Analyzing Turkish-Language HPV Vaccination Videos on YouTube: Assessing Content Quality and Educational Value

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a major public health concern, contributing to HPV-related cancers. Although effective vaccines are available, misinformation on social media complicates public health efforts. This study aimed to evaluate the quality, educational value, understandability, actionability, transparency, reliability, and popularity of Turkish-language YouTube videos on HPV vaccination.

A YouTube search was conducted using the Turkish keywords HPV aşısı (HPV vaccine), Gardasil aşısı (Gardasil vaccine), and serviks kanseri aşısı (cervical cancer vaccine). The first 50 videos for each keyword were screened and included. Videos were assessed using validated tools: the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) for understandability and actionability, the JAMA score for transparency and reliability, the Video Power Index (VPI) for popularity, the Global Quality Score (GQS), and the Video Information & Quality Index (VIQI) for quality. Higher VIQI and VPI scores reflect greater quality and popularity, respectively.

The median video duration was 95 seconds (interquartile range [IQR], 105 seconds). The median JAMA score was 2 (IQR, 1), indicating low transparency and reliability. The median GQS score was 3 (IQR, 2), indicating moderate quality. PEMAT scores had a median of 66% (IQR, 25). The median VIQI and VPI were 15 (IQR, 4) and 144 (IQR, 1274), respectively. No significant differences were found in quality metrics between more and less popular videos. Most videos (98.75%) were produced by health-care providers (HCPs), predominantly gynecologists (86.4%), with no representation from family physicians.

Although predominantly produced by HCPs, Turkish-language YouTube videos on HPV vaccination demonstrated only moderate quality and limited capacity to promote vaccination. Greater involvement of family physicians, key providers of preventive healthcare, may enhance the public health impact of online HPV vaccination content.