The quality and reliability of short videos about External Counterpulsation on TikTok: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Short-video platforms have become increasingly important sources of health information for the general public. However, the informational quality and dissemination patterns of content related to specific therapeutic modalities, such as enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP), remain insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to evaluate the informational quality of EECP-related videos on a short-video platform and to examine the relationship between content quality and user engagement. Methods A cross-sectional content analysis was conducted on EECP-related short videos identified through keyword-based searches. Informational quality was independently assessed using four validated instruments: the Global Quality Scale (GQS), the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, the modified DISCERN instrument (mDISCERN), and the Video Information and Quality Index (VIQI). Video characteristics and user engagement metrics were extracted and analyzed. Results Overall, EECP-related videos demonstrated low-to-moderate informational quality across all assessment tools. Longer video duration was consistently associated with higher informational quality scores. In contrast, user engagement metrics, including the number of likes and comments, showed weak or negative associations with informational quality. Compared with videos addressing other coronary heart disease treatments, EECP-related videos were less frequently represented and received lower overall engagement. Conclusions EECP-related content on short-video platforms is characterized by limited visibility and modest informational quality, with a notable misalignment between user engagement and informational value. These findings suggest that clinically relevant but complex therapies such as EECP may be structurally disadvantaged in short-video health communication environments.