Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-s22k5 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-11T12:53:11.677Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

YouTube as a source of information on rhinosinusitis: the good, the bad and the ugly

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2013

T C Biggs ,
J H Bird ,
P G Harries  and
R J Salib
T C Biggs*
Affiliation:
ENT Department, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK
J H Bird
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Portsmouth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UK
P G Harries
Affiliation:
ENT Department, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK
R J Salib
Affiliation:
ENT Department, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr T Biggs, ENT Department, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Tremona Rd, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK Fax: 0238 0794868 E-mail: tim_biggs@ymail.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

YouTube is an internet-based repository of user-generated content. This study aimed to determine whether YouTube represented a valid and reliable patient information resource for the lay person on the topic of rhinosinusitis.

Methods:

The study included the first 100 YouTube videos found using the search term ‘sinusitis’. Videos were graded on their ability to inform the lay person on the subject of rhinosinusitis.

Results:

Forty-five per cent of the videos were deemed to provide some useful information. Fifty-five per cent of the videos contained little or no useful facts, 27 per cent of which contained potentially misleading or even dangerous information. Videos uploaded by medical professionals or those from health information websites contained more useful information than those uploaded by independent users.

Conclusion:

YouTube appears to be an unreliable resource for accurate and up to date medical information relating to rhinosinusitis. However, it may provide some useful information if mechanisms existed to direct lay people to verifiable and credible sources.

Keywords

Consumer Health InformationInternetSinusitisRhinitis
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 127 , Issue 8 , August 2013 , pp. 749 - 754
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Fokkens, WJ, Lund, VJ, Mullol, J, Bachert, C, Alobid, I, Baroody, F et al. EPOS 2012: European position paper on rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps 2012. A summary for otorhinolaryngologists. Rhinology 2012;50:1–12CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2Suh, JD, Cohen, NA, Palmer, JN. Biofilms in chronic rhinosinusitis. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2010;18:27–31CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Murray, E, Lo, B, Pollack, L, Donelan, K, Catania, J, White, M et al. The impact of health information on the internet on the physician-patient relationship: patient perceptions. Arch Intern Med 2003;163:1727–34CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4Moran, M, Oliver, CW. Content and design of patient-targeted websites in orthopaedic surgery: the example of total hip replacement. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2007;89:773–6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5Clifton, A, Mann, C. Can YouTube enhance student nurse learning? Nurse Educ Today 2011;31:311–13CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6Hughes, JP, Quraishi, MS. YouTube resources for the otolaryngology trainee. J Laryngol Otol 2012;126:61–2CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Mishoe, SC. Consumer health care information on the internet: does the public benefit? Respir Care 2008;53:1285–6Google ScholarPubMed
8Sethuram, R, Weerakkody, ANA. Health information on the internet. J Obstet Gynaecol 2010;30:119–21CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9Steinberg, PL, Wason, S, Stern, JM, Deters, L, Kowal, B, Seigne, J. YouTube as source of prostate cancer information. Urology 2010;75:619–22CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10Pandey, A, Patni, N, Singh, M, Sood, A, Singh, G. YouTube as a source of information on the H1N1 influenza pandemic. Am J Prev Med 2010;38:e1–3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11Ache, KA, Wallace, LS. Human papillomavirus vaccination coverage on YouTube. Am J Prev Med 2008;35:389–92CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Smith, JT, Pate, OL, Guss, D, Lee, JT, Chiodo, CP, Bluman, EM. Internet information quality for ten common foot and ankle diagnoses. Foot Ankle Surg 2012;18:198–202CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13A pragmatic treatment for chronic sinusitis. In: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAD_qA-rQNY [23 July 2012]Google Scholar
14Briones, R, Nan, X, Madden, K, Waks, L. When vaccines go viral: an analysis of HPV vaccine coverage on YouTube. Health Commun 2012;27:478–85CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15Singh, AG, Singh, S, Singh, PP. YouTube for information on rheumatoid arthritis – a wakeup call? J Rheumatol 2012;39:899–903CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16Pant, S, Deshmukh, A, Murugiah, K, Kumar, G, Sachdeva, R, Mehta, JL. Assessing the credibility of the “YouTube approach” to health information on acute myocardial infarction. Clin Cardiol 2012;35:281–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed