Examination of instruments used to rate quality of health information on the internet: chronicle of a voyage with an unclear destination

Abstract

Objective This study updates work published in 1998, which found that of 47 rating instruments appearing on websites offering health information, 14 described how they were developed, five provided instructions for use, and none reported the interobserver reliability and construct validity of the measurements. Design All rating instrument sites noted in the original study were visited to ascertain whether they were still operating. New rating instruments were identified by duplicating and enhancing the comprehensive search of the internet and the medical and information science literature used in the previous study. Eligible instruments were evaluated as in the original study. Results 98 instruments used to assess the quality of websites in the past five years were identified. Many of the rating instruments identified in the original study were no longer available. Of 51 newly identified rating instruments, only five provided some information by which they could be evaluated. As with the six sites identified in the original study that remained available, none of these five instruments seemed to have been validated. Conclusions Many incompletely developed rating instruments continue to appear on websites providing health information, even when the organisations that gave rise to those instruments no longer exist. Many researchers, organisations, and website developers are exploring alternative ways of helping people to find and use high quality information available on the internet. Whether they are needed or sustainable and whether they make a difference remain to be shown.

Quality and readability of English-language internet information for adults with hearing impairment and their significant others

“…Web developers that adhere to ethical guidelines typically display that information as a certification on their relevant websites. In 2001, 98 different website certification schemes were available (Gagliardi & Jadad, 2002). The Health On the Net (HON) Foundation provides one of the many voluntary website certification schemes (Boyer et al, 1998).…”

Role of Information Available Over the Internet: What are the Parents of Children Undergoing Tonsillectomy Likely to Find?

“…7,8 Many tools are available to assess healthcare information on the internet and, although there is consensus on key criteria, they are still being developed. [9][10][11] The LIDA Instrument is avalidated method of evaluating healthcare websites based on three important areas -a ccessibility,u sability and reliability. 12 Search engines are the most commonly used method to find information on the world wide web.…”

Informing patients: oculoplastic surgery and the internet

“…9 Many of these instruments have been criticised. 9 However, in this study, an extensively validated instrument was used with evidence of interobserver reliability and construct validity, as used by both doctors and patients.…”

“…9 However, in this study, an extensively validated instrument was used with evidence of interobserver reliability and construct validity, as used by both doctors and patients. 1,8,9 This suggests that the data from this study is not artefactual.…”