A YouTube Health Education

Researchers in Canada looked at 153 YouTube videos about vaccination and immunization. They found that over half of the videos published childhood, flu and HPV vaccines in a negative or ambiguous light. Forty-five of them contradict recommendations contained in the Canadian Immunization Guide (2006).  Videos that portray vaccinations in a negative light receive significantly more traffic than those that portray them in a positive light

Since YouTube is increasingly a resource people consult for health information, it is concerning that a significant amount of immunization content contradicts the nation’s reference standard.

On a review of dermatology related YouTube videos, we have found the helpful mixed with the bizarre.  What we also found surprising was the amount of dermatology related YouTube videos that were an advertisement.  For example, we refer you to an earlier blog where we suggest you visit this YouTube video that teaches you how to do a self skin examination.  What we did not mention is that we were surprised how difficult it was to find a video that we thought was helpful on the topic.  We spent our time screening YouTube to bring you content that we thought was worthy of your time.  But isn’t that what doctors are supposed to do?

YouTube is simply a venue for information… as is the radio, newspaper, magazine, and TV.  It is a venue that allows syndication of the people… and is filled with helpful, as well as silly, commercialized, bogus, exaggerated, biased, and simply incorrect content — mirroring every branch of the media.  I doubt that the ‘anti-vaccination’ YouTube popularity will result  in a public health crisis.  It is likely a curiosity amongst viewers, and it is being viewed because it is a different viewpoint than you will get when you visit your physician.

What would we like to see?  Dermatology residency programs should consider taking the initiative to fill YouTube with helpful content that patients and colleagues will find enjoyable to watch.  And while they are at it… they should make it their responsibility to correct, update, and monitor other public sources like wikipedia.  As respectable organizations begin to take the lead in bringing trustworthy, reliable, informative, and interesting content to viewers, we will all be better off.

“YouTube as a Source of Information on Immunization: A Content Analysis”
Jennifer Keelan, PhD, Vera Pavri-Garcia, PhD, George Tomlinson, PhD, Kumanan Wilson, MSc, MD
JAMA Vol. 298 No. 21, December 5, 2007