Assessment of the quality and reliability of Turkish-language YouTube videos on cleft lip and palate: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim: Cleft lip and palate (CLP) are among the most prevalent congenital anomalies, necessitating long-term, multidisciplinary care. In recent years, patients and their families have increasingly turned to online platforms, such as YouTube, for health-related information. This study aimed to assess the quality and reliability of information in Turkish-language YouTube videos concerning CLP.

Methodology: A cross-sectional analysis of YouTube videos was conducted in August 2025. The platform was searched using the keywords "cleft lip" and "cleft palate," and the first 110 relevant videos were included for analysis. Videos were evaluated using a comprehensive scoring system based on ten criteria, including etiology, surgical and orthodontic treatment, feeding, and prognosis. Videos were also categorized by their source: individual health professionals, corporate health professionals, health websites, and independent users. Descriptive statistics and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used to analyze data.

Results: Of the 109 videos analyzed, the mean total information score was 5.3 ± 4.5 (out of a possible 24). The majority of videos (66.1%) were of poor quality (score 0-5). The most frequently covered topics were surgical treatment (66.1%) and prognosis (66.1%), while prenatal diagnosis (15.6%) and Nasoalveolar molding (NAM) (15.6%) were the least covered. Although videos from corporate health professionals had the highest mean score (8.0 ± 6.1), there was no statistically significant difference in the information quality across the different source categories (p = 0.086).

Conclusion: While YouTube contains a vast amount of information regarding cleft lip and palate, the overall quality is poor and highly variable. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the information their patients may be accessing and should consider taking an active role in creating and directing patients to high-quality, reliable online content.