scholarly journals Quality of Health Information on the Internet for Urolithiasis on the Google Search Engine

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dwayne T. S. Chang ◽  
Robert Abouassaly ◽  
Nathan Lawrentschuk
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Search Engine ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Quality Information ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Educational Sources ◽  
Google Search

Purpose. To compare the quality of health information on the Internet for keywords related to urolithiasis, to assess for difference in information quality across four main Western languages, and to compare the source of sponsorship in these websites. Methods. Health On the Net (HON) Foundation principles were utilised to determine quality information. Fifteen keywords related to urolithiasis were searched on the Google search engine. The first 150 websites were assessed against the HON principles and the source of sponsorship determined. Results. A total of 8986 websites were analysed. A proportion of HON-accredited websites for individual search terms range between 2.5% and 12.0%. The first 50 websites were more likely to be HON-positive compared to websites 51–100 and 101–150. French websites searched were more likely to be HON-positive whereas German websites were less likely to be HON-positive than English websites. There was no statistically significant difference between the rate of HON-positive English and Spanish websites. The three main website sponsors were from government/educational sources (40.2%), followed by commercial (29.9%) and physician/surgeon sources (18.6%). Conclusions. Health information on most urolithiasis websites was not validated. Nearly one-third of websites in this study have commercial sponsorship. Doctors should recognise the need for more reliable health websites for their patients.

A cross-sectional study on quality of diabetes information identified from the Internet (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingchun Fan ◽  
Jean Craig ◽  
Na Zhao ◽  
Fujian Song
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Search Engine ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Health Information ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Content Coverage ◽  
Google Search

BACKGROUND Increasingly people seek health information from the Internet, in particular, health information on diseases that require intensive self-management, such as diabetes. However, the Internet is largely unregulated and the quality of online health information may not be credible. OBJECTIVE To assess the quality of online information on diabetes identified from the Internet. METHODS We used the single term “diabetes” or equivalent Chinese characters to search Google and Baidu respectively. The first 50 websites retrieved from each of the two search engines were screened for eligibility using pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Included websites were assessed on four domains: accessibility, content coverage, validity and readability. RESULTS We included 26 websites from Google search engine and 34 from Baidu search engine. There were significant differences in website provider (P<0.0001), but not in targeted population (P=0.832) and publication types (P=0.378), between the two search engines. The website accessibility was not statistically significantly different between the two search engines, although there were significant differences in items regarding website content coverage. There was no statistically significant difference in website validity between the Google and Baidu search engines (mean Discern score 3.3 vs 2.9, p=0.156). The results to appraise readability for English website showed that that Flesch Reading Ease scores ranged from 23.1 to 73.0 and the mean score of Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level ranged range from 5.7 to 19.6. CONCLUSIONS The content coverage of the health information for patients with diabetes in English search engine tended to be more comprehensive than that from Chinese search engine. There was a lack of websites provided by health organisations in China. The quality of online health information for people with diabetes needs to be improved to bridge the knowledge gap between website service and public demand.

scholarly journals Arthroplasty information on the internet

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 64-73
Author(s):  
Myles T. Davaris ◽  
Michelle M. Dowsey ◽  
Samantha Bunzli ◽  
Peter F. Choong
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Joint Replacement ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Total Joint Replacement ◽  
High Volume ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Quality Of Information ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Google Search

Aims Total joint replacement (TJR) is a high-cost, high-volume procedure that impacts patients’ quality of life. Informed decisions are important for patients facing TJR. The quality of information provided by websites regarding TJR is highly variable. We aimed to measure the quality of TJR information online. Methods We identified 10,800 websites using 18 TJR-related keywords (conditions and procedures) across the Australian, French, German and Spanish Google search engines. We used the Health on the Net (HON) toolbar to evaluate the first 150 websites downloaded for every keyword in each language. The quality of information on websites was inspected, accounting for differences by language and tertiles. We also undertook an analysis of English websites to explore types of website providers. Results ‘Total joint replacement’ had the most results returned (150 million websites), and 9% of websites are HON-accredited. Differences in information quality were seen across search terms (p < 0.001) and tertiles (p < 0.001), but not between languages (p = 0.226). A larger proportion of HON-accredited websites were seen from keywords in the condition and arthroplasty categories. The first tertile contained the highest number of HON-accredited websites for the majority of search terms. Government/educational bodies sponsored the majority of websites. Conclusion Clinicians must consider the shortage of websites providing validated information, with disparities in both number and quality of websites for TJR conditions and procedures. As such, the challenge for clinicians is to lead the design of reliable, accurate and ethical orthopaedic websites online and direct patients to them. This stands to reward both parties greatly.

