J Am Acad Audiol 2020; 31(09): 636-645
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1717123
Research Article

A Content Analysis of YouTube Videos Related to Hearing Aids

Vinaya Manchaiah
1   Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas
2   Department of Speech and Hearing, School of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal, Karnataka, India
,
Monica L. Bellon-Harn
1   Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas
,
Marcella Michaels
1   Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas
,
Vinay Swarnalatha Nagaraj
3   Audiology Program, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
,
Eldré W. Beukes
1   Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas
4   Department of Vision and Hearing Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Background Increasingly, people access Internet-based health information about various chronic conditions including hearing loss and hearing aids. YouTube is one media source that has gained much popularity in recent years.

Purpose The current study examines the source, content, understandability, and actionability of YouTube videos related to hearing aids.

Research Design Cross-sectional design by analyzing the videos at single point in time.

Study Sample One hundred most frequently viewed videos in YouTube.

Intervention Not applicable.

Data Collection and Analysis The 100 most-viewed English language videos targeting individuals seeking information regarding hearing aids were identified and manually coded. Data collection included general information about the video (e.g., source, title, authorship, date of upload, duration of video), popularity-driven measures (e.g., number of views, likes, dislikes), and the video source (consumer, professional, or media). The video content was analyzed to examine what pertinent information they contained in relation to a predetermined fact sheet. Understandability and actionability of the videos were examined using the Patient Education Material Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials.

Results Of the 100 most-viewed videos, 11 were consumer-based, 80 were created by professionals, and the remaining 9 were media-based. General information about hearing aids, hearing aid types, and handling and maintenance of hearing aids were the most frequently discussed content categories with over 50% of all videos commenting on these areas. Differences were noted between source types in several content categories. The overall understandability scores for videos from all sources were 74%, which was considered adequate; however, the actionability scores for all the videos were 68%, which is considered inadequate.

Conclusion YouTube videos about hearing aids focused on a range of issues and some differences were found between source types. The poor actionability of these videos may result in incongruous consumer actions. Content and quality of the information in hearing aid YouTube videos needs to be improved with input from professionals.



Publication History

Article published online:
20 November 2020

© 2020. American Academy of Audiology. This article is published by Thieme.

Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA

 
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