Zika Virus on YouTube: An Analysis of English-language Video Content by Source
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-26-2017
Publication Title
Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
DOI
10.3961/jpmph.16.107
ISSN
2233-4521
Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the source, length, number of views, and content of the most widely viewed Zika virus (ZIKV)-related YouTube videos. We hypothesized that ZIKV-related videos uploaded by different sources contained different content.
Methods: The 100 most viewed English ZIKV-related videos were manually coded and analyzed statistically.
Results: Among the 100 videos, there were 43 consumer-generated videos, 38 Internet-based news videos, 15 TV-based news videos, and 4 professional videos. Internet news sources captured over two-thirds of the total of 8 894 505 views. Compared with consumer-generated videos, Internet-based news videos were more likely to mention the impact of ZIKV on babies (odds ratio [OR], 6.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.64 to 23.76), the number of cases in Latin America (OR, 5.63; 95% CI, 1.47 to 21.52); and ZIKV in Africa (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.04 to 6.31). Compared with consumer-generated videos, TV-based news videos were more likely to express anxiety or fear of catching ZIKV (OR, 6.67; 95% CI, 1.36 to 32.70); to highlight fear of ZIKV among members of the public (OR, 7.45; 95% CI, 1.20 to 46.16); and to discuss avoiding pregnancy (OR, 3.88; 95% CI, 1.13 to 13.25).
Conclusions: Public health agencies should establish a larger presence on YouTube to reach more people with evidence-based information about ZIKV.
Recommended Citation
Basch, Corey H., Isaac Chun-Hai Fung, Rodney N. Hammond, Elizabeth B. Blankenship, Zion Tsz Ho Tse, King-Wa Fu, Patrick Ip, Charles E. Basch.
2017.
"Zika Virus on YouTube: An Analysis of English-language Video Content by Source."
Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, 50 (2): 133-140: Korean Society for Preventive Medicine.
doi: 10.3961/jpmph.16.107
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/bee-facpubs/9
Copyright
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
