The quality and content of cerebral aneurysm related short videos on Douyin: a cross-sectional observational study

Abstract

Abstract Cerebral aneurysm is a common cerebrovascular disease with a poor prognosis after rupture. This highlights the critical importance of early detection and risk factor management. Douyin has become an important channel for disseminating medical information, but the quality of video content on such platforms remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the content, quality, and reliability of short videos related to cerebral aneurysm on Douyin. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 100 short videos related to cerebral aneurysm on Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok). Video characteristics, content, uploader type, and interaction data (likes, comments, favorites, and shares) were extracted. Video quality and reliability were assessed using the Global Quality Score (GQS) and modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) tools. Videos were classified by content and emotional tone, and engagement metrics and quality scores were compared across different categories. Correlation analysis was performed between video metrics and quality scores. Videos were generally short (median: 77 s), but user engagement was high. Most videos were uploaded by cerebrovascular specialists. Educational videos scored better on GQS than case-sharing videos, but no significant difference was found in mDISCERN scores. Regarding interaction data, case-sharing videos had significantly more favorites than educational videos, but no differences were observed in other engagement metrics. Videos were further categorized by emotional tone (positive, negative, neutral), and no differences were found in quality scores or engagement metrics across these categories. Meanwhile, positive correlations were observed among engagement metrics (likes, favorites, comments, and shares). Douyin videos related to cerebral aneurysm show high engagement but slightly insufficient reliability in content. Improving video quality is essential to enhance the educational value of health information shared on the Douyin platform.