An Evaluation of Concussion-Related Videos on YouTube
An Evaluation of Concussion-Related Videos on YouTube
Background YouTube is one of the largest social networking websites, allowing users to upload and view video content that provides entertainment and conveys many messages, including those related to health conditions, such as concussion. However, little is known about the content of videos relating to concussion.
Objective To identify and classify the content of concussion-related videos available on YouTube.
Study design An observational study using content analysis.
Methods YouTube's video database was systematically searched using 10 search terms selected from MeSH and Google Adwords. The 100 videos with the largest view counts were chosen from the identified videos. These videos and their accompanying text were analysed for purpose, source and description of content by a panel of assessors who classified them into data-driven thematic categories.
Results 434 videos met the inclusion criteria and the 100 videos with the largest view counts were chosen. The most common categories of the videos were the depiction of a sporting injury (37%) and news reports (25%). News and media organisations were the predominant source (51%) of concussion-related videos on YouTube, with very few being uploaded by professional or academic organisations. The median number of views per video was 26 191.
Conclusions Although a wide range of concussion-related videos were identified, there is a need for healthcare and educational organisations to explore YouTube as a medium for the dissemination of quality-controlled information on sports concussion.
Sport concussions are often poorly understood by those who sustain them, and frequently go unrecognised and unreported. While considerable effort has gone into the generation of best practice information regarding medical concussion management, the challenge remains on how to transfer this information to potential users. The International Concussion in Sport (CIS) Group identified this process of knowledge transfer as a crucial step in the successful and safe return to sport for athletes who have sustained a sports concussion, and websites and internet-based educational videos have been cited as valuable tools in the transmission of best-practice concussion information.
Endorsement of the use of web-based applications is unsurprising as the internet has seen a global population penetration rise from 23.5% in 2008 to 32.7% in 2011, with an estimated 2.3 billion people now enjoying access. In North America alone, 74% of adults use the internet daily, and 80% of all users have searched for health-related information.
The phenomenon of eHealth (electronic health) is steadily becoming acknowledged as an acceptable and legitimate way of obtaining information about one's health. However, many studies have highlighted that there is little (if any) regulation of information online, and thus the public has no way of knowing if it is accurate, misleading or commercially targeted.
Where the internet was once viewed as an information archive, the development of web 2.0 technologies, as well as the emergence of social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, has provided users with interactive website arenas that encourage collaboration and the sharing of information. Users are increasingly utilising SNSs as platforms for sourcing and propagating healthcare information, which has given rise to the growth of 'Medicine 2.0'. A review of concussion-related posts on the SNSs Twitter and Facebook has shown that users are actively discussing, seeking and sharing knowledge about concussion. SNSs can therefore be seen as a crucial link in the knowledge transfer of concussion-related information within the wider general public community.
YouTube.com is currently the third most accessed website globally after Facebook and Google. It is the most popular video-sharing website on the internet with 4 billion videos viewed daily and approximately 60 h of videos uploaded each minute. In addition to sharing videos, YouTube is also a popular social network which has its own participatory communities. These communities stimulate social interactions and allow users to communicate with each other on a wide range of topics. The combination of the widespread popularity of YouTube allied to its ability to permit communication between users' highlights its potential role as a powerful and effective tool in the transfer of concussion-related knowledge.
Examination of YouTube video content in the field of healthcare has been reported on topics as diverse as vaccinations, smoking cessation and obesity management. To date, there have been no formal analyses of concussion-related information on YouTube. The aim of this paper was to identify and describe the content and origins of concussion-related videos on YouTube, in order to provide insight into the nature of concussion videos which the general public are watching. This may indicate whether YouTube is an appropriate and viable medium for the dissemination of concussion-related information.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Background YouTube is one of the largest social networking websites, allowing users to upload and view video content that provides entertainment and conveys many messages, including those related to health conditions, such as concussion. However, little is known about the content of videos relating to concussion.
Objective To identify and classify the content of concussion-related videos available on YouTube.
Study design An observational study using content analysis.
Methods YouTube's video database was systematically searched using 10 search terms selected from MeSH and Google Adwords. The 100 videos with the largest view counts were chosen from the identified videos. These videos and their accompanying text were analysed for purpose, source and description of content by a panel of assessors who classified them into data-driven thematic categories.
Results 434 videos met the inclusion criteria and the 100 videos with the largest view counts were chosen. The most common categories of the videos were the depiction of a sporting injury (37%) and news reports (25%). News and media organisations were the predominant source (51%) of concussion-related videos on YouTube, with very few being uploaded by professional or academic organisations. The median number of views per video was 26 191.
Conclusions Although a wide range of concussion-related videos were identified, there is a need for healthcare and educational organisations to explore YouTube as a medium for the dissemination of quality-controlled information on sports concussion.
Introduction
Sport concussions are often poorly understood by those who sustain them, and frequently go unrecognised and unreported. While considerable effort has gone into the generation of best practice information regarding medical concussion management, the challenge remains on how to transfer this information to potential users. The International Concussion in Sport (CIS) Group identified this process of knowledge transfer as a crucial step in the successful and safe return to sport for athletes who have sustained a sports concussion, and websites and internet-based educational videos have been cited as valuable tools in the transmission of best-practice concussion information.
Endorsement of the use of web-based applications is unsurprising as the internet has seen a global population penetration rise from 23.5% in 2008 to 32.7% in 2011, with an estimated 2.3 billion people now enjoying access. In North America alone, 74% of adults use the internet daily, and 80% of all users have searched for health-related information.
The phenomenon of eHealth (electronic health) is steadily becoming acknowledged as an acceptable and legitimate way of obtaining information about one's health. However, many studies have highlighted that there is little (if any) regulation of information online, and thus the public has no way of knowing if it is accurate, misleading or commercially targeted.
Where the internet was once viewed as an information archive, the development of web 2.0 technologies, as well as the emergence of social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, has provided users with interactive website arenas that encourage collaboration and the sharing of information. Users are increasingly utilising SNSs as platforms for sourcing and propagating healthcare information, which has given rise to the growth of 'Medicine 2.0'. A review of concussion-related posts on the SNSs Twitter and Facebook has shown that users are actively discussing, seeking and sharing knowledge about concussion. SNSs can therefore be seen as a crucial link in the knowledge transfer of concussion-related information within the wider general public community.
YouTube.com is currently the third most accessed website globally after Facebook and Google. It is the most popular video-sharing website on the internet with 4 billion videos viewed daily and approximately 60 h of videos uploaded each minute. In addition to sharing videos, YouTube is also a popular social network which has its own participatory communities. These communities stimulate social interactions and allow users to communicate with each other on a wide range of topics. The combination of the widespread popularity of YouTube allied to its ability to permit communication between users' highlights its potential role as a powerful and effective tool in the transfer of concussion-related knowledge.
Examination of YouTube video content in the field of healthcare has been reported on topics as diverse as vaccinations, smoking cessation and obesity management. To date, there have been no formal analyses of concussion-related information on YouTube. The aim of this paper was to identify and describe the content and origins of concussion-related videos on YouTube, in order to provide insight into the nature of concussion videos which the general public are watching. This may indicate whether YouTube is an appropriate and viable medium for the dissemination of concussion-related information.
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