Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015 Mar 2;1(1):e1.
doi: 10.2196/cancer.4204.

YouTube Videos Related to Skin Cancer: A Missed Opportunity for Cancer Prevention and Control

Corey H Basch  1 , Charles E Basch  2 , Grace Clarke Hillyer  3 , Rachel Reeves  1
Affiliations

YouTube Videos Related to Skin Cancer: A Missed Opportunity for Cancer Prevention and Control

Corey H Basch et al. JMIR Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: Early detection and treatment influence the mortality risk of skin cancer.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the content of the most viewed professional and consumer videos uploaded to YouTube related to skin cancer.

Methods: A total of 140 professional and consumer videos uploaded between 2007 and 2014 were identified and coded. Coding involved identifying and sorting followed by gathering descriptive information, including length of the video, number of views, and year uploaded. A dichotomous coding scheme (ie, yes or no) was used in coding specific aspects of video content, including provision of information, type of skin cancer, age group, family history, risk reduction, risk factors, fear, and home remedies for skin cancer treatment.

Results: The majority of videos provided information related to screening. Many consumer videos conveyed information related to the use of a black salve as a home remedy for skin cancer, despite the fact that there is no evidence that it is an effective treatment.

Conclusions: Research is needed to identify characteristics of videos that are most likely to be viewed to inform the development of credible communications.

Keywords: YouTube; skin cancer; social media.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Screenshot for black salve success.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Screenshot of tumor removed.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Screenshot of info for the black salve.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Skin Cancer Trends. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2014. [2015-02-27]. http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/statistics/trends.htm .
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Atlanta (GA): 2014. [2015-02-27]. Basic information about skin cancer http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/index.htm .
    1. Melanoma Screening Saves Lives. 2014. [2015-02-27]. Skin Cancer Foundation http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/melanoma/melanoma-prev... .
    1. YouTube and News. 2012. [2015-02-27]. Pew Research Journalism Project http://www.journalism.org/2012/07/16/youtube-news/
    1. Statistics YouTube. 2014. [2015-02-27]. https://www.youtube.com/yt/press/statistics.html .

LinkOut - more resources