How Well Do "Dr. Google" and "Professor YouTube" Answer Health Questions for Pediatric Kidney Transplant Recipients and Caregivers?

BACKGROUND

Pediatric kidney transplant recipients and their caregivers require comprehensive education to support self-management. Increasingly, families supplement clinic teaching with online platforms such as Google and YouTube, yet the quality, readability, and usefulness of these resources are uncertain.

METHODS

Structured searches on Google and YouTube were conducted using patient-style questions and medically oriented key terms across four prioritized topics: healthy eating, exercise, travel, and mental health. Resources were screened for relevance and assessed for accuracy, completeness (defined as including all key facts needed to support recommendations), readability, and actionability (defined as providing clear, practical steps users can follow). Two pediatric transplant healthcare providers independently reviewed each resource. Two researchers assessed understandability and actionability using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT), and readability using multiple readability tools.

RESULTS

Searches yielded 87 Google and 41 YouTube resources; most targeted adult transplant recipients. Healthcare providers assessed 65% of Google and 68% of YouTube resources to be accurate, but only 18% and 5% were factually complete. Actionable recommendations were identified in 42% (Google) and 29% (YouTube). Readability ranged from grade 5 to 17, with only 6 of 82 Google resources meeting the recommended grade 6 or lower. Mean understandability scores were 67% for both platforms. Actionability scores averaged 39% (Google) and 77% (YouTube). Resources suitable for pediatric audiences (n = 28) had similar readability and understandability scores but slightly higher actionability (Google: 43%, YouTube: 81%). Most resources lacked pediatric focus, co-creation, and practical guidance.

CONCLUSIONS

Online searches generated limited high-quality resources tailored to pediatric needs. Healthcare providers should guide families to vetted resources and consider co-creating materials to improve relevance and impact.