The Reliability Of Youtube Videos In Patients Education For Glioblastoma Treatment

Background: Glioblastomas (GBMs) are one of the most devastating primary tumors in humans and often results in minimal survival rates. Over the past 2 decades, patients have accessed the internet to obtain information related to their diagnoses. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the accuracy and the reliability of GBM-related YouTube videos. Methods: In June of 2017, a search was conducted on YouTube using 6 keywords. Videos were sorted using “Relevance-Based Ranking” option, and the first 3 pages for each search were selected for further analysis. Three independent reviewers evaluated the videos using the validated DISCERN Tool. Results: After sorting 23,100 videos, 9 videos were identified and included for analysis. Of the 9 videos analyzed, 88% (8/9) were from hospitals affiliated with prestigious universities across the country. Of the nine videos included in the analysis, two (22%) scored above a 3. There was an average 55% overlap in the videos analyzed by key term and the keyword search of “Malignant Glioma Treatment” had the highest percentage of videos above a score of 3 (66%). Conclusion: Many patients with GBM and their families access information on YouTube to familiarize themselves with the epidemiology, survival, and treatment options for this form of tumor. However, the information that is currently available online is not monitored or vetted using an official filtering process prior to its release. Medical institutions must work to produce more peer-reviewed content in order to improve the availability of credible health information on internet platforms