Quality and Reliability of Transarterial Chemoembolization Videos on TikTok and Bilibili: Cross-Sectional Content Analysis Study.

Abstract

Background: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a widely used treatment for advanced, unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, often requiring multiple sessions for optimal efficacy. TikTok and Bilibili have gained widespread popularity as easily accessible sources of health information.

Objective: This study aims to assess the quality of the information in Chinese short videos on TACE shared on TikTok and Bilibili.

Methods: In November 2024, the top 100 TACE-related Chinese-language short videos on TikTok and Bilibili (a total of 200 videos) were assessed and reviewed. Initially, basic information about the videos was recorded and analyzed. Subsequently, Global Quality Score and the DISCERN tool were used to evaluate the information quality and reliability of the videos on both platforms. Finally, multifactorial analysis was used to identify potential factors influencing the quality of the videos.

Results: TikTok is more popular than Bilibili, despite its videos being shorter in length (P<.001). The quality of short videos on TACE found on both platforms was of low quality, with average Global Quality Score scores of 2.31 (SD 0.81) on TikTok and 2.48 (SD 0.80) on Bilibili, as well as DISCERN scores of 1.86 (SD 0.40) on TikTok and 2.00 (SD 0.44) on Bilibili. The number of saves (β=.184, P=.008; β=.176, P=.01) and days (β=.214, P=.002; β=.168, P=.01) since publication were identified as closely related variables to video quality and reliability. Furthermore, the duration of the video was closely related to its reliability (β=.213, P=.002).

Conclusions: This study indicates that the quality of TACE-related health information in the top 100 short videos on both Bilibili and TikTok platforms is suboptimal. Patients should exercise caution when relying on health-related information from these platforms. Social media companies should establish review teams with basic medical knowledge. It is essential for the platforms to enhance their recommendation algorithms and implement measures for video quality assessment. Health care professionals should be aware of the limitations of these videos and work to improve their quality.