Anorexia nervosa on YouTube: A cross-sectional evaluation of quality, reliability, and ethical considerations
Health sciences quarterly (Online), cilt.6, sa.4, ss.699-709, 2026 (TRDizin)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 6 Sayı: 4
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.26900/hsq.3128
- Dergi Adı: Health sciences quarterly (Online)
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.699-709
- Ankara Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study aimed to evaluate the quality, reliability, and ethical aspects of YouTube videos related to anorexia nervosa (AN). On May 11, 2025, a YouTube search using the keyword “anorexia nervosa” was conducted. The characteristics of the videos, such as video duration, number of views, likes, comments, duration on YouTube, source, presence of patient image, and documented informed consent were recorded. The quality and reliability of videos were assessed using the Global Quality Scale (GQS) and modified Quality Criteria for Consumer Health Information (mDISCERN) scale by two child and adolescent psychiatrists. Inter-rater agreement was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient. A total of 75 eligible videos were included. Among the analyzed videos, 52.0% (n=39) were rated as high, 21.3% (n=16) as medium, and 26.7% (n=20) as low quality. mDISCERN scores differed significantly according to video source (p=0.034), with videos uploaded by physicians, healthcare institutions, and educational institutions scoring significantly higher than those uploaded by television programs. GQS scores also differed significantly by source (p=0.001), with videos uploaded by television programs receiving significantly lower scores than all other categories. Low-quality videos had significantly higher views (p=0.014) and comments (p=0.012) and had been available on YouTube for a longer period than high-quality videos (p=0.009). Patient images were present in 32.0% (n=24) of the videos, and only 41.7% (n=10) of these included informed consent. Despite the presence of high-quality content, the most viewed AN-related videos on YouTube are often of low quality and questionable reliability. The frequent absence of informed consent for patient images indicates ethical concerns. The findings highlight the need for greater oversight and professional contribution to digital health content to enhance online health literacy and protect vulnerable populations.