Abstract
BACKGROUND: Migraine is an extremely prevalent and disabling primary neurological disease worldwide. Although multiple forms of patient education for migraine management have been employed in the past decades, the quality and reliability of headache-related online videos targeting migraine patients remained unclear, particularly those in China. Therefore, in this study, our research team aimed to explore the overall quality and credibility of online videos concerning patient education on migraine treatment in China Mainland. METHODS: A total of 182 online videos concerning migraine treatment were retrieved from four most popular Chinese language online video platforms, including Douyin, BiliBili, Haokan Video, and Xigua Video. Our research team collected the producer identity and basic information of these videos, and then used two major score instruments, i.e., the Global Quality Score (GQS) scale and the DISCERN questionnaire, to evaluate the quality and reliability of its content. Subsequently, overall descriptive analysis and detailed comparison among specific video platforms and producers were performed. Finally, using the Spearman correlation coefficient, we also explored the potential correlation between video general information and video quality and reliability. RESULTS: The overall quality and reliability of the migraine-related information provided by online videos were poor, yet those uploaded to Douyin were relatively more satisfactory. Among all study videos, 10 encouraged patients to keep a headache diary, 12 warned about the risk of medication overuse, and 32 emphasized the preventive treatment of chronic migraine. However, the treatment recommendations proposed by video creators were highly heterogenous, with the most frequently mentioned pharmacological, non-pharmacological, and traditional Chinese medicine measures being Triptans (n = 57, 31.3%), massage (n = 40, 22.0%), and acupuncture (n = 31, 17.0%), respectively. We also observed slight positive correlations between video quality and the numbers of likes and comments received. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our research revealed that the quality and reliability of Chinese language online videos focused on patient education for migraine treatment were inadequate, suggesting that viewers should treat these contents with caution. However, the prospects for video-based patient education remain promising. Implementing appropriate strategies, such as strengthening regulations on health-related videos and instituting a review process conducted by medical professionals, may elevate the overall quality and trustworthiness of medical information shared through online video platforms.