scholarly journals Patients’ Use of the Internet to Find Reliable Medical Information About Minor Ailments: Vignette-Based Experimental Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce Kwakernaak ◽  
Just AH Eekhof ◽  
Margot WM De Waal ◽  
Elisabeth AM Barenbrug ◽  
Niels H Chavannes
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Search Strategies ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Search Term ◽  
Internet Search ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Mcnemar Test ◽  
Minor Ailments

BACKGROUND Little is known about the exact process of how patients search for medical information on the internet and what they retrieve. There is especially a paucity of literature on browsing for information on minor ailments, a term used for harmless diseases that are very common in the general population and thus have a significant impact on health care. OBJECTIVE This vignette-based experimental study aimed to explore what kind of Web-based search strategies are applied and how search strategies, demographic characteristics, and the quality of the visited websites relate to finding the right diagnosis. Additional goals were to describe how searching on the Web influences one’s perception of the severity of the potential diagnosis and whether or not the participants would discuss the information they found on the internet with their doctors. METHODS Out of 1372 survey participants, 355 were randomly sampled, and 155 of them were recruited and assigned to one of four clinical scenarios. Each search term they used was classified as one of three search strategies: (1) hypothesis testing, (2) narrowing within the general hypothesis area, and (3) symptom exploration. The quality of the websites used was determined by using the DISCERN instrument. To compare the diagnostic accuracy of the participants before and after the internet search, a McNemar test was used. Chi-square tests were used to describe which factors are related to the chosen search strategy. A multivariate binary logistic regression model was constructed to predict which factors are related to finding a sound diagnosis after searching the internet for health information. RESULTS Most participants (65.8%, 102/155) used the symptom exploration strategy. However, this depends on the assigned scenario (<italic>P</italic>&lt;.001) and the self-estimated severity score of the symptoms before the internet search (<italic>P</italic>=.001). A significant relation was found between choosing an accurate diagnosis and age (odds ratio [OR] 0.94, 95% CI 0.90 to 0.98) and the clinical scenario, as well as the use of high-quality websites (OR 7.49, 95% CI 1.85 to 30.26). Browsing the internet did not lead to a statistically significant change in participants’ beliefs about the severity of the condition (McNemar test, <italic>P</italic>=.85). Most participants (65%) shared their retrieved information with their physician and most of them (75%) received a positive response. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that most patients use a symptom-based approach; however, if patients expect the potential diagnosis to be severe, they tend to use a hypothesis verification strategy more often and are therefore prone to certain forms of bias. In addition, self-diagnosing accuracy is related to younger age, the symptom scenario, and the use of high-quality websites. We should find ways to guide patients toward search strategies and websites that may more likely lead to accurate decision making.

scholarly journals Patients’ Use of the Internet to Find Reliable Medical Information About Minor Ailments: Vignette-Based Experimental Study

10.2196/12278 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. e12278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce Kwakernaak ◽  
Just A H Eekhof ◽  
Margot W M De Waal ◽  
Elisabeth A M Barenbrug ◽  
Niels H Chavannes
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Search Strategies ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Search Term ◽  
Internet Search ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Mcnemar Test ◽  
Minor Ailments

Background Little is known about the exact process of how patients search for medical information on the internet and what they retrieve. There is especially a paucity of literature on browsing for information on minor ailments, a term used for harmless diseases that are very common in the general population and thus have a significant impact on health care. Objective This vignette-based experimental study aimed to explore what kind of Web-based search strategies are applied and how search strategies, demographic characteristics, and the quality of the visited websites relate to finding the right diagnosis. Additional goals were to describe how searching on the Web influences one’s perception of the severity of the potential diagnosis and whether or not the participants would discuss the information they found on the internet with their doctors. Methods Out of 1372 survey participants, 355 were randomly sampled, and 155 of them were recruited and assigned to one of four clinical scenarios. Each search term they used was classified as one of three search strategies: (1) hypothesis testing, (2) narrowing within the general hypothesis area, and (3) symptom exploration. The quality of the websites used was determined by using the DISCERN instrument. To compare the diagnostic accuracy of the participants before and after the internet search, a McNemar test was used. Chi-square tests were used to describe which factors are related to the chosen search strategy. A multivariate binary logistic regression model was constructed to predict which factors are related to finding a sound diagnosis after searching the internet for health information. Results Most participants (65.8%, 102/155) used the symptom exploration strategy. However, this depends on the assigned scenario (P<.001) and the self-estimated severity score of the symptoms before the internet search (P=.001). A significant relation was found between choosing an accurate diagnosis and age (odds ratio [OR] 0.94, 95% CI 0.90 to 0.98) and the clinical scenario, as well as the use of high-quality websites (OR 7.49, 95% CI 1.85 to 30.26). Browsing the internet did not lead to a statistically significant change in participants’ beliefs about the severity of the condition (McNemar test, P=.85). Most participants (65%) shared their retrieved information with their physician and most of them (75%) received a positive response. Conclusions Our findings suggest that most patients use a symptom-based approach; however, if patients expect the potential diagnosis to be severe, they tend to use a hypothesis verification strategy more often and are therefore prone to certain forms of bias. In addition, self-diagnosing accuracy is related to younger age, the symptom scenario, and the use of high-quality websites. We should find ways to guide patients toward search strategies and websites that may more likely lead to accurate decision making.

