Gender Bias in YouTube Videos Describing Common Urology Conditions

To study implicit and explicit gender biases in YouTube videos describing common urologic conditions based on language patterns, speaker gender, and speaker profession.

Using a Boolean search, the top 30 videos for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), kidney stones, urinary tract infections (UTIs), overactive bladder (OAB), erectile dysfunction (ED), and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) were retrieved. Using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count program (LIWC) software, video transcripts were analyzed for 16 word categories and compared by speaker gender and urology topic to assess for bias.

OAB and POP had the least view counts and subscribers; kidney stone and ED videos had the most. Student education channels were more likely to feature male than female speakers (19 male vs. 6 female, P=0.01). A significant difference was noted between speaker gender in BPH (25 male vs. 4 female, P<0.001), OAB (4 male vs. 22 female, P<0.001), and POP (6 male vs. 23 female, P<0.001) videos. When examining linguistic patterns with the LIWC program, female speakers were more likely to mention personal concerns and use tentative words when speaking alone compared to males.

Gender bias exists in YouTube videos concerning common urologic conditions. We must be mindful of how information is distributed in order to minimize the perpetuation of gender stereotypes that are common in medicine. Awareness of these patterns and biases should encourage Urologists to proactively consider how they present themselves and how they reference the conditions they present in social media outlets.