The researchers searched YouTube for “scoliosis” and examined the first 50 video findings. They used a JAMA score to determine currency, authorship, disclosure and source as well a scoliosis-specific score to measure the information on diagnosis and treatment options.
The researchers found:
1. There were 71,152 views per video on average. The average video length was seven minutes and 32 seconds.
2. Around 36 percent of the videos were under the “personal experience” authorship category.
3. JAMA scores on average were 1.32/4. The average scoliosis-specific score was 5.38/32.
4. The researchers found a positive correlation between JAMA score and view volume.
5. There was a negative correlation between scoliosis-specific scores and the number of views.
“Online health information has historically been poor and out study shows that in an environment like YouTube that lacks a peer review process, the quality of scoliosis information is low,” concluded the study authors. “Further work is needed to determine whether accessing information on YouTube can play a role in patient care other than simple education pertaining to the disease and its management.”
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