Telemedicine and YouTube™: Video quality analysis before and after COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality content of YouTubeTM videos on telemedicine during COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: First, the frequency of worldwide YouTube™ and Google™ searches for telemedicine was analyzed. Second, we queried YouTube™ with telemedicine-related terms. Third, the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials (PEMAT A/V), the Global Quality Score (GQS), and the Misinformation tool were used for the quality assessment. RESULTS: According to selection criteria, 129 videos were collected for the analysis. From January 2018 to January 2022, the peak relative interest on YouTube™ and Google™ occurred in March 2020. Of all, 27.1 and 72.9% were uploaded before (Jan 2018-Feb 2020) and after (Mar 2020-Mar 2022) the COVID-19 outbreak, respectively. According to the PEMAT A/V, the overall median understandability and actionability was 50.0% (33.3 [IQR 0-66.7] vs 50.0 [27.1-75], p = 0.2) and 66.7% (63.6 [IQR 50.0-75.7] vs 67.9 [50.0-79.2],p = 0.6), respectively. According to GQS, 3.9%, 17.8%, 24.0%, 26.4% and 27.9% were classified as excellent, good, medium, generally poor, and poor-quality videos, respectively. The highest rate of poor-quality videos was recorded in videos uploaded before COVID-19 pandemic (37.1 vs 24.5%). According to overall misinformation score, a higher score was recorded for the videos uploaded after COVID-19 pandemic (1.8 [IQR 1.4-2.3] vs 2.2 [1.8-2.8], p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The interest in telemedicine showed a significant peak when the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. However, the contents provided on YouTubeTM were not informative enough. In the future, official medical institutions should standardize telemedicine regulation and online content to reduce the widespread of misleading information.

Social Media Content on Immunology: Is an Assessment by the Scientific Community Required?

In recent years, vaccines and immunotherapy have become two of the most promising and effective tools in the fight against a wide range of diseases, from the common cold to cancer [...].

Perceptions and attitudes toward the use of telemedicine for the postoperative outpatient urological care during the COVID-19 pandemic in an Academic Hospital in Southern Italy.

INTRODUCTION: Telemedicine is a most used tools in various medical and surgical scenarios. The aim of the present study was to explore attitudes and perceptions by urologic patients toward the use of telemedicine in the context of patient-physicians communication during the post-operative follow-up in a large academic tertiary urology referral department in Italy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire consisting of 15 multiple choice questions was designed including three sections: respondents' demographics, attitudes, and perceptions towards the use of telemedicine. Invitations to participate to this anonymous questionnaire was given to outpatients attended at Urology Department, University of Naples Federico II. RESULTS: In total 697 responses were received (participation rate 73%). The frequency of telemedicine use was described as frequently, occasional, rarely, and never by 41.6%, 30.4%, 15.1%, and 12.6% of respondents, respectively. WhatsApp messenger used by 59.5% of respondents and telephone call (34.3%) were the most common type of tools. Satisfaction in using telemedicine was reported as very satisfied, satisfied, neutral, dissatisfied, and very dissatisfied by 39.6%,41.4%,10%,7% and 2% of respondents respectively. Overall, 43.7%% of participants individuated limited interaction and risk of misdiagnosis as the major limit of telemedicine. CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine represents the future of medical practice due to several benefits as well as convenience, increased access to care and decreased healthcare costs.

Effectiveness of a Laparoscopic Training Model for Pediatric Surgeons During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Single-Center Experience.

Background: During COVID-19 pandemic, many restrictions were applied in the field of health care. For this reason, we decided to adopt the laparoscopic simulator Laparo® Analytic to allow the trainees of our pediatric surgery training program to continue their training activity, and we determined its impact on their surgical education. Methods: We used Laparo Analytic Simulator for laparoscopic surgery training among the residents of our center. Fifteen residents from different years of the pediatric surgery program participated in this study. Each participant performed a 2-hour training session per week, consisting of three different exercises: Rubber Bands, Knotting, and Suturing. For each training session, the following parameters were analyzed: training time, economy of movement, smoothness, instrument activity (IA), instrument visibility (IV), and instrument symmetry. Results: Results were collected after the first training session (T0), at 3 months after the beginning of the study (T1) and at 6 months after the beginning of the study (T2). At T2 of training with Laparo Analytic Simulator, residents were able to complete their tasks significantly faster (P = .001) and had a significant improvement in smoothness of movements, IA, IV, and instrument symmetric movements during the tasks analyzed. Conclusion: On the basis of our results, we believe that Laparo analytic is an excellent system to adopt in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) training programs, in particular, during periods of surgical restrictions, as COVID-19 pandemic, or in centers with a limited MIS activity.

