A cross-sectional study assessing the reliability and quality of educational videos on hydrocephalus available on TikTok and Bilibili

Hydrocephalus is a syndrome characterized by disturbances in cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, impacting individuals across all age groups. Short video platforms have emerged as a primary medium for disseminating medical knowledge, offering a convenient means for patients and their families to access relevant information. Nevertheless, the varying quality of these videos presents significant challenges to the effective communication of medical knowledge. This study provides a systematic evaluation of popular science videos on hydrocephalus available on leading Chinese short video platforms. This study included 181 short science videos related to hydrocephalus collected from Bilibili and TikTok. The characteristics of these videos were analyzed, and their reliability and quality were assessed utilizing the modified DISCERN instrument, the Global Quality Score (GQS), and the JAMA benchmark criteria. Overall video quality was low on both platforms. The median GQS and modified DISCERN scores did not differ significantly between platforms (P > 0.05), while JAMA scores showed a significant difference (P < 0.05). On TikTok, longer videos were positively correlated with higher GQS and modified DISCERN scores; no such correlation was found on Bilibili. Treatment-related content was most common, with childhood hydrocephalus emphasized on TikTok and adult hydrocephalus on Bilibili. Expert-produced videos achieved significantly higher quality scores than content from non-experts (P < 0.05). On the TikTok and Bilibili platforms, the overall quality and reliability of hydrocephalus-related short videos remain suboptimal, and a portion of the content does not meet established standards for science communication. However, TikTok demonstrates higher user engagement and better video quality compared to Bilibili, with expert-produced videos proving to be more reliable. Educational videos focused on childhood hydrocephalus also show higher engagement than those addressing adult hydrocephalus. These findings highlight the urgent need to improve the quality of hydrocephalus-related short-video content and to promote early intervention strategies.