A cross-sectional analysis of the content and quality of presurgical infant orthopedics videos on YouTube

Background: Caregivers seeking additional information about Presurgical Infant Orthopedics (PSIO) may turn to online sources, but the quality of information on platforms like YouTube is uncertain.

Aim: To investigate the content and quality of PSIO videos on YouTube.

Design: YouTube videos were searched using keywords related to PSIO appliances. Videos that met the eligibility criteria (n = 52) were categorized as care provider or caregiver-based. Engagement metrics were analyzed and quality assessments were performed by two raters using the Global Quality Score (GQS), Video Information and Quality Index (VIQI), and Medical Quality Video Evaluation Tool (MQ-VET).

Results: Inter-rater and intra-rater correlations were high (r ≥0.9; p < 0.01), indicating excellent reliability. Strong correlations were observed between the GQS, VIQI, and MQ-VET scores (r: 0.86-0.91; p < 0.01). Mean GQS (2.7 ± 1.1), VIQI (13.0 ± 4.1), and MQ-VET (42.6 ± 12.4) scores indicated poor to moderate video quality. Most videos (73.1%) were in the care provider category and rated significantly higher (p < 0.05) in quality than the caregiver category for all three indices, but not for video engagement metrics.

Conclusion: YouTube PSIO videos are not comprehensive and lack quality. Caregivers of infants undertaking PSIO should seek advice from care providers and not rely solely on YouTube videos.