Assessing the Video Content Quality of TikTok and Bilibili as Health Information Sources for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease, and the quality of health information shared on social media is critical for patient education. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content and quality of SLE-related videos on TikTok and Bilibili platforms.

Methods: We retrieved the first 200 Chinese SLE-related videos sorted by default ranking on TikTok and Bilibili. Irrelevant, duplicated, very recent (< 7 days), or pre-2020 videos were excluded. Publisher type (e.g., Doctor, Personal User) was recorded. Video quality was independently assessed using DISCERN, Global Quality Scale (GQS), and JAMA benchmarks; content completeness across six dimensions (e.g., symptoms, management) was evaluated.

Results: We analyzed 265 videos, revealing that 76.3% of TikTok videos were by doctors (median duration 61 s), whereas 57.8% of Bilibili videos were physician-generated (median duration 297 s). Doctor-produced videos had significantly higher quality, with TikTok's average DISCERN score at 35.22, lower than Bilibili's 40.09. Bilibili videos exhibited significantly higher DISCERN scores across dimensions of clarity and reliability compared to TikTok (p < 0.05). However, GQS and JAMA scores were similar between the two platforms (p > 0.05). Engagement metrics such as likes and retweets correlated positively with DISCERN and GQS scores on TikTok, while video length showed a positive correlation with scores on both platforms.

Conclusion: Bilibili videos provide clearer and more reliable SLE information than TikTok. Establishing better content standards and increasing collaboration with healthcare professionals are crucial to improving the quality of health information on social media.

Keywords: Bilibili; TikTok; social media; systemic lupus erythematosus; video.