JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

YouTube has become a major source of health information, with 2.5 billion monthly users. Despite efforts taken to promote reliable sources, misinformation remains prevalent, particularly on medical cannabis.

Objective:

This study aims to evaluate the quality and reliability of medical cannabis information on YouTube, examining the relationship between video popularity and content quality.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a scoping review of YouTube videos on medical cannabis. Search terms were selected based on Google Trends, and 800 videos were retrieved on 8th July 2024. After applying exclusion criteria, 516 videos were analysed. Videos were categorised by content creators: (1) non-medical educational channels, (2) medical education channels, and (3) independent users. Two independent reviewers (SK and SE) assessed content quality using the DISCERN Grade and the Health on the Net (HON) Code. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.

Results:

Of the 516 videos analysed, 48.5% (n=251) were from the U.S., and 17.2% (n=89) from UK. Only 12.2% (n=63) were produced by medical professionals, while 84.3% (n=435) came from independent users. Total views reached 119 million, with non-medical users having the highest mean views with 1,279,274 ± 4,562,389, and medical professionals the lowest with 70,928 ± 219,874. The mean DISCERN and HON scores for all videos were 34.63 ± 9.49 and 3.93 ± 1.20, respectively. Non-medical educational creators had the highest mean DISCERN score with 47.78 ± 10.40 and independent users had the lowest DISCERN score of 33.50 ± 8.50 (p < 0.001). Similarly, non-medical educational creators had the highest mean HON score with 5.33 ± 1.22, whilst independent users had the lowest HON score of 3.78 ± 1.10 (p = 0.007). Weak positive correlations were found between video views and DISCERN scores (r = 0.34, p < 0.001) and likes and DISCERN scores (r = 0.30, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

YouTube is a key source of medical cannabis information, but the credibility of videos varies widely. Independent users attract the highest viewers but have reduced reliability according to the DISCERN and HON scores. Medical professional videos, despite increased reliability received the least engagement. The weak correlation between views and content quality emphasises the need for content moderation and increased public awareness regarding the utilisation of online health information. Future research should identify strategies to promote verified sources of information and limit misinformation.