scholarly journals Online Patient Resources for Ankle Instability

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 247301141878249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mostafa M. Abousayed ◽  
Jason P. Tartaglion ◽  
Samuel Zonshayn ◽  
Navdeep Rai ◽  
Christopher K. Johnson ◽  
...  

Background: The Internet has drastically changed how patients access health-related information. There are several ways the public can access online health-related information such as search engines, blogs, support groups, and webinars. A recent study found that 45% of orthopedic patients searched for information online regarding their injury. Also, 78% believed they had better understanding of their condition after visiting these websites; furthermore, 41% felt the Internet supplied them with questions and concerns to discuss with their physicians. The aim of our study is to evaluate the accuracy, quality, and readability of online available information using the search terms “ankle sprain” and “ankle instability.” Methods: Three search engines (Google, Bing, and Yahoo) were used to search for the terms “ankle sprain” and “ankle instability.” The first 25 websites from each search were collected. Each website was assessed for quality, accuracy, and readability by 3 orthopedic residents blinded to the search term used. Websites were also evaluated for commercial bias and whether written by physicians or not. Results: Twenty sites were identified using Google, 14 using Bing, and 3 using Yahoo while the remaining 19 appeared in multiple search engines. Sixty-nine percent of the websites (39/56) were written by physicians whereas only 21% (12/56) were associated with commercial bias. The mean quality and accuracy of the websites written above a seventh-grade level was statistically significantly higher than those at or below a seventh-grade level ( P = .01). The mean accuracy of websites written by physicians was not statistically different from those not written by physicians ( P = .055). Conclusion: The current study highlights the poor quality and accuracy of online information related to ankle sprains, especially those with commercial bias. Furthermore, although websites written by or under supervision of physicians were found to be of superior quality, a majority of sites were found to have an unacceptably high reading level. Level of Evidence: Level IV, case series.

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 2473011418S0013
Author(s):  
Mostafa Abousayed ◽  
Jason Tartaglione ◽  
Samuel Zonshayn ◽  
Christopher Johnson ◽  
Andrew Rosenbaum

Category: Ankle Introduction/Purpose: The Internet has drastically changed how patients access health-related information. There are several ways the public can access online health-related information such as search engines, blogs, support groups and webinars. A recent study found that 45% of orthopedic patients searched for information online regarding their injury. Also, 78% believed they had better understanding of their condition after visiting these websites; furthermore, 41% felt the Internet supplied them with questions and concerns to discuss with their physicians. While most patients experience favorable outcomes after proper management of an isolated ankle sprain, inadequate treatment can lead to chronic ankle instability. The aim of our study is to evaluate the accuracy, quality and readability of online available information using the search terms “ankle sprain” and “ankle instability”. Methods: Three websites [Google, Bing, and Yahoo] were searched for the terms “ankle sprain” and “ankle instability”. The first 25 websites from each search were collected. After removal of duplicates, 65 websites were left for evaluation. Nine websites were excluded: contained video links only (n=3), lacked information (n=3), presented unrelated information (n=2), or was not written in English (n=1). A total of 56 websites met the inclusion criteria. Each website was assessed for quality, accuracy, and readability by three orthopedic residents blinded to the search term utilized. The quality was evaluated using a previously developed grading rubric containing 25 points pertaining to relevant anatomy, diagnosis, treatment, and complications of ankle sprains. The accuracy of the websites was assessed using a scale from 1-4. The Flesch-Kincaid (F-K) scale was used to evaluate readability of the websites. Lastly, websites were evaluated for any commercial bias and whether written by physicians or not. Results: Table 1 displays the quality results of all websites. The mean quality of websites written >7th grade level was statistically significantly higher than those written at =7th grade (p=0.01). A summary of the accuracy results is depicted in Table 2. The mean accuracy of websites written >7th grade level was statistically higher than websites written at =7th grade level (p=0.01). Only six websites (10.7%) included in this study were written at a 7th grade level or below. Multivariable regression analysis revealed the accuracy of websites was significantly associated with the F-K score and absence of commercial bias. Furthermore, the quality of websites was positively correlated with the F-K score, use of the search term “ankle instability”, websites written by physicians, and absence of commercial bias. Conclusion: The current study highlights the poor quality and accuracy of online information related to ankle sprains, especially those with commercial bias. Furthermore, while websites written by or under supervision of physicians were found of superior quality, a majority of sites were found to have an unacceptably high reading level. As the importance of health literacy becomes more apparent, it is critical to remember the physician’s role in guiding patients to high quality and accurate resources written at an appropriate level.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vishak Kumar ◽  
Mohammed Abualenain ◽  
Andrew D Choi

