Aktuelle Rheumatologie 2021; 46(06): 577-582
DOI: 10.1055/a-1652-1351
Original Article

YouTube as a Source of Patient Information on Myofascial Pain Syndrome

YouTube als Quelle für Patienteninformationen beim Myofaszialen Schmerzsyndrom
Ayça Uran Şan
1   Gaziler Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ankara, Turkey
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Introduction Myofascial pain syndrome is a local disorder characterised by pathological myofascial constrictions and trigger points. One of the most popular sources of internet-based information for patients is YouTube, which provides a lot of videos related to myofascial pain syndrome, making it one of the top clinical conditions searched for on the site. This study aimed to examine the quality of the YouTube video content on myofascial pain syndrome.

Method This study was designed as a cross-sectional study and used the YouTube video sharing website as the main source of data. A search of the relevant videos was performed by entering the words “myofascial pain syndrome” in June 2021. Video characteristics were recorded, and the quality of the videos was assessed according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, the DISCERN Scale and the Global Quality Scale.

Results A total of 322 videos were evaluated, 186 of which were subjected to analysis after applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The videos were categorised into groups, with 10 (5.4%) falling into the high-quality group, 16 (8.6%) into the intermediate quality group, and 160 (86%) into the low-quality group. The findings from the study showed that the most popular videos, the highest number of video likes and the highest number of video views were in the intermediate group, while the high-quality group had the lowest popularity level, number of video likes and number of video views (p ˂ 0.05).

Conclusions Although there are videos with high-quality content on YouTube offering guidance to patients about the disease, it is important to keep in mind that inaccurate and deficient information about the disease may also be present on this platform.

Zusammenfassung

Einleitung Ein myofasziales Schmerzsyndrom ist eine mit pathologischen myofaszialen Verkürzungen und Triggerpunkten verbundene lokale Störung. Eine der populärsten internetbasierten Informationsquellen für Patienten ist YouTube. Hier gibt es viele Videos über das myofasziale Schmerzsyndrom, was es zu einem der meistgesuchten Krankheitsbilder auf dieser Website macht. Die vorliegende Studie hat sich das Ziel gesetzt, die Qualität des Inhaltes von Videos auf YouTube über das myofasziale Schmerzsyndrom zu untersuchen.

Methode Diese Studie wurde als eine Querschnittsstudie erstellt und benutzt die Video-Sharing-Website Youtube als Hauptdatenquelle. Im Juni 2021 wurde über die Eingabe der Begriffe “myofasziales Schmerzsyndrom” eine Suche auf YouTube durchgeführt. Die Videoeigenschaften wurden dokumentiert und die Qualität der Videos nach den Benchmarkkriterien des Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), der DISCERN-Skala und der Global Quality Scale, bewertet.

Ergebnisse 322 Videos wurden bewertet, wovon 186 nach Anwendung der Ein- und Ausschlusskriterien analysiert wurden. Die Videos wurden in Gruppen eingeteilt, wobei 10 (5,4%) in die Qualitätsgruppe hoch, 16 (8,6%) in die Qualitätsgruppe intermediär und 160 (86%) in die Qualitätsgruppe niedrig fielen. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass die beliebtesten Videos, die höchste Anzahl von Video-Likes und die höchste Anzahl von Videoaufrufen in der intermediär Gruppe vorhanden waren, während die Qualitätsgruppe hoch die geringste Popularität, Anzahl von Video-Likes und Anzahl von Videoaufrufen aufwies (P ˂ 0,05).

Schlussfolgerung Obwohl es auf YouTube Videos mit qualitativ hochwertigem Inhalt gibt, die Patienten über die Krankheit aufklären, ist es wichtig zu bedenken, dass auf dieser Plattform auch ungenaue und mangelhafte Informationen über die Krankheit vorhanden sind.



