Doğan, ÇağrıAkgül, Hacı MuratYazıcı, Cenk MuratŞahin, Mehmet FatihKeleş, A.2023-05-062023-05-0620220030-9982https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.4342https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11776/12110Objectives: To evaluate the scientific impact of videos about varicocoele on YouTube. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Turkey in September 2020, and comprised YouTube videos related to varicocoele. The videos were divided into 2 groups according to their reliability and accuracy using the European Association of Urology Sexual and Reproductive Guidelines 2020. A 5-point modified reliability (DISCERN) tool, Global Quality Score, and Journal of the American Medical Association scores of each video were calculated. The user's engagements by total views, video-related comments, and "likes" and "dislikes" to the videos were compared. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. Results: Of the 151 videos assessed, 73(48.34%) were included; 36(49.3%) reliable and 37(50.7%) unreliable. All scores were significantly higher for reliable videos (p<0.05). The mean number of views was 108448±90567 for reliable and 392626±895897 for unreliable videos (p=0.044). The rates of "likes" and "dislikes" were similar between the groups, whereas the comment rate was significantly higher for reliable videos (p<0.05). Most of the videos 40(54.8%) were uploaded by medical advertisements or for-profit companies, while those uploaded by universities or professional organisations were 19(26%). Conclusion: Nearly half of the varicocoele-related videos on YouTube were unreliable, and the reliability of videos was not directly related to their popularity. © 2022 Pakistan Medical Association. All rights reserved.en10.47391/JPMA.4342info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessEthicsInternetMisinformationSocial mediaVaricocoeleaccuracyadultArticlecontrolled studycross-sectional studyfemalehealth care personnelhumanhuman experimentmalemedical informationreliabilitysocial mediasocial supportvaricoceleArticle721224272431Q4WOS:0011208032000132-s2.0-8514351162837246662Q4