Objective: This study aimed to systematically evaluate the content, quality, and reliability of
kidney cyst-related videos on YouTube, using expert assessments and validated scoring tools.
Materials and Methods: A YouTube search was performed on August 1, 2024, using the keywords
"kidney cysts" and "renal cysts." The first 200 videos sorted by relevance were screened, and 147
eligible videos were included. Two independent urologists evaluated the videos using three
validated tools: the Global Quality Scale (GQS), the modified DISCERN tool, and the Journal of
the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria. Videos were categorized by
content type and source of upload. Descriptive statistics were reported, and appropriate tests were
used to assess associations between video characteristics and quality scores.
Results: Of the 147 videos analyzed, 71.4% were uploaded by professional sources, and
"symptoms and diagnostic methods" was the most common content type. The median scores were
3 for GQS, 2 for modified DISCERN, and 2 for JAMA. According to the modified DISCERN tool,
57.2% of the videos were classified as poor quality, 33.3% as moderate, and only 9.5% as good
quality. Videos from professional sources had significantly higher quality scores across all three
systems. Longer videos and those with higher numbers of likes and comments tended to score
better. A strong correlation was observed among the three scoring systems.
Conclusion: Despite many videos being produced by professional sources, the overall quality and
reliability of YouTube content on kidney cysts remain limited. Given YouTube"s widespread use
for health information, healthcare professionals should guide patients toward trustworthy
resources. Future studies should focus on interventions to improve the accuracy and educational
value of YouTube content.