JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Radiation Dermatitis (RD) is one of the most common adverse reactions of Radiation Therapy (RT). It not only prolongs the treatment course and increases the burden on the healthcare system, but also significantly reduces patients' quality of life. Short-video platforms are increasingly used in health communication, providing a channel for the popularization of medical science knowledge. However, the quality and reliability of health-related content, especially research on diseases such as radiation dermatitis, remain to be further explored. We searched for the keyword “Radiation Dermatitis” on both TikTok and Bilibili platforms separately, identifying 400 videos and ultimately including 190 short videos related to radiation dermatitis. Videos were categorized based on the uploader’s background (professional healthcare providers, non-professional healthcare providers, individual users, and institutions). Two independent reviewers compared key metrics, including the number of likes, comments, video duration, and quality scores (GQS, JAMA, and Modified DISCERN). The analysis revealed that TikTok videos were significantly shorter in duration than those on Bilibili (p < 0.05), yet they demonstrated higher audience engagement and received higher ratings. Videos created by professional healthcare providers demonstrated higher reliability and quality, with Modified DISCERN scores of 3 and GQS scores of 3. Correlation analysis demonstrated a significant positive correlation between video shares and saves. In conclusion, social media platforms provide partial support for the dissemination of health information about RD, but the overall video quality remains suboptimal. We recommend that professional creators pursue platform certification to enhance the dissemination of high-quality RD-related videos.