A Characteristic Analysis of YouTube Videos on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: 2020–2026

Abstract

Background: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a crucial life-saving intervention. In the digital era, YouTube has emerged as a major platform for public medical education, yet the lack of peer review raises concerns regarding the scientific accuracy and quality of its health content. This study aimed to evaluate the descriptive characteristics, viewer engagement, and trends of CPR-related educational videos published between 2020 and 2026.

Materials and Methods: A systematic search was conducted on YouTube using keywords including "CPR," "cardiopulmonary resuscitation," "basic life support," and "chest compressions". Video metadata, including publication dates, view counts, likes, and comments, were collected using a custom-developed Application Programming Interface (API). Viewing Rates and Interaction Indexes were calculated. Statistical analyses were performed using JASP, employing the Kruskal-Wallis test for non-parametric comparisons across years.

Results: A total of 321 videos were analyzed. The median video duration was 308.5 seconds, and the highest publication volume occurred in 2026, accounting for 22.7% of the dataset. The median number of views and likes were 569.0 and 11.0, respectively. Although the highest mean Interaction Index was observed in 2025 (4.182), no statistically significant difference in user interaction was identified across the evaluated years (Kruskal-Wallis: 7.923, $p = 0.244$).

Conclusions: The findings indicate that viewer engagement and video popularity on YouTube do not reflect scientific quality or compliance with current resuscitation guidelines. Reliance on raw metrics can be misleading. There is a critical need for verified content moderation mechanisms and enhanced digital health literacy to mitigate the public health risks associated with online medical misinformation.