Abstract
Objective: To identify the extent to which YouTube.com videos targeting prescription drug abuse include health behavior theory in their content and design. Methods: This study used a content analysis of 209 YouTube.com videos. Coders used an established theory-based instrument to rate each video’s inclusion of theoretical constructs from four prominent health behavior theories. Each YouTube.com video was coded for twenty-two theoretical items, which were summed to create a total theory score. Results: The mean theory score of videos was 3.26 out of a possible 22. Among the top 10% of videos with highest theory scores, social cognitive theory constructs were coded most often and transtheoretical constructs were coded least often. Conclusion: It is not unexpected that YouTube.com videos are largely void of theoretical content since these videos are made by a variety of organizations and sources that may not be trained in the application of health behavior theories. There is an opportunity for the organizations that create these videos to collaborate with health and behavior change experts in creating videos with more theoretical constructs, possibly resulting in better health outcomes.
Highlights
Prescription drug abuse (PDA) is the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers it as a critical public health issue [1]
Teens, believe that these substances are safer than illicit drugs because they are prescribed by a healthcare professional and dispensed by a pharmacist [3]
The instrument and methods used for in this study were adapted from instruments developed by Doshi et al (2003), which was created to evaluate the integration of health behavior theory in physical activity websites, and Cowan et al (2012), which was created to evaluate the use of health behavior theory in physical activity iPhone apps [13] [14]
Summary
Prescription drug abuse (PDA) is the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers it as a critical public health issue [1]. Whereas it is not a new problem, it is one that deserves renewed attention as rates of abuse and adverse effects continue to increase. In 2009, nearly one-third of people aged 12 and over who used illicit drugs for the first time began by abusing a prescription drug [3]. PDA is likely to persist if these misperceptions and behaviors are not addressed with aggressive prevention efforts. Such efforts may involve elements of mass communication mediums that incorporate health behavior theory constructs, which have been shown to lead to behavior change [4]. In the context of Internet-based resources, continue to show promise and are ideal for conveying positive health promotion messages [5]
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