Quality and reliability assessment of systemic lupus erythematosus related health information on short video platforms.

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease involving multiple organ systems. Patient education is an essential component of disease management. With the rapid development of digital media, short-video platforms have become increasingly important health information sources for SLE patients. Therefore, the quality of health information disseminated through these platforms warrants attention. However, evidence regarding the quality of SLE-related health information on short-video platforms remains limited. METHODS: On September 18, 2025, SLE-related videos were retrieved from TikTok, Rednote (Xiaohongshu), and Bilibili. We evaluated the videos' reliability using the DISCERN instrument, their overall quality using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), and their understandability and actionability using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT-U/A). RESULTS: A total of 276 SLE-related videos from three platforms were analyzed. Significant differences in video quality and reliability were observed among platforms (p < 0.001). Specifically, videos on Rednote exhibited the highest quality, while TikTok videos demonstrated the lowest quality. Videos produced by online health science communicators and certified medical professionals had significantly higher DISCERN and PEMAT-U scores than patient-generated videos (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that video engagement metrics were positively associated with quality and reliability on Bilibili (p < 0.01), whereas a negative correlation was found on TikTok and Rednote (e.g., DISCERN vs. likes on TikTok: r = -0.327, p = 0.001; GQS vs. collections on Rednote: r = -0.365, p = 0.006). Regarding the relationship between quality and engagement, DISCERN and GQS, and PEMAT-U scores on Bilibili were positively correlated with engagement metrics (p < 0.01). In contrast, several inverse associations were identified on TikTok and Rednote, including negative correlations between DISCERN scores and likes on TikTok (r = -0.327, p = 0.001) and between GQS scores and collections on Rednote (r = -0.365, p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: The quality and reliability of SLE-related videos vary significantly across platforms and are generally suboptimal. The relationship between video quality and user engagement is platform- and measure-specific, suggesting higher-quality health information does not always translate into greater user engagement. Enhancing reliable health information requires coordinated efforts to improve both content quality and audience engagement.