YouTube launches tools to assist healthcare content creation

It's not exactly breaking news to note that Gen Z is the most online generation: 54% spend at least four hours daily on social media, and many spend even more than that. In addition, 88% said they use YouTube, making it the generation’s most-used social platform.

So, essentially, if you want to grab their attention you do it through content, and perhaps no information is more important than that regarding their health and safety, which is why YouTube announced two expanded initiatives on Thursday to help with the spread healthcare content, specifically for those in underrepresented and under-resourced communities which, as the company points out, "historically have not always had a seat at the table when it comes to healthcare."

Part of that involves the launched THE-IQ Creator Program, which will support health professionals creating high quality health content highlighting underrepresented communities.

This is an expansion of THE-IQ, a program that tackles health equity through Information Quality. Launched in September of 2022, in partnership with Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), THE-IQ conceptualizes and produces video series that examine health equity through the lens of the areas of focus of its three initial partners, The Loveland Foundation, National Birth Equity Collaborative and Satcher Health Leadership Institute: mental health, maternal health, and healthcare access. 

Now, with the THE-IQ Creator Program, eligible creators in the US, Canada, UK and Brazil who apply through October 5 will be eligible to access workshops on YouTube best practices and video production, dedicated support from YouTube specialists, and up to $10,000 to assist with content creation.

The second part of YouTube's expanded health offerings is a collaboration with select health content creators to pilot AI-powered dubbing tool Aloud. This will help creators make videos in multiple languages which the company notes is "crucial for overcoming language barriers, especially in a healthcare context, yet can be labor intensive for creators."

To start, YouTube is working with Mass General Brigham, Osmosis from Elsevier, The Journal of the American Medical Association and Global Health Media Project to make their health content available in Spanish and Portuguese, though it will be available to more creators, and in languages, in the future.