A content and quality analysis on open online platform videos on do not resuscitate (DNR)

The decision to implement a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order is a challenging medical decision made by physicians. Both laypersons and healthcare professionals need a better understanding of DNR orders. Educational videos could enhance DNR understanding, but their content and quality haven’t been systematically evaluated. A search on YouTube and Google identified 90 eligible videos for analysis. Technical information was collected, and the content was examined using a DNR questionnaire (DNR-q) developed for this study. Video quality was evaluated with the modified DISCERN (m-DISCERN), Global Quality Scale (GQS) and JAMA scale. Most videos were from the United States (n = 51, 56.7%) and presented by a self-described physician (n = 45, 50%). The median DNR-q and m-DISCERN scores were 10/23 and 38/80, respectively. Higher scores on DNR questionnaire correlated significantly (p < 0.001) with higher scores on m-DISCERN, GQS laypersons and GQS professional scores. However, only 20 (22%) videos were ranked good or excellent with m-DISCERN, and none covered all DNR-q items. Only 12 (13.3%) videos achieved the maximum JAMA score of 4. The content and quality of the videos were suboptimal. Most videos failed to provide acceptable information regarding DNR decision-making. Better planning and evidence-based approaches are needed to improve the quality of DNR-related videos published on open online platforms.