Special issue on semantic descriptions of medical web resources

Abstract

The internet is designed for direct use by people searching for information through their browsers; accessing health-related information has never been easier. The increasing amount of freelyavailable, health-related web content creates, on the one hand, excellent conditions for selfeducation of patients as well as physicians but, on the other hand, however, it entails substantial risks if such information is trusted, irrespective of the low competence, or even bad intentions, of its authors. Furthermore, it is difficult for health information consumers, such as patients and the general public, to assess, by themselves, the quality of the information, as they are not always familiar with medical domains and vocabularies.