McMaster University expands YouTube Health collaboration with bilingual mental health series

McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences is expanding its collaboration with YouTube Health by producing a new bilingual video series focused on mental health. The content will help counter online misinformation and provide reliable mental health information from McMaster medical experts.

The Faculty will produce long-form and short-form videos in English and French on 14 health topics, including mood disorders in adults and children, eating disorders, and substance use and addiction. ​​​​The content will be published on the McMaster University Health Sciences YouTube channel.

“We are thrilled to evolve our partnership with YouTube Health,” said Gillian Earle, director of strategic communications and digital engagement for McMaster’s Faculty of Health Sciences. “This bilingual approach reflects McMaster University’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, recognizing the importance of providing health information in multiple languages. By offering content in both of Canada’s official languages, we hope to break down language barriers and ensure more people can benefit from the valuable expertise at McMaster.”

This initiative also involves Health Sciences’ collaboration with McMaster’s Department of French, in the Faculty of Humanities, in support of the French language videos.

In 2023, McMaster’s Faculty of Health Sciences was announced as one of the inaugural channels participating in YouTube Health, ​whose mission is to make high-quality health information accessible​ to users, regardless of where they live. As part of the YouTube Health initiative, authoritative content is surfaced in a video shelf that highlights content from credible sources in search results.

“In an age where misinformation can spread rapidly, it is more important than ever to provide credible and trustworthy information to support mental well-being,” said Karin Neufeld, chair of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University. “This collaboration underscores our commitment to public health and our dedication to addressing mental health challenges with the highest standards of accuracy and compassion.”

​​YouTube has billions of monthly logged-in users and every day people watch billions of hours of video and generate billions of ​​views.​​​​​​​

​​ ​“This partnership with McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences underscores our commitment to providing Canadians with access to high-quality mental health information in English and French on the platform, said Soneeka Patel, YouTube Canada’s Health Lead. “By combining McMaster’s expertise with YouTube’s reach, we hope to connect with even more individuals and families seeking reliable resources on a range of mental health topics.”

Subscribe to and access the videos on the Faculty’s YouTube channel (@machealthsci).