Quality, reliability, and educational value of herpes zoster-related content on Chinese video-sharing platforms: A cross-sectional study

Background Herpes zoster (HZ) has a high incidence among middle-aged and older adults, causing significant pain and economic burden to patients. Timely treatment and vaccination are of vital importance. At present, the public increasingly relies on video sharing platforms to obtain HZ-related information, but the quality of the information needs to be evaluated. Therefore, this study conducted a cross-sectional survey to systematically evaluate the quality, reliability and educational value of HZ-related videos on popular video-sharing platforms in China, including TikTok, Bilibili and WeChat, aiming to help improve the dissemination of high-quality HZ information and enhance public health outcomes. Methods A total of 300 HZ-related videos were included in the analysis. Videos were systematically evaluated using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), JAMA benchmark, modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT), and a content completeness scale developed by our team. Results Significant variations were found across platforms and uploaders. TikTok scored highest in JAMA and PEMAT-A. Bilibili scored highest in mDISCERN and lowest in PEMAT-U. WeChat placed the strongest emphasis on prevention, particularly vaccination, but scored lowest JAMA. Medical institutions received the highest content completeness scores. Science communicators achieved relatively high scores in GQS, mDISCERN and JAMA. Conclusion The quality of HZ videos varies greatly, and user engagement metrics alone are not bases for evaluating quality. We recommend professional institutions enhance collaboration with high-quality creators, improve the comprehensiveness of HZ educational information, and pay attention to the citation of information sources.