Quality and accuracy of scoliosis-related short videos on TikTok reviewed in China in August 2025

Scoliosis is a common spinal disorder that affects 2-4% of adolescents worldwide. With the rise of short-video platforms like TikTok, they have increasingly played a significant role in health information dissemination. However, the quality and accuracy of scoliosis-related video content on these platforms have not been thoroughly studied. The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy and quality of scoliosis-related videos on TikTok. Using a cross-sectional design and a newly created TikTok account with cleared cache to minimize bias, we retrieved the platform's top 100 scoliosis-related short videos via its default sorting algorithm on August 17, 2025. Two independent reviewers with backgrounds in orthopedic surgery and health-information assessment extracted basic data and evaluated each video's quality and accuracy with the Global Quality Score (GQS, 1-5), modified DISCERN (0-5), and JAMA (0-4). Bivariate associations used Spearman's rank correlation; multivariable associations used a proportional-odds ordinal logistic model with GQS as the outcome. A total of 95 videos were included in the analysis. 5 videos were excluded due to language mismatch, redundancy, or commercial content. Video duration was median 60 s (IQR 45-87). The median number of views was 8109 (IQR 2112-33,856). Professional individuals accounted for 63.8% of the uploaded videos, while non-professional individuals contributed 33.0%. The median GQS for professional videos was 3, while for non-professional videos it was 2. The video content primarily focused on treatment (68.1%), with less emphasis on diagnosis (16%) and prevention (8.5%). The videos exhibited moderate overall quality, with median scores of 3 for GQS and mDISCERN, and 2 for JAMA, with IQRs of 2-4, 2-3, and 1-2, respectively. Videos uploaded by professional individuals had higher quality and accuracy scores. Fans correlated with mDISCERN and JAMA scores (r = 0.241, P = 0.017 and r = 0.275, P = 0.005, respectively). In the multivariable model, collections (OR = 4.287, 95% CI 1.313-13.989) and duration (OR = 2.664, 95% CI 1.370-5.182) were associated with higher GQS, whereas patient as the uploader identity (OR = 0.064, 95% CI 0.007-0.621) and prognosis content (OR = 0.052, 95% CI 0.005-0.555) were associated with lower GQS. The quality and accuracy of scoliosis-related short videos on TikTok are generally low, with lower quality and accuracy scores for non-professionals.. The main problems are lack of professional review, misleading information, and emphasis on treatment rather than prevention. It is recommended that the public exercise caution when browsing health information on short-video platforms, and that medical professionals provide higher-quality educational content. This study provides a basis for the regulation and optimization of health information on short-video platforms.