YOUTUBE AND INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE, A 10-YEAR UPDATE

Abstract

Abstract INTRODUCTION As the prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) continues to rise, patients are turning to social media, notably YouTube®, for IBD information. This content has transformed since Mukewar et. al’s 2013 analysis of the top YouTube® videos about IBD. Furthermore, patient-desired information is now better understood, including 1) IBD treatment pros and cons, 2) self-advocacy, 3) IBD health tips, 4) IBD coping strategies, and 5) education on patient experiences. We analyzed YouTube® IBD videos to assess their informational quality and ability to address patient-desired attributes. METHODS Using the query “inflammatory bowel disease OR IBD,” we reviewed the top 50 English YouTube® IBD videos under 20 minutes. We gathered video metadata and assessed informational quality using the Patient Educational Video Score for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (PEVIS-IBD score) designed by Mukewar et al. with disease and treatment advancement updates. Possible scores ranged from 0 to 28. Patient-desired attribute count was noted per video. One-way ANOVA was done to test statistical significance. RESULTS 49/50 videos remain accessible. 35% focus on Crohn’s Disease, 30% on Ulcerative Colitis, and 35% on both. Most videos were MD/RN education (17, 35%), patient stories (14, 29%), and hospital/physician-produced IBD explainers (11, 22%). Only 18 (37%) had YouTube® Health Source Accreditation. MD/RN education videos ranked highest on PEVIS-IBD (13.47). Patient stories ranked lowest (7.57). 24/49 discussed at least one patient-desired attribute, with half of these covering three or more. MD/RN education videos did not address any attributes. Figure 1 shows detailed information about each category of video. DISCUSSION Our study shows a shift in IBD YouTube videos, with ⅓ of the top 50 videos being MD/RN education, a previously undescribed segment. Despite high PEVIS-IBD scores reflecting high-quality factual content, all of these videos lack patient-desired attributes, signaling a need for research to ascertain their value to patients. Of the patient-centric videos (32, excluding MD/RN education), 75% discussed at least one desired attribute, with half discussing 3 or more. Patient story videos had the highest attribute count, but low PEVIS-IBD scores, highlighting an opportunity for videos that simultaneously feature patient stories and facts about IBD. Only 37% of videos had YouTube® Health Source Accreditation, with videos from reputable organizations like the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation lacking this tag. Medical societies should be aware of this feature and ensure their channels are properly accredited. Figure 1 Analysis of key video metadata by category. Reference Mukewar S, et al. YouTube and inflammatory bowel disease. J Crohns Colitis. 2013;7(5):392-402.