YOUTUBE VIDEOS AS AN INFORMATION SOURCE ON SCABIES: IS IT RELIABLE AND QUALITY FOR PATIENTS

Introduction: Scabies, caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which necessitates accurate health information for proper management and treatment. The incidence of scabies has been rising globally and nationally, prompting more patients to seek reliable information and effective treatment. This cross-sectional study aims to assess scabies-related content on YouTube and evaluate the quality and reliability of health information in these videos. Methods: Between March 15-17, 2024, we searched the search engine on YouTube using the keywords "scabies," "scabies disease," and "scabies treatment". Data collected included the time since the video was uploaded, view count, daily view count, likes, number of likes per day, video duration, content and source. The quality and reliability of the videos were assessed using the modified DISCERN tool, the Global Quality Scale (GQS), and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria. Results: Out of 180 videos screened, 53 met the inclusion criteria. Of the evaluated videos, 13 videos (24.5%) were rated as high-quality, 13 (24.5%) as medium-quality, and 27 (50.9%) as low-quality. High-quality videos had significantly higher DISCERN and JAMA scores than low-quality videos(p<0.001). Healthcare professionals uploaded 25 videos (47.2%), while non-professionals uploaded 28 (52.8%). Among healthcare professional videos, 12 (92.3%) were high-quality, compared to only 1 (7.7%) non-professional video (p<0.001). Videos by healthcare professionals had higher GQS, DISCERN, and JAMA scores (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study found that scabies-related educational content created by non-healthcare professionals on social media is generally of lower quality and reliability. Patients with scabies should be directed to evidence-based, reliable information sources prepared by healthcare professionals during their diagnosis and treatment process.