Quality and Reliability Analysis of Short Videos Related to COPD Smoking Cessation on TikTok and Kwai: a Cross-sectional Study

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global health issue, and smoking cessation is the most effective intervention to slow its progression. While short-video platforms have become a popular source for health information, the quality of COPD smoking cessation content remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the quality and reliability of such videos on TikTok and Kwai, and to compare differences across release sources and platforms. A search using the term "COPD quit smoking" on both platforms yielded a final sample of 200 short videos. Video quality and reliability were assessed using completeness score, Global Quality Score (GQS), modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), and Medical Quality Video Evaluation Tool (MQ-VET) scores. The results showed that despite the overall poor video quality (mean GQS = 3; mDISCERN = 2), TikTok videos showed significantly higher mDISCERN and completeness scores than Kwai ( P  < 0.01). Videos from respiratory specialists received significantly higher quality scores and user engagement than those from other sources ( P  < 0.05). Video quality was positively correlated with video duration and completeness. These findings highlight the need for greater regulation of online medical content and encourage medical professionals in producing accurate, high-quality health information.