Quality and content assessment of short videos as sources of health information about gastroscopy in China: a cross-sectional study.
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Gastroenterology, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture People's Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Dali University, Dali, China.
- 2Department of Nursing, Dali University, Dali, China.
- 3Department of Urology, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture People's Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Dali University, Dali, China. [email protected].
- 4Department of Gastroenterology, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture People's Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Dali University, Dali, China. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Gastroscopy is pivotal in diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal disorders. The rise of short-video platforms has facilitated public access to information about gastroscopy; however, the overall quality of these videos remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the quality and content of gastroscopy-related videos available on social media.Methods
Searches were conducted on Douyin, Bilibili, and Kuaishou using the Chinese term for "gastroscopy." After screening, 274 videos were selected for analysis. Quantitative content analysis was performed using the modified DISCERN, GQS, and JAMA scoring systems.Results
Medical professionals uploaded 59.9% of the videos, with Douyin having the highest proportion. Videos by medical professionals demonstrated higher reliability than those from non-medical sources. Moreover, videos on Bilibili had higher modified DISCERN and GQS scores, whereas videos on Douyin had the highest JAMA scores. Nonetheless, overall completeness and reliability were limited when evaluated against a comprehensive educational standard, as many videos omitted essential information on contraindications and postoperative precautions. Non-medical videos focused primarily on preoperative preparation and examination process, providing limited information on definition, contraindications, and postoperative precautions. In contrast, videos produced by medical professionals demonstrated consistency across the seven evaluated aspects, with a particular emphasis on the indications for gastroscopy. Correlation analysis indicated that the modified DISCERN score was negatively associated with likes, shares, collections, and comments; however, these associations should be interpreted cautiously, as engagement metrics may reflect factors beyond content quality. Conversely, the GQS score showed no significant correlation with these engagement metrics, while the JAMA score was only negatively correlated with comments.Conclusion
The completeness and reliability of information presented in gastroscopy‑related videos are generally limited when assessed as comprehensive patient‑education resources, and vary considerably across sources. Important topics, particularly contraindications and postoperative precautions, are frequently underrepresented. These findings highlight the need to improve the completeness and reliability of gastroscopy-related information on short-video platforms. Future research should explore strategies to optimize the quality and delivery of online medical content.
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BibTeX
@article{zhang2026quality,
title = {{Quality and content assessment of short videos as sources of health information about gastroscopy in China: a cross-sectional study.}},
author = {Dan Zhang and Lanyi Li and Rongna Yang and Ziyun Zhu and Xuemin Wang and Ni Zhang and Juanjuan Ma and De Duan and Zuotao Geng and Tianqin Xiong},
journal = {BMC gastroenterology},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1186/s12876-026-05342-y},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958095},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Quality and content assessment of short videos as sources of health information about gastroscopy in China: a cross-sectional study.
AU - Dan Zhang
AU - Lanyi Li
AU - Rongna Yang
AU - Ziyun Zhu
AU - Xuemin Wang
AU - Ni Zhang
AU - Juanjuan Ma
AU - De Duan
AU - Zuotao Geng
AU - Tianqin Xiong
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/15
JO - BMC gastroenterology
DO - 10.1186/s12876-026-05342-y
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958095
AB - Background Gastroscopy is pivotal in diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal disorders. The rise of short-video platforms has facilitated public access to information about gastroscopy; however, the overall quality of these videos remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the quality and content of gastroscopy-related videos available on social media.Methods Searches were conducted on Douyin, Bilibili, and Kuaishou using the Chinese term for "gastroscopy." After screening, 274 videos were selected for analysis. Quantitative content analysis was performed using the modified DISCERN, GQS, and JAMA scoring systems.Results Medical professionals uploaded 59.9% of the videos, with Douyin having the highest proportion. Videos by medical professionals demonstrated higher reliability than those from non-medical sources. Moreover, videos on Bilibili had higher modified DISCERN and GQS scores, whereas videos on Douyin had the highest JAMA scores. Nonetheless, overall completeness and reliability were limited when evaluated against a comprehensive educational standard, as many videos omitted essential information on contraindications and postoperative precautions. Non-medical videos focused primarily on preoperative preparation and examination process, providing limited information on definition, contraindications, and postoperative precautions. In contrast, videos produced by medical professionals demonstrated consistency across the seven evaluated aspects, with a particular emphasis on the indications for gastroscopy. Correlation analysis indicated that the modified DISCERN score was negatively associated with likes, shares, collections, and comments; however, these associations should be interpreted cautiously, as engagement metrics may reflect factors beyond content quality. Conversely, the GQS score showed no significant correlation with these engagement metrics, while the JAMA score was only negatively correlated with comments.Conclusion The completeness and reliability of information presented in gastroscopy‑related videos are generally limited when assessed as comprehensive patient‑education resources, and vary considerably across sources. Important topics, particularly contraindications and postoperative precautions, are frequently underrepresented. These findings highlight the need to improve the completeness and reliability of gastroscopy-related information on short-video platforms. Future research should explore strategies to optimize the quality and delivery of online medical content.
SN - 1471-230X
ER -