BACKGROUND
More and more diabetes individuals are using internet video platforms for self-management of blood glucose in China. TikTok, WeChat and Bilibili, have gained popularity because of the easy access to health information. However, the quality, reliability and science popularity of health information on these platforms have still not been fully assessed, and studies comparing the three platforms are lacking.
OBJECTIVE
A cross-sectional study was established to evaluate the reliability, quality and science popularity of diabetes health information in Chinese Internet video platforms.
METHODS
This study used 'diabetes' as a keyword to identify the top 100 videos meeting the specified criteria on each platform, resulting in 300 videos. The modified DISCERN score, the Journal of the American Medical Association Score (JAMAS) benchmark criteria, and Global Quality Scores (GQS) were employed to assess the reliability of videos. This study developed criteria to evaluate the scientific popularity of the platforms. Each video was assessed based on the health information categories recommended by the Chinese Diabetes Guidelines (2022).
RESULTS
Of the videos retrieved, 68.67% (206/300) were released by certified medical professionals. Diet was the most frequently discussed topic (83%). TikTok achieved the lowest DISCERN scores (median 2, IQR:2.00) compared with Bilibili (median 3, IQR: 2.00) and WeChat (median 3, IQR: 0.00). The median JAMA criterion score was 3 (IQR:1.00) for all three platforms. The science popularity score of Bilibili (median 80, IQR: 13.75) was highest. The overall GQS quality of Bilibili (median: grade 3) and WeChat (median: grade 3) was higher than the TikTok platform (median 2). Among diabetes guideline scores, the highest median score was Bilibili (median 2, IQR: 3.00), which was higher than TikTok (median 1, IQR 1.00) and WeChat (median 1, IQR 1.00). The science popularity of medical professionals was significantly lower than non-medical professionals.
CONCLUSIONS
Information from Chinese Internet video platforms is generally of fairly reliable quality. Bilibili received the best quality, reliability and popularity of science compared with TikTok and WeChat. All three platforms cover little information about medication. Health professionals should be encouraged to produce high-quality diabetes health science popularization works to enhance the standard of scientific communication.