Evaluating the reliability and quality of asthma educational content on TikTok and Bilibili: A cross-sectional content analysis

Background Asthma is a widespread chronic inflammatory airway disease posing a global health challenge. The digital era has made platforms like TikTok and Bilibili key sources for asthma education. However, the quality of asthma information on these platforms is unclear, raising concerns about content accuracy and reliability. This study evaluates the reliability and quality of asthma educational videos on TikTok and Bilibili. Methods Using “asthma” as a keyword, the top 100 videos from each platform were analyzed after excluding duplicates and irrelevant content, totaling 187 videos. All content was retrieved from the mainland-China versions of TikTok and Bilibili, and the videos analyzed were therefore limited to those uploaded and accessible within China. Videos were assessed by two senior physicians using modified DISCERN and GQS tools for reliability and quality, analyzing associations with uploader types and user engagement. Nonparametric statistical methods were applied for data analysis. Results Bilibili videos accounted for 51.34% of the sample, with higher median likes (101.50 vs 42.00, P = .011), shares (30.00 vs 12.00), and comments (19.00 vs 5.00) than TikTok. TikTok videos were longer (121.00 vs 83.50, P = .028) but showed weaker correlations with engagement and quality metrics. Professionals created 54.01% of videos, yet non-professionals had higher engagement. Asthma symptoms were covered in 17.11% of videos, causes in 15.51%, and diagnosis in 12.30%, with epidemiology and prevention underrepresented. Conclusion Our data indicate that Bilibili videos were rated as higher quality and more reliable than those on TikTok, yet both sites reward popularity over accuracy. Users seeking evidence-based asthma information should select content uploaded by verified hospitals or certified specialists and cross-check any health claims made by non-verified influencers.