scholarly journals Online Information About Periviable Birth: Quality Assessment (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriane F Haragan ◽  
Carly A Zuwiala ◽  
Katherine P Himes
Keyword(s):  
Medical Information ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Comfort Care ◽  
Treatment Choices ◽  
News Stories ◽  
Google Search

BACKGROUND Over 20,000 parents in the United States face the challenge of participating in decisions about whether to use life support for their infants born on the cusp of viability every year. Clinicians must help families grasp complex medical information about their baby’s immediate prognosis as well as the risk for significant long-term morbidity. Patients faced with this decision want supplemental information and frequently seek medical information on the Internet. Empirical evidence about the quality of websites is lacking. OBJECTIVE We sought to evaluate the quality of online information available about periviable birth and treatment options for infants born at the cusp of viability. METHODS We read a counseling script to 20 pregnant participants that included information typically provided by perinatal and neonatal providers when periviable birth is imminent. The women were then asked to list terms they would use to search the Internet if they wanted additional information. Using these search terms, two reviewers evaluated the content of websites obtained via a Google search. We used two metrics to assess the quality of websites. The first was the DISCERN instrument, a validated questionnaire designed to assess the quality of patient-targeted health information for treatment choices. The second metric was the Essential Content Tool (ECT), a tool designed to address key components of counseling around periviable birth as outlined by professional organizations. DISCERN scores were classified as low quality if scores were 2, fair quality if scores were 3, and high quality if scores were 4 or higher. Scores of 6 or higher on the ECT were considered high quality. Interreviewer agreement was assessed by calculated kappa statistic. RESULTS A total of 97 websites were reviewed. Over half (57/97, 59%) were for-profit sites, news stories, or personal blogs; 28% (27/97) were government or medical sites; and 13% (13/97) were nonprofit or advocacy sites. The majority of sites scored poorly in DISCERN questions designed to assess the reliability of information presented as well as data regarding treatment choices. Only 7% (7/97) of the websites were high quality as defined by the DISCERN tool. The majority of sites did not address the essential content defined by the ECT. Importantly, only 18% of websites (17/97) indicated that there are often a number of reasonable approaches to newborn care when faced with periviable birth. Agreement was strong, with kappa ranging from .72 to .91. CONCLUSIONS Most information about periviable birth found on the Internet using common search strategies is of low quality. News stories highlighting positive outcomes are disproportionately represented. Few websites discuss comfort care or how treatment decisions impact quality of life.

Comparison of search strategies and quality of medical information of the internet: a study relating to ankle sprain

Injury ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 473-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diederik Groot ◽  
Gerben ter Riet ◽  
Khalid S. Khan ◽  
Kate Misso
Keyword(s):  
Ankle Sprain ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Search Strategies ◽  
The Internet

scholarly journals Evaluating the quality of patient information on appendicitis using the modified EQIP tool (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahi Ghani ◽  
Ka Siu Fan ◽  
Ka Hay Fan ◽  
Lorenzo Lenti ◽  
Dimitri Raptis
Keyword(s):  
Patient Information ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Search Term ◽  
Complication Rates ◽  
Health Seeking

