DOI: 10.32322/jhsm.2027467 ISSN: 2636-8579

Information on cyclophosphamide side effects and toxicity on YouTube: evaluation of quality, reliability, and content

Tuğba Hamamcı, Mesut Parlak, Ahmet Ozan Kaleci, Şahin Yıldırım
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Aims: Cyclophosphamide is commonly used in the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, although its use may be associated with serious adverse effects. YouTube has become a prominent source for patients seeking online information about medications. This study aimed to examine the reliability, quality and content of YouTube videos providing information about cyclophosphamide-related side effects and toxicity.Methods: YouTube was searched using the terms “cyclophosphamide side effects,” “cyclophosphamide adverse effects,” and “cyclophosphamide toxicity.” YouTube Shorts were excluded, and all videos retrieved through the predefined search strategy were screened according to the eligibility criteria. Ninety-three English-language videos were included. Video characteristics and content were recorded, and quality and reliability were assessed using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), and Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) criteria.Results: Overall video quality and reliability were low to moderate, with median scores of 3.50 for GQS, 3.00 for mDISCERN, and 2.00 for JAMA. Scientific citations were absent from 77.4% of the videos. Videos produced by medical doctors and professional associations had significantly higher quality scores than patient-generated videos. Although none of the patient-generated videos cited scientific sources, 92.9% discussed side-effect management and 85.7% mentioned pharmacological treatments. Patient-generated videos also received greater viewer engagement despite their lower quality and reliability. No significant association was found between popularity metrics and quality scores.Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for evidence-based, understandable, and engaging educational videos on cyclophosphamide toxicity and adverse-effect management.

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