The presentation of seizures and epilepsy in YouTube videos

• Published in: Epilepsy & behavior Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 247 - 250
• Main Authors: Wong, Victoria S.S, Stevenson, Matthew, Selwa, Linda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-04-2013
• Subjects: Attitude of Health Personnel; Education, Medical; Epilepsy; Humans; Information Dissemination; Internet; Mass media; Neurology; Seizures; Seizures - psychology; Social Media; Social stigma; Videotape Recording; Social stigma; Internet; Mass media; Epilepsy; Social media; Seizures
• ISSN: 1525-5050; 1525-5069
• DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2013.01.017

Abstract We evaluated videos on the social media website, YouTube, containing references to seizures and epilepsy. Of 100 videos, 28% contained an ictal event, and 25% featured a person with epilepsy recounting his or her personal experience. Videos most commonly fell into categories of Personal Experience/Anecdotal (44%) and Informative/Educational (38%). Fifty-one percent of videos were judged as accurate, and 9% were inaccurate; accuracy was not an applicable attribute in the remainder of the videos. Eighty-five percent of videos were sympathetic towards those with seizures or epilepsy, 9% were neutral, and only 6% were derogatory. Ninety-eight percent of videos were thought to be easily understood by a layperson. The user-generated content on YouTube appears to be more sympathetic and accurate compared to other forms of mass media. We are optimistic that with a shifting ratio towards sympathetic content about epilepsy, the amount of stigma towards epilepsy and seizures will continue to lessen.