YouTube as a Source of Information in Trauma Management for ATLS (10th Edition) Guidelines: Evaluation of Trauma Management Videos on YouTube

Background: Trauma is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and online platforms have become essential sources of information for trauma management. YouTube can play a significant role in helping people access medical information. Methods: YouTube was searched using the keywords management of trauma and assessment of trauma to identify relevant videos. Two authors independently evaluated the videos according to the ATLS (10th edition) guidelines, the modified DISCERN (m-DISCERN) scale, and the Global Quality Scale (GQS) criteria. The videos that met the study criteria were evaluated based on the provider, video length, and view count. Results: Out of 939 videos, 667 were excluded resulting in 272 videos included in the study. According to the ATLS (10th edition) guidelines, the median score for videos was 8 (IQR 7-8). Videos uploaded by official institutions and healthcare professionals received higher scores than from uncertain sources (p = 0.003). According to the GQS, 86% of the videos were low or moderate quality; uncertain sources uploaded 78% of low-quality videos. Conclusion: YouTube is an information source about trauma management that contains videos of varying quality and has a broad audience. Official institutions and healthcare professionals should be aware of this evolving technology and publish up-to-date, accurate content to increase awareness about trauma management and help patients distinguish helpful information from misleading content.