Open AccessTransition from pandemic to infodemic: an analysis of Turkish language COVID-19 YouTube videos
Author(s) -
Fatih Çakmak,
Seda Özkan,
Afşın İpekci,
Altuğ Kanbakan,
Türker Demirtakan,
Serap Biberoğlu,
Kübra Çakmak,
Nura Fitnat Topbaş Selçuki,
Türkan İkizceli
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/emhj.21.011
Subject(s) - turkish , upload , quality (philosophy) , health care , pandemic , misinformation , social media , covid-19 , medicine , psychology , medical education , computer science , disease , political science , world wide web , philosophy , linguistics , computer security , epistemology , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , law
Background: YouTube can be a powerful educational tool for the dissemination of health information. However, if uploaded health-related videos are inaccurate, it can mislead, create confusion and generate panic. Aims: This study aimed to determine the success of the most-watched Turkish-language COVID-19 YouTube videos regarding information and guidance on the disease for the public. The secondary aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and quality of such video content. Methods: The study was conducted during May 2020 and analysed 133 videos. The length of the videos, the number of likes and dislikes, comments and views, how long they have been on YouTube, Medical Information and Content Index (MICI) Score, mDISCERN scores, global quality scores, and the source and target audiences of the videos were all determined. Results: The average MICI Scores of videos was 2.48±3.74 and the global quality scores was 1.27±0.64. When MICI Scores were compared between video sources, the scores of academic hospitals and government videos were significantly higher. The global quality scores of videos from news agencies and independent users was significantly lower ( < 0.001). The mDISCERN score of the videos uploaded by news agencies and categorized as useful was higher than the others (P < 0.001). Among the targeted videos, only the global quality scores of the videos made for health-care workers were found to be significantly higher. Conclusion: Health-care professionals should upload more videos to improve the quality of health-related video content available on YouTube. Accompanied by evidence-based information, the issues of diagnosis, ways of transmission, prevention and treatment of diseases should be emphasized