Healthy Web (Internet) Searching
• Anyone Can and Does Publish• No Editing• No Peer Review• No Control• Can be Dangerous for Medical Information• Easy to Find Misinformation which Looks
Credible
Home Management of Fever in Children: Web Sites
• 41 sites identified• 2 contained dangerous information• 1 recommended a drug that was
removed from the market• Only 4 sites gave completely
accurate information
Impicciatore, P., et al. 1997. BMJ,317:1875
Wikipedia. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDS#Alternative_hypotheses. [Updated 10.02.2007] [Accessed 12.02.2007]
How to Evaluate a Web Site
• Look for Evidence– Author (not Webmaster)– Publishing Authority
• Analyse URL (.gov, .edu)– Date– Frequency of Updates– Bias
• Be careful of advertising and sponsored links– Colour and Text
• Speling & Gramma– Seals of Approval (SOAPS)
Health on the Net (HON)
• http://www.hon.ch• Any Site that Carries this Seal of Approval can
be Trusted for Health Information
Summary: How to Evaluate a Web Site
1. Accuracy– Author/ Contact Address
2. Authority– .edu .gov .org. net/ Preferred Domains
3. Objectivity– Limited advertising; Little/no bias
4. Currency– Up to date; Links up to date
5. Coverage– Not dependent on specific browsers/software; not fee
based• http://copia.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/webcrit.html
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