International Journal of Preventive Medicine (Int J Prev Med)2008-7802142017092018301830ENDepartment of Public Health, William Paterson University, NJ 07470Department of Public Health, William Paterson University, NJ 07470Teachers College, Columbia University, New YorkDepartment of Public Health, William Paterson University, NJ 07470Teachers College, Columbia University, New York20170920<p><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Background</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle2">Rates of anal squamous cell carcinoma have increased over recent decades. The aim of this study was to describe characteristics of widely viewed YouTube videos about anal cancer.<br /></span><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Methods</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle2">A total of 57 videos were identifed and reviewed. Videos were assessed and coded with respect to date uploaded, upload source, gender of presenter, number of views, length in minutes, number of likes and dislikes, and selected aspects of content. Each video was assessed to determine if the sole purpose of the video was to provide information regarding anal cancer or existed to serve another purpose. Content related to anal cancer was categorized. </span></p><p><strong></strong><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Results</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle2">The mean number of views was 23,548 (range 1014&ndash;440,078), and the average length of videos was 8:14 min. The upload source of 57 videos was 19 (33.3%) by consumers, 12 (21.1%) by professional, and 26 (45.6%) by news‑based sources. More than half (</span><span class="fontstyle3">n </span><span class="fontstyle2">= 30; 52.6%) had the sole purpose of providing information. The most frequently mentioned topics were treatment (</span><span class="fontstyle3">n </span><span class="fontstyle2">= 25, 43.9%), symptoms (</span><span class="fontstyle3">n </span><span class="fontstyle2">= 15, 26.3%),<br />encouraging screening, human papillomavirus, and pain, respectively (</span><span class="fontstyle3">n </span><span class="fontstyle2">= 14, 26.4% for each); only 6 of the 57 videos (10.5%) specifcally mentioned prevention. None of 57 most widely viewed videos were uploaded by any agency of the U.S. Public Health Service or by any other U.S. governmental agency. </span></p><p><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Conclusions</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle2">It is important for health practitioners to be aware of the type of information available for their patients on the YouTube platform.<br /></span></p><p><span class="fontstyle0" style="color: #00652e;"><strong>Keywords</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle3">Anal cancer, communication, social media, YouTube</span> <br style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /></p>http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/view/1830http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/download/1830/2119