Publication History

Article published online:
10 November 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 
  • References

  • 1 Cao QW, Peng BG, Wang L. et al. Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of myofascial pain syndrome. World J Clin Cases 2021; 9: 2077-2089
  • 2 Travell JG, Simons LS. Myofascial pain and dysfunction. The Trigger Point Manual: Upper Half of Body. 2nd edition. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; Baltimore: 1999
  • 3 Gerwin RD. Diagnosis of myofascial pain syndrome. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics Of North America 2014; 25: 341-355
  • 4 Desai MJ, Saini V, Saini S. Myofascial pain syndrome: A treatment review. Pain and Therapy 2013; 2: 21-36
  • 5 Yoon H, Jang Y, Vaughan PW. et al. Older adults’ internet use for health information: Digital divide by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Journal of Applied Gerontology: The Official Journal of the Southern Gerontological Society 2020; 39: 105-110
  • 6 Kocyigit BF, Nacitarhan V, Koca TT. et al. YouTube as a source of patient information for ankylosing spondylitis exercises. Clinical Rheumatology 2019; 38: 1747-1751
  • 7 Silberg WM, Lundberg GD, Musacchio RA. Assessing, controlling, and assuring the quality of medical information on the Internet: Caveant lector et viewor – Let the reader and viewer beware. Jama 1997; 277: 1244-1245
  • 8 Charnock D, Shepperd S, Needham G. et al. DISCERN: An instrument for judging the quality of written consumer health information on treatment choices. Journal Of Epidemiology and Community Health 1999; 53: 105-111
  • 9 Bernard A, Langille M, Hughes S. et al. A systematic review of patient inflammatory bowel disease information resources on the World Wide Web. The American Journal of Gastroenterology 2007; 102: 2070-2077
  • 10 Tolu S, Yurdakul OV, Basaran B. et al. English-language videos on YouTube as a source of information on self-administer subcutaneous anti-tumour necrosis factor agent injections. Rheumatology International 2018; 38: 1285-1292
  • 11 Atkinson NL, Saperstein SL, Pleis J. Using the internet for health-related activities: Findings from a national probability sample. J Med Internet Res 2009; 11: 4
  • 12 Rutten LJ, Squiers L, Hesse B. Cancer-related information seeking: Hints from the 2003 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Journal of Health Communication 2006; 11: 147-156
  • 13 Madathil KC, Rivera-Rodriguez AJ, Greenstein JS. et al. Healthcare information on YouTube: A systematic review. Health Informatics Journal 2015; 21: 173-194
  • 14 YouTube at five- 2 bn views a day. London. (Internet). (cited 2021 June 28). Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8676380.stm/
  • 15 YouTube statistics. California. (Internet). (cited 2021 June 28). Available from: http://www.viralblog.com/research-cases/youtube-statistics/
  • 16 Fox S. Online health search 2006. Pew Internet & American Life Project; Washington, DC: 2006
  • 17 Fox S, Purcell K. Chronic disease and the internet. Pew Internet & American Life Project; Washington, DC: 2010
  • 18 Fox S, Jones S. The social life of health information (Americans’ pursuit of health takes place within a widening network of both online and offline sources). Pew Internet&American Life Project; California Healtcare Foundation; Washington, DC: 2009
  • 19 Fox S. The engaged e-patient population: people turn to the Internet for health information when the stakes are high and the connection fast. 2008 (Internet). (cited 2021 June 28). Available from: http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2008/The-EngagedEpatient-Population.aspx
  • 20 Gokcen HB, Gumussuyu G. A Quality analysis of disc herniation videos on YouTube. World Neurosurgery 2019; 124: 799-804
  • 21 Zengin O, Onder ME. Educational quality of YouTube videos on musculoskeletal ultrasound. Clin Rheumatol 2021; 4243-4251
  • 22 Kocyigit BF, Akaltun MS, Sahin AR. YouTube as a source of information on COVID-19 and rheumatic disease link. Clinical Rheumatology 2020; 39: 2049-2054
  • 23 Erdem MN, Karaca S. Evaluating the accuracy and quality of the information in kyphosis videos shared on YouTube. Spine 2018; 43: 1334-1339
  • 24 Yörükoğlu AÇ, Uzun SU. Accuracy and reliability of YouTube videos as an information source for osteoporosis. J Ankara Univ Fac Med 2020; 73: 9-13
  • 25 Kocyigit BF, Okyay RA, Akaltun MS. YouTube as a source of e health: Is it beneficial for lumbar disc herniation exercises?. J PMR Sci 2020; 23: 217-23.
  • 26 Kuru T, Erken HY. Evaluation of the quality and reliability of YouTube videos on rotator cuff tears. Cureus 2020; 12: 6852
  • 27 Kocyigit BF, Akaltun MS. Does YouTube provide high quality information? Assessment of secukinumab videos. Rheumatology International 2019; 39: 1263-1268
  • 28 Zengin O, Onder ME. YouTube for information about side effects of biologic therapy: A social media analysis. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases 2020; 23: 1645-1650