Analysis of content, quality, and reliability of acute cholecystitis-related Chinese videos on TikTok and Bilibili: A cross-sectional study

The incidence of acute cholecystitis has risen markedly in recent years. With the growing use of platforms like TikTok and Bilibili for health information dissemination, the quality and reliability of their content on this condition remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and quality of educational short videos related to acute cholecystitis on TikTok and Bilibili using the modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) and Global Quality Score tools, and to analyze correlations with video characteristics and user engagement. On August 25, 2025, the top 100 videos from each platform were retrieved using the keyword “acute cholecystitis.” After exclusions, 175 videos were analyzed. Basic features and engagement metrics were recorded. Nonparametric statistics and Spearman correlation were applied. Bilibili had significantly more high-quality videos. Specifically, 22.0% scored Global Quality Score ≥ 4 compared to 9.0% on TikTok ( P < .05). Additionally, 47.0% scored mDISCERN ≥ 4 versus 7.0% on TikTok ( P < .05). On TikTok, 95% of creators had medical qualifications and primarily focused on disease knowledge and surgery. User engagement metrics – including likes, comments, and shares – were significantly inter-correlated but showed no significant association with quality scores. The overall quality and reliability of educational short videos related to acute cholecystitis are poor. The public should critically evaluate such content. Creators are urged to produce evidence-based information, and platforms should enhance moderation to limit misinformation.