YouTube as a Source of Patient Information for Ankle Arthroplasty: Quantitative Analysis of Video Reliability, Quality, and Content

Abstract

Background. There are limited data on the quality and content of videos discussing total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) on the YouTube video platform. Methods. The first 60 unique YouTube videos resulting from the keyword query “ankle arthroplasty” and “ankle replacement” were analyzed for comprehensiveness and quality. Content was assessed using the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, DISCERN, Global Quality Scale (GQS), and an arthroplasty-specific score. Results. Videos demonstrated low mean DISCERN (49.2/80), GQS (3.2/5), and arthroplasty-specific scores (4.3/12) with substantial variability between videos. Most of the content was produced by nonacademic physicians (46.7%) and academic sources (21.7%). Academic videos saw significantly higher mean JAMA scores ( P = .013) but were otherwise comparable to non-academic physicians. Commercial content demonstrated significantly low-quality scores compared to academic ( P = .012) and physician ( P = .008) sources despite the highest mean viewership. Conclusions. Information on TAA on the YouTube platform is highly variable based on video source, with generally poor quality and content. Level of Evidence: Level V, systemic review of non-peer reviewed resources