Internet information quality for ten common foot and ankle diagnoses

NewsBot · Dec 7, 2011

Members do not see these Ads. Sign Up.
Internet information quality for ten common foot and ankle diagnoses
Jeremy T. Smith et al
Foot and Ankle Surgery (In Press)

Background
Patients use the Internet regularly to access health-related information. This study's goal was to assess the quality and content of Internet-based information for common foot and ankle diagnoses.

Methods
We identified the ten most common foot and ankle diagnoses in our academic foot and ankle practice. Ten websites for each diagnosis were identified using two large Internet search engines. A custom grading form was used to determine website quality, based upon the Health On the Net Foundation (HON) principles, and information content. Four independent reviewers graded each website.

Results
One hundred thirty-six unique websites were reviewed. Average HON score was 62.4 (range, 52.3–68.8) and content score was 49.7 (range, 33.8–62.1) out of a maximum of 100. Interobserver variability was low.

Conclusions
The overall quality of Internet information for common foot and ankle diagnoses is variable, raising concerns about what information is currently available to patients.
Click to expand...

NewsBot · Mar 15, 2013

Assessment of the Quality of Web-based Information on Bunions
Yew Ming Chong et al
Foot & Ankle International March 11, 2013

Background: The Internet provides a large source of health-related information for patients. However, information on the Internet is mostly unregulated, ranging from factually correct to misleading or contradictory information. The objective of this study was to determine the quality of information available on World Wide Web on the topic of bunions.

Methods: Websites were identified using 3 search engines (Google, Yahoo, and MSN) and the search term bunions. The first 30 websites in each search were analyzed. Websites were assessed using the validated DISCERN rating instrument to determine the quality of health content and treatment information. The DISCERN tool possesses moderate to very good strength of interobserver agreement, ranging from .41 to .82.

Results: A total of 90 websites were assessed and studied. Forty-eight sites were duplicated, leaving 42 unique sites. Of these, 60% (25/42) provided patient-related information, 21% (9/42) were advertisements, 7% (3/42) promoted medical centers, 5% (2/42) were dead links, 5% (2/42) were news articles, and 2% (1/42) was doctor’s information. In determining the quality of unique sites, of a maximum score of 5, the average overall DISCERN score was 2.9 (range, 1.8 to 4.6). Only 24% (10/42) of websites were classified as “good” or “excellent.” Although most websites contained information on symptoms, causes, risk factors, investigations, and treatment options on bunions, 60% (25/42) did not provide adequate information on the benefits for each treatment, 45% (19/42) did not contain any risks of treatment, and 76% (32/42) did not describe how treatment choices affect overall quality of life. The sources of information were clear in 33% (14/42), and the date when this information was reviewed was given in only 50% (21/42). Only 29% (12/42) of websites had been updated within the past 2 years.

Conclusions: Overall, the quality of patient information on bunions varies widely. We believe clinicians should guide patients in identifying the best possible and genuine information on the World Wide Web.

Clinical Relevance: Patients are commonly using the internet as an information resource, in spite of the highly variable quality of this information. They should be encouraged to exercise caution and to utilize only well-known sites.
Click to expand...

NewsBot · Sep 20, 2014

Improving the Readability of Online Foot and Ankle Patient Education Materials
Evan D. Sheppard, et al
Foot & Ankle International September 19, 2014

