Information on Recent Monkeypox Outbreak: Systematic Search and Content Analysis of YouTube Videos

To examine the availability, characteristics, content, reliability, and quality of YouTube videos on the recent monkeypox outbreak.

A systematic search was carried out on YouTube using the keywords "Monkeypox" on May 31, 2022. Video-related metrics were entered into the EpiCollect5 application simultaneously while watching the videos. A total of 599 videos were taken for final analysis. On the basis of content, the videos were categorized as useful, misleading, and news updates. Standardized tools were utilized to assess the content, quality, and reliability of the useful videos.

Videos attracted cumulative 16,825,261 views and 591,932 likes. A total of 272 (45.4%) videos were categorized as useful, 122 (20.4%) videos as misleading, and 205 (34.2%) videos as news reports, with a 0.96 kappa coefficient of agreement between the 2 accessors. Mass media contributed to approximately 69% of the total videos. The mean Global Quality Scale, medical information and content index, and modified DISCERN scores were 2.8±0.7, 2.2±0.8, and 3.07±0.7 respectively.

The present study found that nearly half of the selected videos on recent monkeypox outbreaks contained useful information. Health care professionals and health-related organizations should be encouraged to disseminate scientifically correct information during public health emergencies. One-fifth of the videos contained misleading information, which may be due to a lack of quality assessment and peer review processes. Hence, strict caution and strategies for proper verification procedures should be exercised before uploading any health-related video on this platform.