Quality and Reliability of Chinese-Language Lumbar Disc Herniation Videos on TikTok and Bilibili: A Cross-Sectional Multiplatform Study
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Authors
Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology
Inner Mongolia People's Hospital
Yangzhou Hospital of Soochow University
Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University
Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital
Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital
Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Panorama Research Institute
Abstract
Background: Short-video platforms are common health-information sources, but lumbar disc herniation (LDH) videos may vary in quality and reliability.
Objective: To compare Chinese-language LDH videos on TikTok and Bilibili and examine associations with platform, source, and engagement.
Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed 200 videos (100 per platform) collected February 28, 2025. Human raters evaluated quality using the 5-point Global Quality Score (GQS) and reliability using an eight-item modified DISCERN scale. Analyses used nonparametric comparisons, Holm-adjusted tests, Spearman correlations, and proportional-odds ordinal regression.
Results: Platforms differed in source, specialty, broad content, and presentation (all P<0.001), but not LDH topic (P=0.441). Physicians produced 85% of TikTok and 61% of Bilibili videos. Median GQS was 3 on both platforms (P=0.297), with similar reliability distributions (P=0.816). Compared with physician videos, independent-user videos had lower adjusted odds of higher GQS (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.13-0.63; P=0.002) and reliability (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.18-0.88; P=0.023). Platform and engagement were not independently associated with either outcome.
Conclusions: Source was more informative than platform or engagement. Engagement should not replace clinical credibility when evaluating short-video health information.
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