Background: Previous studies have shown the need for improving the readability of many patient education materials to increase patient comprehension. This study’s purpose was to determine the readability of foot and ankle patient education materials and to determine the extent readability can be improved. We hypothesized that the reading levels would be above the recommended guidelines and that decreasing the sentence length would also decrease the reading level of these patient educational materials.
Methods: Patient education materials from online public sources were collected. The readability of these articles was assessed by a readability software program. The detailed instructions provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) were then used as a guideline for performing edits to help improve the readability of selected articles. The most quantitative guideline, lowering all sentences to less than 15 words, was chosen to show the effect of following the NIH recommendations.
Results: The reading levels of the sampled articles were above the sixth to seventh grade recommendations of the NIH. The MedlinePlus website, which is a part of the NIH website, had the lowest reading level (8.1). The articles edited had an average reduction of 1.41 grade levels, with the lowest reduction in the Medline articles of 0.65.
Conclusion: Providing detailed instructions to the authors writing these patient education articles and implementing editing techniques based on previous recommendations could lead to an improvement in the readability of patient education materials.
Clinical Relevance: This study provides authors of patient education materials with simple editing techniques that will allow for the improvement in the readability of online patient educational materials. The improvement in readability will provide patients with more comprehendible education materials that can strengthen patient awareness of medical problems and treatments.
Click to expand...

NewsBot · Dec 4, 2014

Quality of Online Pediatric Orthopaedic Education Materials
Daniel P. Feghhi, BA; Daniel Komlos, PhD; Nitin Agarwal, BS; Sanjeev Sabharwal, MD, MPH
J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2014 Dec 03;96(23):e194. http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.N.00043

Background: Increased availability of medical information on the Internet empowers patients to look up answers to questions about their medical conditions. However, the quality of medical information available on the Internet is highly variable. Various tools for the assessment of online medical information have been developed and used to assess the quality and accuracy of medical web sites. In this study we used the LIDA tool (Minervation) to assess the quality of pediatric patient information on the AAOS (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) and POSNA (Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America) web sites.

Methods: The accessibility, usability, and reliability of online medical information in the “Children” section of the AAOS web site and on the POSNA web site were assessed with use of the LIDA tool. Flesch-Kincaid (FK) and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) values were also calculated to assess the readability of the pediatric education material.

Results: Patient education materials on each web site scored in the moderate range in assessments of accessibility, usability, and reliability. FK and FRE values indicated that the readability of each web site remained at a somewhat higher (more difficult) level than the recommended benchmark.

Conclusions: The quality and readability of online information for children on the AAOS and POSNA web sites are acceptable but can be improved further.
Click to expand...

Admin2 · Dec 4, 2014

Related Threads:
Quality of information on the web about Kinesio tape
Accuracy of Patient Information in You Tube Videos

NewsBot · Mar 4, 2015

Is the Internet a Reliable Source of Information for Patients Seeking Total Ankle Replacement?
Andrew D. Elliott, DPM, JD, Annette F.P. Bartel, DPM, MPH, Devin Simonson, DPM, Thomas S. Roukis, DPM, PhD, FACFAS
JFAS; Article in Press

The modern patient population relies on the Internet to provide knowledge about medical procedures. However, a gap between established medical guidelines and the information provided on the Internet exists. Because of the general poor quality of the medical information available on the Internet and the increasing popularity of total ankle replacement (TAR) with its known potential serious complications, we undertook the present study to evaluate the information on TAR available to the general public through the Internet and to determine the quality of information according to authorship type and site certification status. Three common search engines were used to identify a total of 105 websites. The TAR information quality was rated as “excellent,” “high,” “moderate,” “low,” or “unacceptable.” The sites were evaluated for authorship or sponsorship, content, and other criteria. The data were analyzed as a complete set, as a comparison among authorship types (academic, private, industry, or other), and by certification status. Websites with scores of excellent or high were 35% of the sites reviewed, and 48% were ranked as poor or unacceptable. Of the authorship types, the highest quality authorship was for the industry and other sites, which rated high or excellent 46% of the time. Eight percent of the sites evaluated were certified; however, certification status was not associated with improved information quality. Our study has demonstrated a low quality of TAR information available across all website types, regardless of authorship type. We suggest a partnership between professional organizations and physicians to ensure that provider websites reflect the current indications and contraindications of TAR to enhance patient education.
Click to expand...