Objective: As the internet is a leading destination for health information for patients, there is a need for this information to be accurate and easy to understand. In this study, we assessed the quality and readability of online health related information for myocardial infarction (MI) directed towards patients. Methods: Websites were collected from 3 search engines (Google, Yahoo! and Bing) using the search term “Heart Attack” on a newly installed Mozilla Firefox browser. The first 30 websites from each engine were selected and those belonging to advertisements, new articles and physician oriented sites were excluded. The resulting sites were assessed for quality using the DISCERN instrument via 2 physician investigators knowledgeable in MI and blinded to each other’s results; following this, the results were discussed amidst the team to agree on a coalesced score for each website. Health On the Net (HONcode) was also used as an added measure to assess quality. Readability was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Ease (FLRE) and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade level (FLGL) tool. Results: Overall, 24 websites were assessed. The average overall quality for DISCERN was 2.58 out of 5 with a median of 2.5 while the average total DISCERN score was 37.75 out of 80; the highest total quality among them being 61 out of 80. Only 29.17% (7 of 24) of the websites were HONcode certified. The average FLRE was 59.07 out of 100, while the average FLGL was 7.28 with the lowest grade level being 5.20. Conclusion: Patient health related information, on average, were of lower quality, while those higher quality websites were deemed less readable and needed a higher level of education to understand. The average reading grade level was that of the 7 th grade which is lower than what the average American reads at (8 th grade). The highest quality website based on total DISCERN score was from Wikipedia, however FLRE and FLGL tell us it was also harder to comprehend for the average American. Going forward there are important opportunities to improve the quality of online health related information for MI, in order to remain a trusted source of medical information for patients.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Kordovski ◽  
Savanna M. Tierney ◽  
Samina Rahman ◽  
Luis D. Medina ◽  
Michelle A. Babicz ◽  
...  

Objective: Searching the Internet for health-related information is a complex and dynamic goal-oriented process that places demands on executive functions, which are higher-order cognitive abilities that are known to deteriorate with older age. This study aimed to examine the effects of older age on electronic health (eHealth) search behavior, and to determine whether executive functions played a mediating role in that regard. Method: Fifty younger adults (≤ 35 years) and 41 older adults (≥50 years) completed naturalistic eHealth search tasks involving fact-finding (Fact Search) and symptom diagnosis (Symptom Search), a neurocognitive battery, and a series of questionnaires. Results: Multiple regression models with relevant covariates revealed that older adults were slower and less accurate than younger adults on the eHealth Fact Search task, but not on the eHealth Symptom Search task. Nevertheless, executive functions mediated the relationship between older age and eHealth Fact Search and Symptom Search accuracy. Conclusions: Older adults can experience difficulty searching the Internet for some health-related information, which is at least partly attributable to executive dysfunction. Future studies are needed to determine the benefits of training in the organizational and strategic aspects of Internet search for older adults and whether these findings are applicable to clinical populations with executive dysfunction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 7063
Author(s):  
Esmaeel Rezaee ◽  
Ali Mohammad Saghiri ◽  
Agostino Forestiero

With the increasing growth of different types of data, search engines have become an essential tool on the Internet. Every day, billions of queries are run through few search engines with several privacy violations and monopoly problems. The blockchain, as a trending technology applied in various fields, including banking, IoT, education, etc., can be a beneficial alternative. Blockchain-based search engines, unlike monopolistic ones, do not have centralized controls. With a blockchain-based search system, no company can lay claims to user’s data or access search history and other related information. All these data will be encrypted and stored on a blockchain. Valuing users’ searches and paying them in return is another advantage of a blockchain-based search engine. Additionally, in smart environments, as a trending research field, blockchain-based search engines can provide context-aware and privacy-preserved search results. According to our research, few efforts have been made to develop blockchain use, which include studies generally in the early stages and few white papers. To the best of our knowledge, no research article has been published in this regard thus far. In this paper, a survey on blockchain-based search engines is provided. Additionally, we state that the blockchain is an essential paradigm for the search ecosystem by describing the advantages.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 221-224
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Kardas ◽  
Agnieszka Daszyńska ◽  
Małgorzata Koziarska-Rościszewska

