An Assessment of Youtube as a Source of Information on Breast Reconstruction Following Mastectomy

INTRODUCTION: YouTube is widely-used by patients to seek information regarding healthcare and may influence health behaviours¹. We aimed to evaluate the quality of videos on YouTube relating to breast reconstruction options following mastectomy

METHODS: In January 2016, relevant YouTube videos were selected independently by two authors. Videos were assessed and classified as: “useful”, “misleading” or “person accounts” based on the quality and content of videos therein. A Cohen’s kappa coefficient was used to assess inter-observer variability. Author of video, total views, and video duration were also noted.

RESULTS: Overall, 129 videos had relevant information relating to breast reconstruction options following mastectomy. Of 129, 41.9% were “useful” and 33.3% were “misleading.” “Useful” videos accounted for 9.7% of views, whilst misleading views accounted for 3.8%. “Personal accounts” made up 24.8% of videos and 86.6% of views. Videos by plastic surgeons in private practice (21.7%) offered the best overall quality. There was a significant difference between video quality and video duration (p=<0.05), but no significant difference between video quality and number of views (p=>0.05).

CONCLUSION: YouTube hosts a wealth of information relating to breast reconstruction following mastectomy. Videos of personal experiences have highest viewership and may influence patient health behaviours more than content offered by healthcare professionals. There is arguably a need for high equality, educational videos that are more appealing to general viewers.