Abstract
Objective: In this study, we aim to evaluate the content and
quality of the most relevant YouTube videos related to Holmium laser
enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) surgery.
Materials and Methods: The keywords ‘HOLEP’, ‘laser
enucleation’ and ‘prostate enucleation’ were used to perform a search on
YouTube. Non-English language videos, videos with less than 4-minute
duration, and repetitive videos were excluded. The reactions of the
viewers to the videos were evaluated by recording the ‘total views’,
‘views/month’ and ‘likes and dislikes’ parameters. The data were divided
into two groups based on the source of upload: Group 1 consisted of
healthcare providers and Groups 2 comprised commercial companies and
for-profit organizations.
Results: A total of 117 videos were included in the study. A
significant portion of the videos (77.7%) had been uploaded by
healthcare providers. There was no statistically significant difference
between the uploading groups in terms of the DISCERN and GQS scores
(p =0.484 and p =0.108, respectively). However, the PEMAT
understandability and actionability scores were statistically
significantly higher in Group 2 (p =0.004 and p =0.022,
respectively). In addition, when the misinformation scale was evaluated,
there were significantly more videos with high-degree misinformation in
Group 2 (5.5% vs 33.3, p =0.001).
Conclusion: On video sharing platforms, such as YouTube, the
number of reliable videos with accurate and appropriate guidance about
diseases and treatments should be increased, and these videos should be
allowed to be posted after they have been approved by relevant
institutions, including healthcare associations and universities.
Keywords: HoLEP, patient information, social media, YouTube