Telementoring for communication between residents and faculty physicians: Results from a survey on attitudes and perceptions in an Academic Tertiary Urology Referral Department in Italy.

INTRODUCTION: Telemedicine has been adopted successfully in various urological scenarios. The aim of the present study was to explore attitudes and perceptions by urology residents toward the use of telementoring in the context of residents-faculty physicians communication for patient-related care. METHODS: An online survey consisting of 19 multiple choice questions was designed including three sections: respondents' demographics, attitudes and perceptions towards the use of telementoring. Invitations to participate in this anonymous survey were e-mailed to urology residents at University of Naples Federico II. RESULTS: In total 60 responses were received (participation rate 86%). The frequency of telementoring use was described as occasional, frequent, very frequent, and rare by 51,3%, 41.0%, 5,1%, and 2,6% of respondents, respectively. WhatsApp messenger was used by 89.5% of respondents and photos were the most common type of media content shared (73.7%). Most of respondents declared a moderate and a strong agreement with respect to the utility of telementoring in improving the communication in relation to the interpretation of clinical, radiological, endoscopic, and functional findings. Overall, 78% of participants individuated risks of information flow distortions and misinterpretations as the major limit of telementoring. CONCLUSIONS: The use of telementoring is widespread and perceived as useful by urology residents in the context of residentsfaculty physicians communication in multiple settings of patientrelated care.

Personal protective equipment in Covid-19: Evidence-based quality and analysis of YouTube videos after one year of pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Covid-19 pandemic is mandatory to minimize the contagion risk. The current study aimed to evaluate quality information of YouTube videos on PPE use during the pandemic. METHODS: Using Google Trend tool, the frequency of worldwide YouTube and Google searches for "donning and doffing" was examined. We queried YouTube with terms related to donning and doffing of PPE. Validated quality information assessment tools were used. RESULTS: From the December 1, 2019 to the January 31, 2021, according to YouTube and Google searches, both peaks occurred in April 2020 (69.5% and 72.0%, respectively). Of all videos, 144 were eligible for the analyses. According to misinformation tool, 90 (62.5%) videos contained inaccuracies. The median DISCERN Section 1 ranged from 3 to 5. The median DISCERN Section 3 was 4. According to Global Quality Score, 8.3% (n = 12), 14.6% (n = 21), 22.9% (n = 33), 30.6% (n = 44) and 23.6% (n = 34) were classified as poor, partially poor, moderate, partially good and excellent quality videos, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Nowadays, YouTube may be recommended as a reliable source of information. Nevertheless, a not negligible number of videos contained inaccuracies. Future authors should improve videos contents to provide more complete information.

SARS-CoV-2 infection affects the lower urinary tract and male genital system: A systematic review.

PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Knowledge databases were searched to identify studies published up to December 2020 on the involvement of urinary and male genital systems in COVID-19. Sixteen studies involving a total of 575 patients (538 males and 37 females) were included in this systematic review. The COVID-19 phase was available for 479 patients: 426 in the acute and 53 in the recovery phase. De novo lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) were observed in 43 patients and deterioration of pre-existing LUTS in 7. Bladder hemorrhage was observed in three patients and acute urinary retention in one. Regarding the male genital system, scrotal discomfort was observed in 8 patients, swelling in 14, pain in 16, and erythema in 1; low flow priapism was observed in 2 patients. Ultrasound examination identified acute orchitis in 10 patients, acute epididymitis in 7, and acute epididymo-orchitis in 16. A case-control study reported that patients with moderate COVID-19 show a significant reduction in sperm concertation, the total number of sperms per ejaculate, progressive motility, and complete motility. In contrast to what is known from the first studies on the subject, this review also includes subsequent studies that give evidence of the involvement of the lower urinary tract and male genital system in COVID-19.