BACKGROUND Appendicitis is a common surgical problem amongst the young adult population, who are likely to use the Internet to obtain medical information. This information may determine the health-seeking behaviour of an individual and may delay medical attention. Little is known regarding the quality of patient information on appendicitis on the Internet as this has not been previously studied. OBJECTIVE Our objective for this study was to evaluate the quality the quality of information found on the top searched websites that aim to provide patient information regarding appendicitis. METHODS We conducted a systematic review of information on appendicitis available online using 4 search terms in google ‘appendicitis’ ‘appendix’, ‘appendectomy’ and ‘appendicectomy’. The top 100 websites of every search term were assessed using the validated ’Ensuring Quality Information for Patients’ (EQIP) tool (Score 0-36). RESULTS A total of 119 websites met the eligibility criteria for evaluation. The overall median EQIP score for all websites was 20 (Interquartile range 18-22). More than half the websites originated from the USA (53%). 45% of all websites originated from hospitals, though 43% of these did not mention qualitative risks from surgery. Incidence rates were only provided for complications and mortality in 13% and 3% of all websites respectively. CONCLUSIONS The assessment of the quality and readability of websites concerning appendicitis by the EQIP tool indicates that most sites online were of poor credibility, with minimal information regarding complication rates and mortality. To improve education and awareness of appendicitis, there is an immediate need for more informative and patient-centred websites that are more compatible with international quality standards.

The Internet for Pathologists: A Simple Schema for Evaluating Pathology-Related Web Sites and a Catalog of Sites Useful for Practicing Pathologists

2005 ◽  
Vol 129 (6) ◽  
pp. 742-746
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Talmon ◽  
Neil A. Abrahams
Keyword(s):  
Simple Group ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
Scoring System ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Information Source ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Search Term ◽  
Internet Search ◽  
Simple Schema

Abstract Context.—With the increasing popularity of the Internet as a primary medical information source, it is critical for pathologists to be able to use and evaluate both general medical- and pathology-related Web sites. Several published models for evaluating Web sites prove cumbersome to use and often involve computer- or statistic-based algorithms. Objectives.—To develop a simple group of scoring criteria to objectively evaluate medical Web sites and provide a list of the highest-scoring pathology-related sites that will be useful to the practicing pathologist. Design.—Using 11 commonly used Internet search engines, the top 50 “hits” retrieved from the search term websites for pathologists were scored using 5 criteria, including accuracy, ease of navigation, relevance, updates, and completeness. A possible 6 to 12 points per area were awarded, and the total score was summated. Results.—Scores obtained ranged from 12 to 21. Thirty-five Web sites, all scoring 15 or higher based on these criteria, were listed as most useful. Conclusion.—A simple, easy-to-use, 5-category scoring system can prove useful in evaluating pathology- and medical-related Web sites.

scholarly journals Pop-Science on the Internet: How ULISSE Makes the Ends Meet

10.28945/2459 ◽  
2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Cerrato
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
General Public ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
High Technology ◽  
The Internet ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Increasing Demand ◽  
Set Up

There is an increasing demand for what we can call pop-science that is pertinent scientific information dedicated to the non-specialists. This demand comes both from professional categories and the general public. Simultaneously in the scientific community there is an increasing consciousness that diffusion of the scientific information is an asset the scientific community cannot afford to overlook. The Internet is a perfect tool to meet this demand. It reaches a large and ever-increasing number of people and permits an interactive and detailed exchange of information. As an experiment of how to combine high quality services and the information technology, we have set up Ulisse - In the net of science (http://ulisse.sissa.it), an innovative Italian project for the popularisation of science via the Internet. Its main purpose is to establish a connection between scientists and the general public. Ulisse is based on three major characteristics: a) high technology to create an efficient and friendly system, b) customisation of the services, c) a network of scientists, which guaranteed the quality of the materials.

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.

DOZ047.115: Quality and readability of esophageal atresia information on the Internet

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
B R O’Connor ◽  
E Doherty ◽  
F Friedmacher ◽  
L Vernon ◽  
T S Paran
Keyword(s):  
Esophageal Atresia ◽  
Oesophageal Atresia ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Search Term ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease ◽  
Ease Score ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Google Search

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.

Cultural heritage: the art library cuts across borders in Sweden

2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 39-41
Author(s):  
Kerstin Assarsson-Rizzi
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Research Community ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Internet Search ◽  
Royal Swedish Academy ◽  
Search Service ◽  
National Heritage

Vitterhetsakademiens Library (The Library of the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities) at the Swedish National Heritage Board is a partner in the development of new services in Sweden, both physically at the Library and digitally on the internet. An agreement signed by four partners in September 2007 aimed to strengthen and develop the Library’s services to the research community. In 2005 seven libraries in Stockholm formed a network with the specific aim of improving the quality of library services for research in the humanities. And in 2007 a new internet search service was launched which enables cross searching of major databases that cover various aspects of the Swedish cultural heritage; this includes two databases hosted by the Library. This process of cutting across institutional and sectoral borders has been facilitated by modern technology.

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