NewsBot · Jun 30, 2015

Evaluating the Quality, Accuracy, and Readability of Online Resources Pertaining to Hallux Valgus
Jason P. Tartaglione et al
Foot Ankle Spec June 29, 2015

Background. The Internet is one of the most widely utilized resources for health-related information. Evaluation of the medical literature suggests that the quality and accuracy of these resources are poor and written at inappropriately high reading levels. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the quality, accuracy, and readability of online resources pertaining to hallux valgus.
Methods. Two search terms (“hallux valgus” and “bunion”) were entered into Google, Yahoo, and Bing. With the use of scoring criteria specific to hallux valgus, the quality and accuracy of online information related to hallux valgus was evaluated by 3 reviewers. The Flesch–Kincaid score was used to determine readability. Statistical analysis was performed with t tests and significance was determined by P values <.05.
Results. Sixty-two unique websites were evaluated. Quality was significantly higher with use of the search term “bunion” as compared to “hallux valgus” (P = .045). Quality and accuracy were significantly higher in resources authored by physicians as compared to nonphysicians (quality, P = .04; accuracy, P < .001) and websites without commercial bias (quality, P = .038; accuracy, P = .011). However, the reading level was significantly more advanced for websites authored by physicians (P = .035). Websites written above an eighth-grade reading level were significantly more accurate than those written at or below an eighth-grade reading level (P = .032).
Conclusion. The overall quality of online information related to hallux valgus is poor and written at inappropriate reading levels. Furthermore, the search term used, authorship, and presence of commercial bias influence the value of these materials. It is important for orthopaedic surgeons to become familiar with patient education materials, so that appropriate recommendations can be made regarding valuable resources.
Click to expand...

NewsBot · May 9, 2019

Quality/Credibility of eHealth Information and Trust IssuesInformation Quality in Digital Media
Giovanni Ferreira et al
Published on 07.05.19 in Vol 21, No 5 (2019): May

Background: Low back pain (LBP) affects millions of people worldwide, and misconceptions about effective treatment options for this condition are very common. Websites sponsored by organizations recognized as trustworthy by the public, such as government agencies, hospitals, universities, professional associations, health care organizations and consumer organizations are an important source of health information for many people. However, the content of these websites regarding treatment recommendations for LBP has not been fully evaluated.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the credibility, accuracy, and comprehensiveness of treatment recommendations for LBP in noncommercial, freely accessible websites.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of websites from government agencies, hospitals, universities, professional associations, health care organizations and consumer organizations. We conducted searches on Google. Treatment recommendations were coded based on the 2016 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines and the 2017 American College of Physicians guideline on LBP. Primary outcomes were credibility of the website (4-item Journal of the American Medical Association benchmark), accuracy (proportion of website treatment recommendations that were appropriate), and comprehensiveness of website treatment recommendations (proportion of guideline treatment recommendations that were appropriately covered by a website).

Results: We included 79 websites from 6 English-speaking countries. In terms of credibility, 31% (25/79) of the websites clearly disclosed that they had been updated after the publication of the NICE guidelines. Only 43.28% (487/1125) website treatment recommendations were judged as accurate. Comprehensiveness of treatment recommendations correctly covered by websites was very low across all types of LBP. For acute LBP, an average of 28% (4/14) guideline recommendations were correctly covered by websites. Websites for radicular LBP were the least comprehensive, correctly covering an average of 16% (2.3/14) recommendations.

Conclusions: Noncommercial freely accessible websites demonstrated low credibility standards, provided mostly inaccurate information, and lacked comprehensiveness across all types of LBP.
Click to expand...

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

Admin2 Administrator Staff Member

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

Who should bear the costs when bad information from the internet is relied upon?

Buying footwear off the internet- Is it safe?

Too Many Internet Doctors of Medicine

The Internet of Feet, Cybersecurity, and a New Social Cybercontract

What the Internet is Doing to Young Minds

Internet Interest in Vibram FiveFingers Declining at Rapid Rate

Internet domains

Share This Page