A cross-sectional quality assessment of panic attacks information on Douyin in China

Panic attacks (PA), characterized by acute psychophysiological symptoms, affect 28% of adults globally. In China, with 1.04 billion short video users, Douyin plays a pivotal role in disseminating health information; however, the quality of PA-related content on this platform remains unassessed. To evaluate the quality and reliability of PA-related videos on Douyin and to propose evidence-based improvements for digital mental health communication. We conducted a systematic search using the Chinese keyword for “panic attacks (Jingkong Fazuo, 惊恐发作)” on Douyin, China’s premier short video platform, and selected the top 150 most viewed videos (as of February 2025). After excluding 24 ineligible videos, the remaining 126 were analyzed through a combination of manual content coding and validated assessment tools, including the JAMA Benchmark Criteria, Global Quality Scale (GQS), and modified DISCERN (mDISCERN). Health professionals produced 60.32% of content, yet critical gaps persisted: 65.87% omitted definitions, 78.57% excluded risk factors, and 85.72% lacked outcome/evolution. Median scores for quality and reliability were suboptimal (JAMA: 2/4; GQS: 2/5; mDISCERN: 2/5). Engagement metrics including likes, comments, collections and shares showed strong positive intercorrelations (r > 0.7, P < 0.050), but no significant association with quality and reliability indices (|r| < 0.1). Health professionals’ videos outperformed others in GQS (P = 0.031) and mDISCERN (P = 0.001) but not JAMA. The quality of PA-related content on Douyin remains unsatisfactory, although health professionals provide comparatively reliable materials. Rigorous vetting and standardization of health-related social media content are imperative. Health information seekers should exercise cautious evaluation regarding Douyin’s credibility as an information source.