The Internet has become an essential source of contraceptive information. YouTube.com is critical as it is the second most visited site, we analyzed contraceptive implant YouTube videos for content and clinical accuracy.
Researchers identified the top twenty results on YouTube by relevance and view count. Videos were classified as providing a professional or patient perspective. Views, duration, and comments were noted. Videos were rated for reliability, global quality scale, and whether they were positive or negative about the implant. Inter-rater agreement was measured.
Researchers retrieved a total of one hundred and twenty videos. Fifty-two were eligible for review. Less than twenty-three percent were identified as professional videos; the majority reported patient experience. Patient videos had been posted for a significantly longer duration than professional videos, were less reliable, and had lower global quality. Some sixty one percent of implant testimonial videos were rated as ‘positive experiences’, and the inter-rater agreement was excellent. All testimonials mentioned side effects, commonly irregular bleeding, and discomfort with insertion. A minority reported misinformation.
This study concluded that most of the information on YouTube about contraceptive implants is accurate, presented from the patient’s perspective, and promotes its use.
References: https://srh.bmj.com/content/43/3/195
