The Quality and Reliability of Short Videos about Totally Implantable Venous Access Port on Douyin and Bilibili: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: Short-video platforms have become major sources of totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP) information for the public. However, the quality and reliability of such content remain uncertain. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study. Using the Chinese keyword “Totally Implantable Venous Access Port” (输液港), we screened top-ranked videos on Douyin (TikTok China) and Bilibili. Two trained raters assessed overall quality using the Global Quality Score (GQS), reliability using a modified DISCERN (mDIS) instrument, source transparency using the JAMA benchmark criteria, and a synthesized SUM score. Uploaders were classified as Professionals and Non-Professionals. Independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for group comparisons, and Spearman’s test was utilized for correlation analysis. Results: A total of 178 videos were included (Bilibili n = 86, 48.31%; Douyin n = 92, 51.69%). Between the two platforms, significant differences were observed in JAMA score, Likes, Comments, Favorites, and Duration (all p < 0.05), whereas SUM score (p = 0.887) and GQS score (p = 0.081) showed no statistical significance. When stratified by author type, the majority of the videos (n = 120, 67.42%) were uploaded by Professionals, whereas 58 (32.58%) were generated by Non-Professionals. Professional videos scored significantly higher in SUM, JAMA, and GQS scores (p < 0.001). However, Non-Professional videos received significantly more Likes and Favorites (p < 0.001). Comments and Duration showed no significant differences between author types (p > 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that engagement metrics (Likes and Comments) had no significant correlation with quality scores (SUM, GQS, JAMA, mDIS; p > 0.05), while Favorites and Duration showed weak to moderate positive correlations with quality. Conclusion: The quality of TIVAP short videos is highly dependent on the author’s professional background. While Professionals provide significantly higher quality and reliability, Non-Professional videos attract substantially more user engagement (Likes and Favorites). Popularity metrics are not valid proxies for health information quality, highlighting the urgent need to promote digital health literacy and optimize platform recommendation algorithms.