Content Quality of YouTube Videos About Pain Management After Cesarean Birth: Content Analysis

BackgroundYouTube is an increasingly common source of health information; however, the reliability and quality of the information are inadequately understood. Several studies have evaluated YouTube as a resource during pregnancy and found the available information to be of po...

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Main Authors: Natalie A Squires, Elizabeth Soyemi, Lynn M Yee, Eleanor M Birch, Nevert Badreldin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2023-06-01
Series:JMIR Infodemiology
Online Access:https://infodemiology.jmir.org/2023/1/e40802
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author Natalie A Squires
Elizabeth Soyemi
Lynn M Yee
Eleanor M Birch
Nevert Badreldin
author_facet Natalie A Squires
Elizabeth Soyemi
Lynn M Yee
Eleanor M Birch
Nevert Badreldin
author_sort Natalie A Squires
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundYouTube is an increasingly common source of health information; however, the reliability and quality of the information are inadequately understood. Several studies have evaluated YouTube as a resource during pregnancy and found the available information to be of poor quality. Given the increasing attention to postpartum health and the importance of promoting safe opioid use after birth, YouTube may be a source of information for birthing individuals. However, little is known about the available information on YouTube regarding postpartum pain. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to systematically evaluate the quality of YouTube videos as an educational resource for postpartum cesarean pain management. MethodsA systematic search of YouTube videos was conducted on June 25, 2021, using 36 postpartum cesarean pain management–related keywords, which were identified by clinical experts. The search replicated a default YouTube search via a public account. The first 60 results from each keyword search were reviewed, and unique videos were analyzed. An overall content score was developed based on prior literature and expert opinion to evaluate the video’s relevance and comprehensiveness. The DISCERN instrument, a validated metric to assess consumer health information, was used to evaluate the reliability of video information. Videos with an overall content score of ≥5 and a DISCERN score of ≥39 were classified as high-quality health education resources. Descriptive analysis and intergroup comparisons by video source and quality were conducted. ResultsOf 73 unique videos, video sources included medical videos (n=36, 49%), followed by personal video blogs (vlogs; n=32, 44%), advertisements (n=3, 4%), and media (n=2, 3%). The average overall content score was 3.6 (SD 2.0) out of 9, and the average DISCERN score was 39.2 (SD 8.1) out of 75, indicating low comprehensiveness and fair information reliability, respectively. High-quality videos (n=22, 30%) most frequently addressed overall content regarding pain duration (22/22, 100%), pain types (20/22, 91%), return-to-activity instructions (19/22, 86%), and nonpharmacologic methods for pain control (19/22, 86%). There were differences in the overall content score (P=.02) by video source but not DISCERN score (P=.45). Personal vlogs had the highest overall content score at 4.0 (SD 2.1), followed by medical videos at 3.3 (SD 2.0). Longer video duration and a greater number of comments and likes were significantly correlated with the overall content score, whereas the number of video comments was inversely correlated with the DISCERN score. ConclusionsIndividuals seeking information from YouTube regarding postpartum cesarean pain management are likely to encounter videos that lack adequate comprehensiveness and reliability. Clinicians should counsel patients to exercise caution when using YouTube as a health information resource.
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spelling doaj.art-3387f9270bdb4311b59ae764a309c4d32023-08-29T00:06:32ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Infodemiology2564-18912023-06-013e4080210.2196/40802Content Quality of YouTube Videos About Pain Management After Cesarean Birth: Content AnalysisNatalie A Squireshttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2608-0208Elizabeth Soyemihttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0859-4459Lynn M Yeehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6274-0544Eleanor M Birchhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8831-1353Nevert Badreldinhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6341-3350 BackgroundYouTube is an increasingly common source of health information; however, the reliability and quality of the information are inadequately understood. Several studies have evaluated YouTube as a resource during pregnancy and found the available information to be of poor quality. Given the increasing attention to postpartum health and the importance of promoting safe opioid use after birth, YouTube may be a source of information for birthing individuals. However, little is known about the available information on YouTube regarding postpartum pain. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to systematically evaluate the quality of YouTube videos as an educational resource for postpartum cesarean pain management. MethodsA systematic search of YouTube videos was conducted on June 25, 2021, using 36 postpartum cesarean pain management–related keywords, which were identified by clinical experts. The search replicated a default YouTube search via a public account. The first 60 results from each keyword search were reviewed, and unique videos were analyzed. An overall content score was developed based on prior literature and expert opinion to evaluate the video’s relevance and comprehensiveness. The DISCERN instrument, a validated metric to assess consumer health information, was used to evaluate the reliability of video information. Videos with an overall content score of ≥5 and a DISCERN score of ≥39 were classified as high-quality health education resources. Descriptive analysis and intergroup comparisons by video source and quality were conducted. ResultsOf 73 unique videos, video sources included medical videos (n=36, 49%), followed by personal video blogs (vlogs; n=32, 44%), advertisements (n=3, 4%), and media (n=2, 3%). The average overall content score was 3.6 (SD 2.0) out of 9, and the average DISCERN score was 39.2 (SD 8.1) out of 75, indicating low comprehensiveness and fair information reliability, respectively. High-quality videos (n=22, 30%) most frequently addressed overall content regarding pain duration (22/22, 100%), pain types (20/22, 91%), return-to-activity instructions (19/22, 86%), and nonpharmacologic methods for pain control (19/22, 86%). There were differences in the overall content score (P=.02) by video source but not DISCERN score (P=.45). Personal vlogs had the highest overall content score at 4.0 (SD 2.1), followed by medical videos at 3.3 (SD 2.0). Longer video duration and a greater number of comments and likes were significantly correlated with the overall content score, whereas the number of video comments was inversely correlated with the DISCERN score. ConclusionsIndividuals seeking information from YouTube regarding postpartum cesarean pain management are likely to encounter videos that lack adequate comprehensiveness and reliability. Clinicians should counsel patients to exercise caution when using YouTube as a health information resource.https://infodemiology.jmir.org/2023/1/e40802
spellingShingle Natalie A Squires
Elizabeth Soyemi
Lynn M Yee
Eleanor M Birch
Nevert Badreldin
Content Quality of YouTube Videos About Pain Management After Cesarean Birth: Content Analysis
JMIR Infodemiology
title Content Quality of YouTube Videos About Pain Management After Cesarean Birth: Content Analysis
title_full Content Quality of YouTube Videos About Pain Management After Cesarean Birth: Content Analysis
title_fullStr Content Quality of YouTube Videos About Pain Management After Cesarean Birth: Content Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Content Quality of YouTube Videos About Pain Management After Cesarean Birth: Content Analysis
title_short Content Quality of YouTube Videos About Pain Management After Cesarean Birth: Content Analysis
title_sort content quality of youtube videos about pain management after cesarean birth content analysis
url https://infodemiology.jmir.org/2023/1/e40802
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