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 408-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentin Nădăşan

AbstractThe Internet has become one of the main means of communication used by people who search for health-related information. The quality of online health-related information affects the users’ knowledge, their attitude, and their risk or health behaviour in complex ways and influences a substantial number of users in their decisions regarding diagnostic and treatment procedures.The aim of this review is to explore the benefits and risks associated with using the Internet as a source of health-related information; the relationship between the quality of the health-related information available on the Internet and the potential risks; the multiple conceptual components of the quality of health-related information; the evaluation criteria for quality health-related information; and the main approaches and initiatives that have been implemented worldwide to help improve users’ access to high-quality health-related information.


Author(s):  
Kleopatra Alamantariotou

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.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
B R O’Connor ◽  
E Doherty ◽  
F Friedmacher ◽  
L Vernon ◽  
T S Paran

Abstract Introduction Increasingly in pediatric surgical practice, patients, their parents, and surgeons alike use the Internet as an easily and quickly accessible source of information about conditions and their treatment. The quality and reliability of this information may often be unregulated. We aim to objectively assess the online information available relating to esophageal atresia and its management. Methods We performed searches for ‘oesophageal atresia’ and ‘esophageal atresia’ using the Google, Yahoo, and Bing engines to encompass both European and American spellings. We assessed the first 20 results of each search and excluded duplicates or unrelated pages. The DISCERN score and the Health on the Net Foundation Code (HONcode) toolbar were utilized to assess the quality of information on each website. We evaluated readability with the Flesch reading ease (FRE) and the Flesch–Kincaid grade (FKG). Results Of the original 120 hits, 61 were excluded (51 duplicates, 10 unrelated). Out of 59 individual sites reviewed, only 13 sites were HONcode approved. The mean overall DISCERN score was 52.55 (range: 22–78). The mean DISCERN score for the search term ‘oesphageal atresia’ was 57 (range: 22–78) in comparison to 59.03 for ‘esophageal atresia’ (range: 27–78). Google search had the lowest overall mean DISCERN score at 54.83 (range: 35–78), followed by Yahoo at 58.03 (range: 22–78), and Bing with the highest overall mean score of 61.2 (range: 27–78). The majority of websites were graded excellent (≥63) or good (51–62), 43% and 27%, respectively; 20% were scored as fair (39–50), with 10% being either poor (27–38) or very poor (≤26). In terms of readability, the overall Flesch Reading Ease score was 33.02, and the overall Flesch–Kincaid grade level was 10.3. Conclusions The quality of freely available online information relating to esophageal atresia is generally good but may not be accessible to everyone due to being relatively difficult to read. We should direct parents towards comprehensive, high-quality, and easily readable information sources should they wish to supplement their knowledge about esophageal atresia and its management.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Isil Yurdaisik

Objective. Breast cancer is the most common cancer type among women worldwide. Today, health consumers search the Internet to gain health information about many diseases including breast cancer. YouTube™ is the second most commonly used website on the Internet. However, the quality and accuracy of health-related YouTube™ videos are controversial. The objective of this study was to investigate the quality and accuracy of breast cancer-related videos on YouTube™. Material and Methods. “Breast cancer” keyword was entered into YouTube™ search bar, and after excluding advertisement, duplicate, and non-English videos, the first most viewed 50 videos were analyzed. Videos’ length, the number of views, comments, likes, and dislikes were recorded. DISCERN and JAMA scores and Video Power Index (VPI) values of the videos were calculated. All videos were evaluated by two independent radiologists experienced on breast cancer. The correlation between the two observers was also analyzed. Results. Of all videos, 14% were uploaded by physicians, 26% by health channels, 20% by patients, 10% by news channels, 2% by herbalists, 2% by blog channels, and 2% by nonprofit activism channels. The mean DISCERN score was calculated as 26.70±10.99 and the mean JAMA score as 2.23±0.97. The mean VPI value, which was calculated to determine the popularity of the videos, was found as 94.10±4.48. A strong statistically significant correlation was found between the two observers in terms of both DISCERN and JAMA scores. There was an excellent agreement between the two observers. Conclusion. The overall quality of the viewed videos was found as poor. Healthcare professionals should be encouraged to upload breast cancer-related videos with accurate information to promote patients for screening and direct them appropriately.


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