Quality, Understandability and Reliability of YouTube Videos on Skin Cancer Screening

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Lydia Reinhardt - , Department of Dermatology (Author)
  • Theresa Steeb - , Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Author)
  • Anika Mifka - , University Hospital at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Author)
  • Carola Berking - , Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Author)
  • Friedegund Meier - , Department of Dermatology, Skin Tumor Center (Author)

Abstract

In 2008, a nationwide skin cancer screening (SCS) program was implemented in Germany. However, participation rates remain low. YouTube videos on SCS might educate eligible persons to undergo SCS. Until now, no scientific evaluation of the quality of videos available for German-speaking persons eligible for SCS has been performed. Here, we identified and evaluated videos on SCS provided on YouTube. YouTube was searched in May 2022 for German terms related to SCS. Two authors evaluated the videos of the first three pages that met the predefined eligibility criteria. The quality of the videos´ information was evaluated using DISCERN and the Global Quality Scale (GQS). The understandability and actionability were assessed with the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT). The reliability was assessed with the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) score. Subgroup differences were identified by the Kruskal-Wallis test. Overall, 38 videos were included in the evaluation. Most videos were provided by health professionals (clinics and practices). The average scores (mean (SD)) for the individual tools were as follows: DISCERN 3.1/5 points (± 0.52), GQS 3.72/5 points (± 0.7), understandability 64,27% (± 13.53%), actionability 58.22% (± 15.18%), JAMA 37.17% (± 18.94%). These results indicate a mediocre to good understandability, a mediocre quality and actionability, and a low reliability. Videos that were assessed as useful were of significantly better quality. An improvement of freely available informational videos on SCS, especially with regard to the reliability criteria, is urgently needed.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1667-1674
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Cancer Education
Volume38
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMedCentral PMC10509116
ORCID /0000-0003-4340-9706/work/151982839
Scopus 85161952148

Keywords

Keywords

  • Early Detection of Cancer, Germany, Humans, Neoplasms, Reproducibility of Results, Social Media, Video Recording