://socialimpact.youtube.com/.
• Madathil KC, Rivera-Rodriguez AJ, Greenstein JS, Gramopadhye AK. Healthcare information on YouTube: a systematic review. Health Informatics J 2015; 21: 173-94.
• Li H, Liu SM, Yu XH, Tang SL, Tang CK. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): current status and future perspectives. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2020; 55: 105951.
• Pandey A, Patni N, Singh M, Sood A, Singh G. YouTube as a source of information on the H1N1 influenza pandemic. Am J Prev Med 2010; 38: e1-3.
• Pathak R, Poudel DR, Karmacharya P, et al. YouTube as a source of information on Ebola virus disease. N Am J Med Sci 2015; 7: 306-9.
• Dubey D, Amritphale A, Sawhney A, Dubey D, Srivastav N. Analysis of YouTube as a source of information for West Nile virus infection. Clin Med Res 2014; 12: 129-32.
• Bora K, Das D, Barman B, Borah P. Are internet videos useful sources of information during global public health emergencies? A case study of YouTube videos during the 2015-16 Zika virus pandemic. Pathog Glob Health 2018; 112: 320-28.
• Keelan J, Pavri-Garcia V, Tomlinson G, Wilson K. YouTube as a source of information on immunization: a content analysis. JAMA 2007; 298: 2482-4.
• Kumar N, Pandey A, Venkatraman A, Garg N. Are video sharing web sites a useful source of information on hypertension? J Am Soc Hypertens 2014; 8: 481-90.
• Delli K, Livas C, Vissink A, Spijkervet FK. Is YouTube useful as a source of information for Sjögren’s syndrome? Oral Dis 2016; 22: 196-201.
• Singh AG, Singh S, Singh PP. YouTube for information on rheumatoid arthritis-a wakeup call? J Rheumatol 2012; 39: 899-903.
• Cuan-Baltazar JY, Muñoz-Perez MJ, Robledo-Vega C, Pérez-Zepeda MF, Soto-Vega E. Misinformation of COVID-19 on the Internet: Infodemiology Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2020; 6: e18444.
• Kouzy R, Abi Jaoude J, Kraitem A, et al. Coronavirus goes viral: quantifying the COVID-19 misinformation epidemic on Twitter. Cureus 2020; 12: e7255.
• Akyol A, Karahan İ. Is YouTube a quality source of information on sarcopenia? Eur Geriatr Med 2020; 11: 693-7.
• Kocyigit BF, Akaltun MS. Does YouTube provide high quality information? Assessment of secukinumab videos. Rheumatol Int. 2019; 39: 1263-8.
• Tolu S, Yurdakul OV, Basaran B, Rezvani A. English-language videos on YouTube as a source of information on self-administer subcutaneous anti-tumour necrosis factor agent injections. Rheumatol Int. 2018; 38: 1285-92.