Abstract
The content and quality of medical information available on video sharing websites such as YouTube is not known. We analyzed the source and quality of medical information about Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) disseminated on YouTube and the video characteristics that influence viewer behavior. An inquiry for the search term ‘Ebola’ was made on YouTube. The first 100 results were arranged in decreasing order of “relevance” using the default YouTube algorithm. Videos 1–50 and 51–100 were allocated to a high relevance (HR), and a low relevance (LR) video group, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the predictors of a video being included in the HR vs. LR groups. Fourteen videos were excluded because they were parodies, songs or stand-up comedies (n = 11), not in English (n = 2) or a remaining part of a previous video (n = 1). Two scales, the video information and quality and index and the medical information and content index (MICI) assessed the overall quality, and the medical content of the videos, respectively. There were no videos from hospitals or academic medical centers. Videos in the HR group had a higher median number of views (186,705 vs. 43,796, p < 0.001), more ‘likes’ (1119 vs. 224, p < 0.001), channel subscriptions (208 vs. 32, p < 0.001), and ‘shares’ (519 vs. 98, p < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression showed that only the ‘clinical symptoms’ component of the MICI scale was associated with a higher likelihood of a video being included in the HR vs. LR group.(OR 1.86, 95 % CI 1.06–3.28, p = 0.03). YouTube videos presenting clinical symptoms of infectious diseases during epidemics are more likely to be included in the HR group and influence viewers behavior.
Highlights
Ebola virus, a member of the Filoviridae family is one of the most virulent pathogens in humans (Feldmann and Geisbert 2011)
A very limited number of studies have assessed the usefulness of YouTube in the dissemination of medical information and these studies have been limited to chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, renal stones, skin cancer and anorexia nervosa (Singh et al 2012; Kumar et al 2014; Sood et al 2011; Murugiah et al 2011; Basch et al 2015; SyedAbdul et al 2013)
Forty-two (84.0 %) and 44 (88.0 %) videos were included in the high relevance (HR) and low relevance (LR) group, respectively
Summary
A member of the Filoviridae family is one of the most virulent pathogens in humans (Feldmann and Geisbert 2011). The ongoing Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) epidemic that started in 2014 is the largest in history, with its epicenter being located primarily in West African countries (Nyenswah et al 2014). The case fatality rate for the infection with Zaire species of the Ebola virus, which is the strain causing the current epidemic, has previously been reported to be 80–90 percent (Bray and Murphy 2007). We analyzed the source and quality of medical information about Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) disseminated on YouTube and the video characteristics that influence viewers’ behavior A very limited number of studies have assessed the usefulness of YouTube in the dissemination of medical information and these studies have been limited to chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, renal stones, skin cancer and anorexia nervosa (Singh et al 2012; Kumar et al 2014; Sood et al 2011; Murugiah et al 2011; Basch et al 2015; SyedAbdul et al 2013).
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