Assessment of Content Quality and Reliability of Chinese Short Videos about Constipation on TikTok and Bilibili: A Cross-Sectional Study

Constipation is a common functional bowel disorder where self-management and reliable health information are important. Short video platforms are a key health information source, but their content quality varies. This study evaluated the quality and reliability of constipation Chinese short videos on TikTok and Bilibili, comparing platform, source, and content type. The top 100 eligible videos from each platform were retrieved on November 1, 2025, using the keyword “constipation” and assessed with GQS and mDISCERN tools. Among 200 videos, Bilibili content scored significantly higher in quality (median GQS 3.00 vs. 2.00) and reliability (median mDISCERN 3.00 vs. 2.00) than TikTok (P < 0.001). Videos produced by medical professionals received the highest scores, whereas those from general users received the lowest (P < 0.001). Furthermore, disease knowledge videos significantly outperformed videos in other content categories (P < 0.001). Engagement metrics showed no correlation with information quality. Overall, video quality requires improvement. Content on Bilibili, from professionals, and focusing on disease knowledge performed better, but popularity did not indicate quality. Platforms should optimize review and recommendation systems, encourage professional contributions, and improve public health literacy to support accurate information dissemination.