Evaluation of the accuracy and quality of YouTube videos as an information source on septic arthritis

Aim: Septic arthritis is a time-sensitive surgical emergency with high morbidity and mortality if not promptly managed.As patients increasingly turn to online platforms such as YouTube for health information, the quality and reliability of such content warrant investigation, and this study assessed the educational quality of YouTube videos on septic arthritis using the DISCERN instrument, Global Quality Score (GQS), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Benchmark Criteria, and Video Power Index (VPI).Materials and Methods: A YouTube search was conducted in July 2025 using the keyword "septic arthritis."Fifty English-language videos longer than 60 seconds were evaluated.Two independent reviewers-a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and an infectious disease/microbiology specialist-assessed each video using the tools above.Statistical analyses included Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, and Spearman correlation tests.Results: The videos garnered 3,362,470 total views (mean per video: 67,249).Only 1 out of 50 videos (2%) achieved an excellent DISCERN score, while 35 out of 50 videos (70%) were rated very poor.GQS analysis showed 86% of videos as poor or very poor, with none rated excellent.Physician-uploaded videos had significantly higher DISCERN (median 46.8), GQS (median 4.2), and JAMA scores (median 3.1) compared to commercial and patientuploaded content (p<0.001).VPI scores did not differ significantly between uploader types.Interobserver agreement was strong, with Krippendorff's alpha values ranging from 0.78 to 0.86 across the scoring tools.Discussion: Most YouTube videos on septic arthritis provide suboptimal educational value, particularly those from non-professional sources.Greater involvement by healthcare professionals in digital content creation is critical to combat misinformation.