scholarly journals Quality of Health Information on the Internet for Prostate Cancer

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dwayne T. S. Chang ◽  
Robert Abouassaly ◽  
Nathan Lawrentschuk
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Search Term ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Government ◽  
Google Search

Introduction. To compare (1) the quality of prostate cancer health information on the Internet, (2) the difference in quality between websites appearing earlier or later in the search, and (3) the sources of sponsorship for each of these websites. Materials and methods. The top 150 listed websites on the Google search engine for each of the 11 search terms related to prostate cancer were analysed. Quality was assessed on whether the website conforms to the principles of the Health On the Net Foundation. Each of these websites was then reviewed to determine the main source of sponsorship. Statistical analysis was performed to determine if the proportion of HON accreditation varied among the different cohorts of listed websites and among the 11 search terms used. Results. In total, 1650 websites were analysed. Among these, 10.5% websites were HON-accredited. The proportion of HON-accredited websites for individual search terms ranged from 3.3% to 19.3%. In comparison with the search term of “Prostate cancer,” four search terms had statistically significant odds ratio of the rate of HON accreditation. Websites 51–150 were statistically less likely to have HON accreditation than websites 1–50. The top three website sponsors were journal/universities (28.8%), commercial (28.1%), and physician/surgeon (26.9%). Conclusions. The lack of validated and unbiased websites for prostate cancer is concerning especially with increasing use of the Internet for health information. Websites sponsored or managed by the government and national departments were most likely to provide impartial health information for prostate cancer. We need to help our patients identify valid and unbiased online health resources.

scholarly journals Arthroplasty information on the internet

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 64-73
Author(s):  
Myles T. Davaris ◽  
Michelle M. Dowsey ◽  
Samantha Bunzli ◽  
Peter F. Choong
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Joint Replacement ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Total Joint Replacement ◽  
High Volume ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Quality Of Information ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Google Search

Aims Total joint replacement (TJR) is a high-cost, high-volume procedure that impacts patients’ quality of life. Informed decisions are important for patients facing TJR. The quality of information provided by websites regarding TJR is highly variable. We aimed to measure the quality of TJR information online. Methods We identified 10,800 websites using 18 TJR-related keywords (conditions and procedures) across the Australian, French, German and Spanish Google search engines. We used the Health on the Net (HON) toolbar to evaluate the first 150 websites downloaded for every keyword in each language. The quality of information on websites was inspected, accounting for differences by language and tertiles. We also undertook an analysis of English websites to explore types of website providers. Results ‘Total joint replacement’ had the most results returned (150 million websites), and 9% of websites are HON-accredited. Differences in information quality were seen across search terms (p < 0.001) and tertiles (p < 0.001), but not between languages (p = 0.226). A larger proportion of HON-accredited websites were seen from keywords in the condition and arthroplasty categories. The first tertile contained the highest number of HON-accredited websites for the majority of search terms. Government/educational bodies sponsored the majority of websites. Conclusion Clinicians must consider the shortage of websites providing validated information, with disparities in both number and quality of websites for TJR conditions and procedures. As such, the challenge for clinicians is to lead the design of reliable, accurate and ethical orthopaedic websites online and direct patients to them. This stands to reward both parties greatly.

scholarly journals Assessment of the Quality of Internet-Based Health Information in the Indonesian Language about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

2020 ◽  
pp. 222-227
Author(s):  
Andon Hestiantoro ◽  
Danang T. Pamungkas
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Search Engine ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Syndrome Analysis ◽  
Ovarian Syndrome

