Patients turning to YouTube for high-quality information about transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsies of the prostate should look elsewhere, according to new research published in Clinical Radiology.
“The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommend men are offered information resources, which may include written or visual media, and that feedback is sought to identify the highest quality resources,” wrote author N. Jain, Department of Radiology at London’s University College Hospital, and colleagues. “Given the ubiquitous nature of YouTube online, it is a likely source for patients to access more information.”
The authors searched YouTube on May 4, 2017, for the terms “TRUS,” “TRUS biopsy,” transrectal ultrasound” and “prostate biopsy.” A total of 41 videos from the first 10 pages of results were reviewed based on written information provided by the British Association of Urological Surgeons.
Overall, no videos achieved an “excellent” rating from the researchers. Thirty-two videos were rated “very poor,” and just one video was rated “good.” One video did provide “good-quality information,” but it was more than 16 minutes long, which the authors explained could dissuade viewers from giving it a chance.
“YouTube provides an unparalleled resource of free, easy to access videos, many of which provide information on medical procedures; however, these videos are unregulated, and much of the information is not of a sufficiently high standard to allow patients to make informed decisions when compared to professionally produced information leaflets,” the authors wrote. “This was found to be the case for TRUS biopsies of the prostate.”
The authors also noted that 39 of the videos were from healthcare organizations or surgeons, which means even resources that should be able to provide informed information are dropping the ball.
“Content posted by medical professionals could be viewed as more trustworthy, which could have a negative impact on patients if it is of a low standard; however, the present study also revealed there are unexplored opportunities for medical professionals to produce high-quality, patient-focused informational videos online,” Jain and colleagues wrote.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.