The spreading information of YouTube videos on Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors: a worrisome picture from one of the most consulted internet source

Gabriele Pezone; Claudia Collà Ruvolo; Simone Cilio; Agostino Fraia; Ernesto Di Mauro; Gianluigi Califano; Francesco Passaro; Massimiliano Creta; Marco Capece; Roberto La Rocca; Giuseppe Celentano; Simone Morra; Francesco Di Bello; Alessandro Palmieri; Ciro Imbimbo; Nicola Longo

doi:10.1038/s41443-023-00762-w

The spreading information of YouTube videos on Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors: a worrisome picture from one of the most consulted internet source

Int J Impot Res. 2023 Oct 21. doi: 10.1038/s41443-023-00762-w. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Gabriele Pezone¹, Claudia Collà Ruvolo¹, Simone Cilio², Agostino Fraia¹, Ernesto Di Mauro¹, Gianluigi Califano¹, Francesco Passaro¹, Massimiliano Creta¹, Marco Capece¹, Roberto La Rocca¹, Giuseppe Celentano¹, Simone Morra¹, Francesco Di Bello¹, Alessandro Palmieri¹, Ciro Imbimbo¹, Nicola Longo¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, Urology Unit, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
² Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, Urology Unit, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy. simone.cilio@unina.it.

PMID: 37865715
DOI: 10.1038/s41443-023-00762-w

Abstract

Several previous studies on YouTube^TM information on medical topics have already been published. The current study aimed to evaluate the quality information of YouTube^TM videos on Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5-is). A systematic search on YouTube™ was conducted using 30 keyword combinations. For each keyword's combination, the first 50 videos were recorded. The quality of videos on YouTube™ was assessed with Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for audio-visual content (PEMAT A/V), DISCERN score and a specified created Misinformation tool. According to the selection criteria, 229 YouTube™ videos were suitable for the analyses. Videos were stratified according to the five main identified topics: sildenafil [n = 98; 42.79%] vs tadalafil [n = 50; 21.83%] vs vardenafil [n = 44;19.21%] vs avanafil [n = 17; 7.42%] vs PDE5-is in general [n = 20; 8.73%]. The median overall PEMAT A/V Understandability score and Actionability score were 55% (interquartile range [IQR]: 42-75) and 0% (IQR = 0-67), respectively. Specifically, according to our stratification, YouTube Videos on avanafil reached higher values of both Understandability and Actionability (72.7% and 66.7, respectively) in contrast to other categories. According to DISCERN tool, the total overall median score was 29.5 (IQR = 18-41). According to Misinformation scale, the item 1 ('sexual stimulation') harboured an overall median score of 2 (IQR = 1-2); the item 2 ('side effects') an overall median score of 2 (IQR = 1-3); the item 3 ('treatment choices') an overall median score of 1 (IQR = 1-2); the item 4 ('contraindications') an overall median score of 2 (IQR = 1-2). YouTube™ is a fast and open-access source for mass information. The overall quality of the PDE5-is contents provided is sadly unsatisfactory. Nowadays, YouTube™ cannot be recommended as a reliable source of information on PDE5-is.