Objectives: To investigate health information quality about PCOS on the internet in Indonesian language.Methods: Top website from two separate search engines (Google and Bing) was collected using the keyword of “sindrom ovarium polikistik” (polycystic ovarian syndrome). Analysis of health information quality on those websites was performed.Results: Sixty-nine websites were included for analysis. The majority of those websites have good information quality in terms of content accuracy and website credibility. There was no difference in quality between the two search engines. The website was found at the top two pages in each search engine to have better quality than the later pages (p=0.02). The educational website had better quality (p=0.05). The website made by healthcare organizations had better quality (p=0.04). The non-commercial website had better information quality (p=0.01).Conclusion: Criteria affecting health information quality on the internet were as follows: found at the top two pages on a search engine; educational website; made by healthcare organization; and non-commercial purpose.Keywords: health information quality, Indonesian language, internet-based, polycystic ovarian syndrome Abstrak Tujuan: Untuk melakukan kajian kualitas informasi kesehatan tentang PCOS di internet dalam Bahasa Indonesia.Metode: Situs web teratas dari dua mesin pencari terpisah (Google dan Bing) dikumpulkan dengan menggunakan kata kunci “sindrom ovarium polikistik”. Analisis kualitas informasi kesehatan pada situs-situs tersebut telah dilakukan.Hasil: Enam puluh sembilan situs web dimasukkan untuk analisis. Mayoritas situs web tersebut memiliki kualitas informasi yang baik dalam hal akurasi konten dan kredibilitas situs web. Tidak ada perbedaan kualitas antara kedua mesin pencari tersebut. Situs web ini ditemukan pada dua halaman teratas di setiap mesin pencari memiliki kualitas yang lebih baik daripada halaman-halaman selanjutnya (p = 0,02). Kualitas situs web berbasis pendidikan menunjukkan hasil lebih baik (p = 0,05). Kualitas website yang dibuat oleh organisasi kesehatan menunjukkan hasil lebih baik (p = 0,04). Situs web non-komersial memiliki kualitas informasi yang lebih baik (p = 0,01).Kesimpulan: Kriteria yang mempengaruhi kualitas informasi kesehatan di internet adalah sebagai berikut: ditemukan pada dua halaman teratas pada mesin pencari; situs web berbasis pendidikan; dibuat oleh organisasi kesehatan; dan tujuan non-komersial.Kata kunci : bahasa indonesia, berbasis internet, kualitas informasi kesehatan, sindrom ovarium polikistik.

scholarly journals Using the Google™ Search Engine for Health Information: Is There a Problem? Case Study: Supplements for Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah C Cai ◽  
Leanne E King ◽  
Johanna T Dwyer
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Search Engine ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Nutrition Information ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Search Results ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Quality Rating

ABSTRACT We assessed the quality of online health and nutrition information using a Google™ search on “supplements for cancer”. Search results were scored using the Health Information Quality Index (HIQI), a quality-rating tool consisting of 12 objective criteria related to website domain, lack of commercial aspects, and authoritative nature of the health and nutrition information provided. Possible scores ranged from 0 (lowest) to 12 (“perfect” or highest quality). After eliminating irrelevant results, the remaining 160 search results had median and mean scores of 8. One-quarter of the results were of high quality (score of 10–12). There was no correlation between high-quality scores and early appearance in the sequence of search results, where results are presumably more visible. Also, 496 advertisements, over twice the number of search results, appeared. We conclude that the Google™ search engine may have shortcomings when used to obtain information on dietary supplements and cancer.

