An Assessment of the Quality and Reliability of Gastric Botox Information Videos on YouTube

Background and objective Intragastric botulinum toxin (Botox) applications have emerged as a novel endoscopic intervention method to treat obesity. YouTube stands out as one of the primary online platforms frequently utilized for accessing health-related information. In light of this, this study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of informational videos about gastric Botox on YouTube. Materials and methods In July 2023, a comprehensive evaluation of gastric Botox information videos on YouTube was conducted by querying "Gastric Botox" on YouTube. A total of 70 videos were initially reviewed and 48 videos were meticulously analyzed by a general surgeon. Videos were categorized based on their sources and attributes and evaluated using standard scales like the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) score, modified DISCERN, and the Global Quality Scale (GQS). Results A total of 48 videos were assessed. Of these, 2.1% originated from academic institutions, 20.8% from private hospitals/organizations, and 52.1% from physicians. Videos by other healthcare professionals accounted for 2.1%, health information websites 12.5%, and independent users 10.4%. Video durations varied significantly across sources (p<0.001). Independent user videos had the highest likes/views. JAMA scores (p=0.009) and DISCERN scores (p=0.045) showed significant differences among sources. Academic institution videos had a median JAMA score of 4; independent users scored 1. As for DISCERN, academic videos scored the highest at 5, while independent users scored the lowest at 1.8. Conclusions YouTube is filled with healthcare information videos today. Although the quality and reliability scores based on conventional assessment methods might be moderate, we advise utilizing videos from academic institutions and reputable health information websites as primary sources to educate patients about gastric Botox.