Evaluating the Quality and Reliability of Hepatitis B-Related Short Videos on BiliBili and TikTok: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Hepatitis B is a significant global health concern and poses a substantial burden on public health systems. Short video platforms such as TikTok and Bilibili have become important channels for health information dissemination. However, the quality and reliability of Hepatitis B-related content on these platforms remain unclear. The objective of our research is to evaluate the quality of information regarding Hepatitis B disseminated on the TikTok and Bilibili short video platforms. On April 1, 2025, we systematically collected the top 100 Hepatitis B-related short videos from TikTok and Bilibili, totaling 200 videos. Basic video information was extracted, and video quality and reliability were assessed using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), and JAMA benchmarks. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between engagement metrics and quality scores. TikTok videos demonstrated greater user engagement, as evidenced by higher metrics for likes, comments, and shares, and also achieved superior reliability scores compared to Bilibili. Specifically, the median reliability scores for TikTok videos were mDISCERN: 4 (3-4) and JAMA: 3 (3-3), whereas for Bilibili videos, these scores were mDISCERN: 3 (3-4) and JAMA: 2 (2-3). In terms of content quality, as assessed by the GQS, both platforms exhibited similar levels (TikTok: 4 [3-4], Bilibili: 4 [3-4]). Additionally, videos uploaded by hepatologists consistently showed higher quality and reliability. Spearman correlation analysis indicated significant but weak positive correlations between engagement metrics (likes, comments, shares, saves) and both GQS and JAMA scores; however, no significant correlation was observed with mDISCERN scores. The overall quality and reliability of Hepatitis B-related short videos were moderate, with TikTok videos outperforming Bilibili videos in reliability. Videos created by hepatologists demonstrated higher quality and reliability. We recommend that the public exercise caution when consuming health information from short videos to avoid potential misinformation.