Quality of Health Information on the Internet

2009 ◽  
pp. 443-455
Author(s):  
Kleopatra Alamantariotou
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Use Of The Internet ◽  
Effective Use

Recent statistics show that the World Wide Web has now grown to over 100 million sites: a phenomenal expansion in only 15 years (Mulligan 2007). It has been estimated that there are 100,000 sites offering health related information (Wilson 2002). As the amount of health information increases, the public find it increasingly difficult to decide what to accept and what to reject (Burgess 2007). Searching for information on the internet is both deceptively easy and the same time frustratingly difficult (Kiley 2002). The challenge for consumers is to find high quality, relevant information as quickly as possible. There has been ongoing debate about the quality of information aimed at patients and the general public and opinions differ on how it can be improved (Stepperd 1999). The purpose of this chapter is to provide a brief overview of the different perspectives on information quality and to review the main criteria for assessing the quality of health information on the internet. Pointers are provided to enable both clinicians and patients find high quality information sources. An understanding of these issues should help health professionals and patients to make effective use of the internet.

scholarly journals Health on the Net: Do Website Searches Return Reliable Health Information on Hemorrhoids and Their Treatment?

2017 ◽  
Vol 102 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 216-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew W. Ng ◽  
Riley Smith ◽  
Nilmini Wickramesinghe ◽  
Philip J. Smart ◽  
Nathan Lawrentschuk
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Web Search ◽  
Search Algorithm ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Quality Information ◽  
High Quality ◽  
High Quality Information ◽  
Google Search

Objective: To analyze the quality of health information on the Internet on hemorrhoids across 5 Western languages and perform a comparative analysis of website sponsors. Summary of background data: Hemorrhoids are a common condition affecting the hemorrhoid cushions of the anal canal. Many treatment options are available. Information on the Internet on hemorrhoids is considered variable, but there is little data analysis to support this. The World Health Organization's Health On the Net (HON) accredits medical and health websites based on a code of conduct and publishes a toolbar that aids identification of such accredited websites. Methods: Using the Google search engine (http://www.google.com, Google, Mountain View, California), searches were performed using 11 keywords related to hemorrhoids in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Health On the Net accreditation was determined to assess quality website information. The first 150 websites in each language had their adherence to the HON principles analyzed, and English websites were analyzed to determine sponsorship source. Results: Of the 8250 websites analysed, 586 (7.1%) were found to HON-accredited. The rate of HON accreditation ranged from 2.0% (piles) to 10.0% (hemorrhoids), with higher-ranking results having higher rates of HON accreditation (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: There is a paucity of high-quality information on the Internet; however, the Google search algorithm prioritizes high-quality information in its web search results.

scholarly journals Website Quality To Increase Franchise Marketing Performance Excellent

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 121
Author(s):  
Erwin Halim ◽  
Yohannes Kurniawan
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Quality Information ◽  
System Quality ◽  
Website Quality ◽  
Marketing Performance ◽  
Intention To Purchase ◽  
Use Of The Internet

According to Indonesia Association of Service Provider (APJII) survey in 2014, the internet user in Indonesia increased up to around 88 million. This number expresses that the use of the internet to seek business franchise information will increase as well. The increase of internet using should be followed by the quality of franchisor's website. The franchisor's website will relate to system quality, information quality and service quality (DeLone and McLean, 2003). This research uses SEM LISREL to see the loading factors of each indicator impact in variables and website quality variables impact to intention to purchase franchise. The result shows that all variables (System quality, Information Quality, and Service Quality) give significant impact to dependent variable Website Quality.

Quality of Health Information on the Internet

2011 ◽  
pp. 204-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kleopatra Alamantariotou
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Use Of The Internet ◽  
Effective Use

Recent statistics show that the World Wide Web has now grown to over 100 million sites: a phenomenal expansion in only 15 years (Mulligan 2007). It has been estimated that there are 100,000 sites offering health related information (Wilson 2002). As the amount of health information increases, the public find it increasingly difficult to decide what to accept and what to reject (Burgess 2007). Searching for information on the internet is both deceptively easy and the same time frustratingly difficult (Kiley 2002). The challenge for consumers is to find high quality, relevant information as quickly as possible. There has been ongoing debate about the quality of information aimed at patients and the general public and opinions differ on how it can be improved (Stepperd 1999). The purpose of this chapter is to provide a brief overview of the different perspectives on information quality and to review the main criteria for assessing the quality of health information on the internet. Pointers are provided to enable both clinicians and patients find high quality information sources. An understanding of these issues should help health professionals and patients to make effective use of the internet.

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