Are parents receiving reliable information on nocturnal enuresis from YouTube?
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Pediatrics, Hisar Hospital Intercontinental, Istanbul, Türkiye.
- 2Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Hisar Hospital Intercontinental, Istanbul, Türkiye.
- 3School of Health Sciences, Doğuş University, Istanbul, Türkiye.
- 4Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hisar Hospital Intercontinental; Faculty of Medicine, Üsküdar University, Istanbul, Türkiye.
- 5Department of Urology, Hisar Hospital Intercontinental; Faculty of Medicine, Üsküdar University, Istanbul, Türkiye. [email protected].
Abstract
Objective
To evaluate the quality, reliability, source characteristics, and content completeness of YouTube videos related to pediatric nocturnal enuresis and to identify potential gaps in online patient education.Materials and methods
A cross-sectional analysis of YouTube videos was conducted using the search terms "nocturnal enuresis," "bedwetting," and "child bedwetting." The first 100 eligible videos were included because they represent the content most likely to be encountered by users during routine searches. Video characteristics, including duration, views, likes, comments, uploader source, and content type, were recorded. Educational quality and reliability were assessed using the Global Quality Scale (GQS) and the modified DISCERN instrument. Content completeness was evaluated using a predefined scoring system covering definition, etiology, diagnostic evaluation, treatment options, behavioral interventions, and prognosis.Results
A total of 100 videos were analyzed. The median video duration was 3.5 min (IQR: 2.1-9.1), and the median number of views was 1,192 (IQR: 148-4,964). The mean GQS, modified DISCERN, and content completeness scores were 3.22 ± 1.19, 2.69 ± 1.35, and 3.23 ± 1.66, respectively. Significant differences in educational quality, reliability, and content completeness were observed according to uploader source (all p < 0.001). Videos produced by healthcare professionals, academic institutions, and professional organizations generally demonstrated higher quality and more comprehensive content than commercial or non-professional sources. Definitions (78%), causes (74%), and treatment options (81%) were frequently discussed, whereas diagnostic evaluation (49%) and prognosis (38%) were substantially underrepresented. Behavioral interventions were mentioned in 67% of videos.Conclusions
YouTube videos on pediatric nocturnal enuresis demonstrate substantial variability in quality, reliability, and content completeness. Although videos originating from healthcare-related sources tended to provide more comprehensive and reliable information, important gaps remain, particularly regarding diagnostic evaluation and prognosis. These deficiencies may contribute to incomplete parental understanding and highlight the need for evidence-based digital educational resources and clinician-guided online health information.
Related
- The efficacy of early urotherapy for severe intolerable nocturnal enuresis before the age of 5 years: A prospective randomized trial.
- Preoperative information burden among parents of children with congenital heart disease: a qualitative study of information access, understanding, and decision-making
- Knowledge, attitudes, and information needs regarding norovirus infection among parents of primary school students directly affected by outbreaks: a cross-sectional study in Hangzhou, China
- Assisting patients with reliable information gathering: A guide to building efficient QA systems for medical use
- Reported infant safety information and perinatal service engagement among birth partners and co-parents. An exploratory cross-sectional survey at a large UK teaching hospital
BibTeX
@article{nas2026parents,
title = {{Are parents receiving reliable information on nocturnal enuresis from YouTube?}},
author = {Yunus Nas and Hilmi Bayırlı and Ali Gözüküçük and Basri Çakıroğlu},
journal = {BMC urology},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12894-026-02276-1},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42919199},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Are parents receiving reliable information on nocturnal enuresis from YouTube?
AU - Yunus Nas
AU - Hilmi Bayırlı
AU - Ali Gözüküçük
AU - Basri Çakıroğlu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - BMC urology
DO - 10.1186/s12894-026-02276-1
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42919199
AB - Objective To evaluate the quality, reliability, source characteristics, and content completeness of YouTube videos related to pediatric nocturnal enuresis and to identify potential gaps in online patient education.Materials and methods A cross-sectional analysis of YouTube videos was conducted using the search terms "nocturnal enuresis," "bedwetting," and "child bedwetting." The first 100 eligible videos were included because they represent the content most likely to be encountered by users during routine searches. Video characteristics, including duration, views, likes, comments, uploader source, and content type, were recorded. Educational quality and reliability were assessed using the Global Quality Scale (GQS) and the modified DISCERN instrument. Content completeness was evaluated using a predefined scoring system covering definition, etiology, diagnostic evaluation, treatment options, behavioral interventions, and prognosis.Results A total of 100 videos were analyzed. The median video duration was 3.5 min (IQR: 2.1-9.1), and the median number of views was 1,192 (IQR: 148-4,964). The mean GQS, modified DISCERN, and content completeness scores were 3.22 ± 1.19, 2.69 ± 1.35, and 3.23 ± 1.66, respectively. Significant differences in educational quality, reliability, and content completeness were observed according to uploader source (all p < 0.001). Videos produced by healthcare professionals, academic institutions, and professional organizations generally demonstrated higher quality and more comprehensive content than commercial or non-professional sources. Definitions (78%), causes (74%), and treatment options (81%) were frequently discussed, whereas diagnostic evaluation (49%) and prognosis (38%) were substantially underrepresented. Behavioral interventions were mentioned in 67% of videos.Conclusions YouTube videos on pediatric nocturnal enuresis demonstrate substantial variability in quality, reliability, and content completeness. Although videos originating from healthcare-related sources tended to provide more comprehensive and reliable information, important gaps remain, particularly regarding diagnostic evaluation and prognosis. These deficiencies may contribute to incomplete parental understanding and highlight the need for evidence-based digital educational resources and clinician-guided online health information.
SN - 1471-2490
ER -