Reliability, quality, and science popularization of diabetes knowledge information in China video sharing platform: A...

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 easy access to health information. However, the quality, reliability, and science popularization of health information on these platforms have still not been fully assessed, and studies comparing the three platforms are lacking. A cross-sectional study was established to evaluate the reliability, quality, and science popularization of diabetes health information on Chinese Internet video platforms.

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 (JAMA) benchmark criteria, and Global Quality Scores (GQS) were employed to assess the reliability of videos. This study developed criteria to evaluate the science popularization of the platforms. Each video was assessed based on the health information categories recommended by the Chinese Diabetes Guidelines (2024).

Of the videos retrieved, 50.67% (152/300) were posted by certified medical professionals. Patient education was the most frequently discussed topic (120/300, 40.00%), including diet and lifestyle interventions. The median DISCERN score for the 300 videos was 3.00 (interquartile range (IQR): 2.00-4.00). The science dissemination score was 67.00 (IQR: 58.00-74.25), and the median GQS was 3. There was no significant difference in JAMA scores among the three platforms (p = 0.095). Bilibili received the highest science popularization score (median: 70.00, IQR: 63.45-77.00) and guideline score (median: 2.00, IQR: 1.00-4.00). Although healthcare professionals have a higher audience focus, video quality is inferior to non-healthcare professionals.

The results of this cross-sectional study suggest that videos of diabetes information from Internet platforms in China are not satisfactory. Compared with TikTok and WeChat, Bilibili has the highest quality of popular science videos. Health regulatory authorities should improve the enthusiasm of professional medical staff to participate in scientific communication, crack down on false information, and improve the quality of popular science works and public health literacy.