Quality Assessment of YouTube Videos on Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head: An Analysis of Content, Reliability, and Educational Value

Abstract

Aim: Videos related to avascular necrosis of the femoral head are no exception, and so the aim of this study is to evaluate the educational quality of YouTube videos on this topic. 
 Material and Method: A standardized video search was performed on YouTube using the terms “avascular necrosis of the hip”, “osteonecrosis of the hip” and “avascular necrosis of the femoral head”. The top 50 videos were then analyzed, and the characteristics and content of the videos were recorded. The Journal of American Medical Association criteria, The DISCERN score, The Global Quality Score and the new YouTube ‘Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head Score” were all used to assess the reliability and accuracy of the videos.
 Results: The median video duration of the 50 videos was 10.85±19.17 minutes. The median number of views was 10,866 (range 221 to 278,174). According to the video content, 60% of the videos contained information about the disease, 10% were about patient experience, and the remaining 30% related to surgical technique or approach. Physicians were the primary uploader on YouTube for this topic. The rate of low-quality videos was determined as following according to the different evaluative systems: 68% according to the newly defined YouTube Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head Score, 60% according to the DISCERN score, and 56% according to The Global Quality Score. The Journal of the American Medical Association, The Global Quality Score, and DISCERN score were significantly correlated with video duration, while the New YouTube Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head Score was significantly correlated with video duration, time since upload, number of views, and like rate.
 Conclusion: Most of the popular YouTube videos about avascular necrosis are of a low quality.