YouTube as a Source of Information on Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Qualitative Analysis

Background: YouTube, the second most visited website globally, is a major source of health information. While it holds educational potential, the prevalence of misleading medical content is concerning. This study evaluated the content, reliability and quality of YouTube videos on Ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods: In October 2024, a YouTube search using the keyword ‘Ankylosing spondylitis’ and the default ‘Relevance’ filter was conducted. The top 100 eligible English-language videos were included. Exclusion criteria were duplicates, non-English videos, irrelevant content, and YouTube Shorts. Reliability and quality were assessed using the modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) and Global Quality Scale (GQS) scores. Results: Of 120 videos screened, 20 were excluded (12 duplicates, 8 non-English). Among the 100 included, 89% were useful and 11% misleading. Useful videos had higher mDISCERN scores (median 3; range 2–3) than misleading ones (median 2; range 2–2) ( P = .002) and higher GQS scores (median 4; range 3–4) compared to misleading ones (median 2; range 1.5–2.5) ( P < .001). All videos by academic institutions, professional organisations and rheumatologists were useful. Misleading videos originated mainly from alternative system professionals, non-rheumatologist doctors and independent users. Despite lower quality, misleading videos had higher engagement. The median number of comments was significantly greater for misleading videos (161, range 53–306) than for useful ones (26.5, range 5.8–89.5) ( P = .019), and they received more likes on average. Conclusion: YouTube is a valuable source of health information, but it lacks regulation of medical accuracy. Rheumatologists should collaborate with content creators to produce engaging, evidence-based videos. YouTube must prioritise reliable health content.