Background and Aim: We aimed in this study to evaluate the Arabic content related to diabetes mellitus, assess its accuracy, and viewers responses.
Methods: Using the search term diabetes mellitus in Arabic with the filter by relevance function, a YouTube search was performed on May 15, 2018. The first 200 videos were retrieved, and video demographic assessment was recorded (likes, dislikes, and upload dates). The content of videos was classified in three groups as 1) reliable, meaning scientifically accurate for diabetes; 2) misleading, which means the information contained scientifically inaccurate or unproven information; and 3) patient experiences, where the content pertained to the personal experiences of patients and did not provide diabetes medical information.
Results: A total of 1,27,000 videos were retrieved, the first 200 videos were evaluated, and 71 videos were excluded. In the classification for accuracy, the researchers showed a very good inter-rater agreement (k = 0.84). Overall, more than half were considered reliable (n = 78; 61%), (n=47; 36%) were determined misleading, and (n= 4; 3%) videos as patient experiences. Regarding misleading videos, the treatment of diabetes using alternative medicine comprised the largest group of users at 74.5%, n=30. Of those, 23 of the misleading videos promoted herbal medicine.
Conclusions: This study supports that YouTube videos in Arabic are not very helpful. Overall, reliable content videos received fewer views than those determined to be misleading. Professional institutions, health care providers, and academic sources need more encouragement to develop and upload videos on the management and evidence-based treatment of diabetes.
Key words: Diabetes mellitus, Arabic, YouTube, patient.
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