Use of the DISCERN tool for evaluating web searches in childhood epilepsy

Informações on-line como suporte às famílias de crianças e adolescentes com doença crônica

“…The topics covered in the selected studies were as follows: two studies address the use of a tool to assess websites (23)(24) ; six address the development, use, evaluation, and/or application of software for computers and smartphones (14, 16-17, 19, 21-22) ; two deal with the attitude and behaviour of health professionals and parents of children and adolescents when accessing online portals (18,20) ; one paper compares the effectiveness of direct access to an online platform with regard to the consultation of health workers (15) ; and another demonstrates how the characteristics of parents influence searches of health information online (13) . The analysis of the selected studies revealed positive and negative aspects of the use of online information for the families of children and adolescents with chronic illness, which resulted in two categories: Potentialities of the use of online information for the families of children and adolescents with chronic illness, and Weaknesses of the use of online information for the families of children and adolescents with chronic illness.…”

“…In the second category, the weaknesses of the use of online information to support the parents of children and adolescents with chronic diseases were: difficulties in understanding the information (14,19) ; the "digital divide" (limited knowledge of different languages, use of high-cost electronic devices, and access for the low-income population) (16,(19)(20)(21) ; restriction of online therapeutic models to populations in specific chronic conditions (15) ; low quality (23)(24) and reliability (24) of the available content; low availability of data for adolescents (23) ; deficit of skills of health professionals to identify and conduct the use of online support tools (20)(21)(22)(23)(24) , and ignorance of legal regulations on online communication (20) .…”

“…The dynamism of the internet provides a flow of simultaneous communication and becomes an instrument of support to caregivers in decision making and reduces family stress, which only benefits the child and/or adolescent (18,(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30) . In addition to the content available on the internet and online services, in order to cope with the chronic condition, parents, children, and adolescents use applications that focus on the specific pathology (14,16,(19)(20)(21)(22) .…”

“…Also, the content that targets this population is usually scarce, although it is provided in social networks that engage users (23) . A study that evaluated sites about infant epilepsy found little reliability or quality in the provided information, reinforcing the importance of improving the tools that offer content on pathologies with the help of healthcare professionals and experts (24) . Also on the topic of health professionals, some studies found that these workers can lack the skills to identify and guide the use of online support information (20,24) , and they are unaware of the legal aspects that permeate online communication with patients (20) .…”

“…A study that evaluated sites about infant epilepsy found little reliability or quality in the provided information, reinforcing the importance of improving the tools that offer content on pathologies with the help of healthcare professionals and experts (24) . Also on the topic of health professionals, some studies found that these workers can lack the skills to identify and guide the use of online support information (20,24) , and they are unaware of the legal aspects that permeate online communication with patients (20) . Therefore, it is crucial for health workers to be updated on the available health-related websites, and acquire the skills to determine the credibility of the information provided (2) since it can be misunderstood and compromise treatment (33) .…”