A Comparison of the Quality and Reliability of YouTube Videos Uploaded by Healthcare Professionals About Scoliosis in the Past Decade

Introduction: Internet-based medical education plays a crucial role in bolstering public health awareness and the competence of medical professionals; however, it must be dependable. We aimed to examine the quality and reliability of the videos uploaded to YouTube (YouTube, LLC, San Bruno, California, United States) by professional healthcare professionals about scoliosis from 2014 to 2023. Methods: The study was performed between August 1 and August 15, 2023. The keywords 'scoliosis', 'scoliosis-kyphosis brace', 'scoliosis exercises', 'scoliosis surgeries', and 'scoliosis-kyphosis exercises' were searched on YouTube. Only YouTube videos uploaded by healthcare professionals between January 1, 2014, and July 31, 2023, and only videos in the English language were examined. Video characteristics were evaluated and recorded for all videos. The quality and reliability of videos were assessed with two different questionnaire scales including the modified DISCERN score and the Global Quality Score (GQS). Results: The mean number of views per video was 3778 in videos uploaded between 2014 and 2018, and 3120 in videos uploaded between 2019 and 2023 (p= 0.004). Video length and number of likes were statistically significantly lower in the videos of the last five years (p=0.001, and p=0.001). Thirty-one percent of the professional videos uploaded between 2014 and 2018 were directed at healthcare professionals. This rate was 12% in the last five years and was statistically significantly lower (p=0.001). The DISCERN score average was 3.7 between 2014 and 2018 and it was 3.2 between 2019 and 2023 (p=0.001). Similarly, the mean GQS was statistically significantly higher in the last five years compared to the five years prior (3.8 vs. 3.3, p=0.001). Conclusion: The present study determined that the quality and reliability of YouTube videos about scoliosis significantly increased in the last five years compared to the previous five years with a significant decrease in video duration. Also, among videos uploaded in the last five years, the number of videos for the patient was significantly higher. In contrast, the ‘like’ and ‘view’ numbers were significantly lower in YouTube videos about scoliosis in the last five years.