Informational Quality of YouTube Content on Partial Meniscectomy Remains Inadequate

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Medical Education
• Digital Health Literacy

Background:

• Partial meniscectomy is a common orthopaedic procedure.
• Patients increasingly seek health information online, including on platforms like YouTube.
• The quality of online medical information can vary significantly, impacting patient understanding and decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the quality of YouTube videos discussing partial meniscectomy.
• To assess the reliability and educational value of these videos for patients and healthcare providers.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search for "partial meniscectomy" videos on YouTube was conducted.
• Fifty videos meeting inclusion criteria were analyzed using the DISCERN instrument, JAMA benchmark criteria, and Global Quality Scale (GQS).
• Video characteristics including source, subject, content type, and engagement metrics were recorded.

Main Results:

• Videos from physicians and overview content demonstrated higher quality scores (JAMA, GQS).
• Educational videos were rated higher than subjective patient experience videos.
• Despite high viewership, overall video quality was poor to suboptimal, with a mean DISCERN score of 45.0, JAMA score of 1.83, and GQS score of 2.97.

Conclusions:

• YouTube videos regarding partial meniscectomy are generally of low quality.
• The platform is currently not a reliable source for patients seeking information on this procedure.
• Improvements in content creation and platform moderation are necessary to enhance the quality of orthopaedic surgical information online.