Reliability and quality of cognitive impairment educational content on Douyin and Bilibili: A cross-sectional content analysis

This study aimed to evaluate the content characteristics, quality, and reliability of cognitive impairment educational videos on Douyin and Bilibili and examine whether video duration and user engagement are associated with information quality. This cross-sectional content analysis searched the Chinese domestic version of TikTok (Douyin; https://www.douyin.com/) and Bilibili (https://www.bilibili.com/) through their official web interfaces on March 12, 2026. Searches were performed in logged-out mode using the keyword "cognitive impairment" via a desktop browser. The first 150 results from each platform were screened, and 250 eligible videos were included (133 from Douyin and 117 from Bilibili). Video quality and reliability were evaluated with the Global Quality Score, modified DISCERN, Journal of the American Medical Association benchmark criteria, and Video Information and Quality Index. Overall educational quality was moderate. Across both platforms, content focused primarily on clinical manifestations and treatment, whereas epidemiology, diagnosis, and prognosis were insufficiently covered. Douyin videos had significantly higher Global Quality Score, modified DISCERN, Journal of the American Medical Association, and Video Information and Quality Index scores than Bilibili videos (all P < .001), despite being substantially shorter. Videos uploaded by doctors or other health professionals showed the highest quality and reliability, whereas videos uploaded by individual users generated stronger engagement. Correlations between engagement indicators and quality scores were weak, indicating that popularity did not reliably reflect educational value. Cognitive impairment videos on Douyin and Bilibili showed substantial variability in quality and incomplete content coverage. Professional participation, clearer source disclosure, and platform-level governance may improve the accuracy and practical utility of short-video health education on cognitive impairment.