Quality and Reliability Assessment of Short Videos Related to Chronic Hepatitis B on TikTok and Bilibili

Background : Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a globally prevalent infectious liver disease. The scientific dissemination of knowledge on its prevention and treatment is crucial for reducing incidence, improving diagnosis and treatment rates, and eliminating social stigma. With the popularization of short video platforms, TikTok and Bilibili have become core channels for the Chinese public to obtain CHB-related information. However, systematic assessments of the quality and reliability of CHB-related short videos on these two platforms are still lacking. Methods : Using "乙肝" as the keyword, we searched and collected relevant science popularization short videos on TikTok and Bilibili. After strict screening, 149 valid samples were finally included (75 from TikTok and 74 from Bilibili). Three standardized tools—Global Quality Scale (GQS), Modified DISCERN, and Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)—were used to evaluate the information quality of the videos. Statistical techniques were employed to explore video characteristics and analyze the impacts of platform differences and video sources on content quality. Results : The overall quality of CHB-related short videos on TikTok and Bilibili was at a low level. The median (interquartile range) scores were 3 (2, 4) for GQS, 2 (1, 2) for Modified DISCERN, and 2 (1, 2) for JAMA. In platform comparison, TikTok had significantly higher scores than Bilibili in GQS (3 vs 3, P=0.009), Modified DISCERN (2 vs 1, P<0.001), and JAMA (2 vs 1, P<0.001). TikTok also showed advantages in interaction data (Likes, Comments, Favorites, Shares), number of followers, and creator certification rate. However, Bilibili had significantly longer video duration (200.5 vs 84 seconds, P<0.001). For video sources, videos uploaded by hepatology specialists had significantly higher scores in GQS (3 vs 2-3 points, P<0.001), Modified DISCERN (2 vs 1-1.75 points, P<0.001), and JAMA (2 vs 1-2 points, P<0.001) compared to those from other groups. Correlation analysis showed moderate to strong positive correlations between JAMA and GQS (r=0.6), JAMA and Modified DISCERN (r=0.48), and between GQS and Modified DISCERN (r=0.57). Moderate to very strong positive correlations were observed among Likes, Comments, Favorites, Shares, and number of followers (r=0.58-0.95), while interaction indicators had weak or no correlation with quality scores (r<0.4). Conclusion : The information quality and reliability of CHB-related short videos on TikTok and Bilibili are poor and need improvement. Platform attributes and uploaders' professional backgrounds may be key factors affecting video quality. It is recommended that short video platforms establish professional content review and recommendation mechanisms, and encourage hepatology professionals to participate in creating CHB-related science popularization content, so as to optimize the scientificity and accuracy of public access to CHB knowledge.