Yusuf Kıratlıoğlu, Esra Ülgen Kıratlıoğlu, Uğur Bezirgan
Hand and Microsurgery - 2025;14(2):69-76
Introduction: Wrist ganglion cysts (WGCs) are common soft tissue lesions. With the growing influence of digital media, YouTube has become a widely used platform for health information. However, the quality and reliability of WGC-related content on YouTube remain underexplored. This study aimed to assess the quality, accuracy, and reliability of YouTube videos concerning WGCs. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in July 2024. YouTube was searched using the key-word "wrist ganglion cyst," and the first 50 videos meeting the inclusion criteria were selected for analysis. For each video, characteristics such as uploader type, duration, number of views, likes, and comments were recorded. In addition, the Video Power Index (VPI) was calculated to assess video popularity. Videos were evaluated using three scoring systems: the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Benchmark Criteria for reliability, the Global Quality Scale (GQS) for overall educational quality, and a custom Wrist Ganglion Cyst-Specific Score (WGC-SS) for disease-specific content assessment. Results: Among the videos, 48% were uploaded by physicians and 42% by medical institutions. Content-wise, 46% provided disease-specific information, 18% addressed surgical techniques, and 14% focused on non-surgical management. The mean JAMA score was 1.7, indicating low reliability. The average GQS and WGC-SS were 2.68 and 4.08, respectively, suggesting suboptimal educational and informational value. Videos providing disease-specific information scored significantly higher on GQS and WGC-SS and compared to other content types (p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in JAMA scores based on source or content category. Moreover, no correlation was found between VPI and GQS or WGC-SS. Conclusion: YouTube videos on WGCs generally demonstrate low reliability and educational quality. While YouTube holds potential as a patient education tool, efforts to improve the accuracy and quality of health-related content are warranted.
