Cholesterol management videos on YouTube: a comprehensive analysis of content and quality

This study aims to evaluate the quality, reliability, and content of YouTube videos on cholesterol management, analyse their impact on viewers through comment assessment, and contribute to understanding the influence of digital media on health-related decision-making.

A descriptive analysis was conducted on YouTube videos obtained using four search queries: 'high cholesterol treatment,' 'high cholesterol drugs,' 'high cholesterol medications,' and 'high cholesterol pills.' 105 videos meeting the inclusion criteria were analysed. The videos were scored using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), Modified DISCERN, and JAMA benchmark criteria. Sentiment analysis of comments was conducted, and the presence of misinformation, marketing content, and alternative therapy emphasis was evaluated.The analysed videos amassed 32 565 336 views, with over 50 000 comments. Notably, 18% of the videos rejected cholesterol-lowering medications, and 21% contained misinformation. Videos emphasizing alternative therapies were more likely to include marketing content (70%) and misinformation (43%). Most videos had low to moderate quality and reliability. Independent doctors were the most frequent publishers (55.2%), but their videos exhibited the highest rate of misinformation (29%).

YouTube serves as a widely used yet unreliable source of health information on cholesterol treatments. The prevalence of misinformation, particularly in videos by healthcare professionals, is remarkable. Proactive efforts by credible institutions to disseminate accurate content on this platform are critical.