Assessment of Dengue fever-related videos on TikTok (Douyin) and YouTube: A cross-sectional study on quality, content, and reliability.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the quality and reliability of dengue fever-related videos on social media platforms.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on January 10, 2026. Top 120 videos from each platform (YouTube and Douyin) were screened. Video characteristics were extracted. Quality and reliability were assessed using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), modified DISCERN, JAMA Benchmark criteria, and the Content Completeness Score (CCS).Results170 videos (70 from YouTube, 100 from Douyin) were included. YouTube videos were longer (118.50 vs. 78.50, Z = -3.79, p < 0.001), had higher CCS (8.00 vs. 6.00, Z = -3.50, p < 0.001) and mDISCERN scores (3.00 vs. 2.50, Z = -3.74, p < 0.001). YouTube videos were dominated by institutions (91.43%), followed by 8.57% healthcare professionals (HCPs), whereas nearly one third of contributors on Douyin were HCPs (31.00%). Associations between engagement and quality indicators were generally weak and varied across metrics, while engagement indicators on Douyin were strongly intercorrelated.ConclusionsYouTube provided more comprehensive and reliable information, whereas Douyin content was shorter and less comprehensive. Both platforms showed inconsistent alignment between popularity and informational quality, with this disconnect appearing more pronounced on Douyin.