ArticleBMC cardiovascular disorders2026
The reach-rigor paradox in health communication: a comparative analysis of congenital heart disease content quality and engagement on TikTok and Bilibili.
Article in BMC cardiovascular disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCongenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect and a major contributor to childhood morbidity and mortality. Short-video platforms-particularly TikTok and Bilibili-have become prominent sources of public health information. However, the quality and reliability of CHD-related educational content on these platforms remain insufficiently characterized.
methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis in October 2025 by retrieving the top 100 CHD-related videos from TikTok and Bilibili (n = 200). Two independent reviewers assessed each video using the Global Quality Scale (GQS) and a modified DISCERN instrument. Video characteristics, uploader type, and user engagement indicators were extracted. Analyses included descriptive statistics, nonparametric group comparisons, and Spearman correlation tests.
resultsOverall video quality was moderate to high, with a median GQS score of 4 (IQR 3-4), while reliability was moderate, with a median modified DISCERN score of 3 (IQR 3-4). Medical professionals were the most common uploaders (49%). A notable tension between reach and scientific rigor was observed: TikTok videos achieved substantially higher engagement (median likes 733 vs 60; p < 0.001) yet exhibited lower average GQS scores than Bilibili. Narrative/storytelling formats generated the highest interaction (median likes 3,248 on TikTok) but received the lowest quality and reliability ratings, whereas expert explanations and animation/diagram-based videos showed superior credibility. Engagement indicators displayed weak to negligible negative correlations with GQS and modified DISCERN scores. After 2023, uploader profiles shifted toward professionalization (medical professional uploaders increased from 26.3% to 62.9%), but this change was not associated with statistically significant improvements in quality metrics.
conclusionAlthough CHD-related short videos on major platforms demonstrate generally acceptable quality, content popularity remains poorly aligned with scientific reliability. These findings highlight the need to balance engagement with accuracy in digital health communication. Future efforts should strengthen science communication training for professional creators and implement platform-level quality assurance mechanisms to enhance the public health value of short-video content.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.