An evaluation of the quality of COVID-19 websites in terms of HON principles and using DISCERN tool.
content analysis
evaluation
pandemic
patient information
web sites
Journal
Health information and libraries journal
ISSN: 1471-1842
Titre abrégé: Health Info Libr J
Pays: England
ID NLM: 100970070
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Dec 2023
Dec 2023
Historique:
revised:
02
07
2022
received:
07
07
2021
accepted:
11
07
2022
medline:
24
11
2023
pubmed:
12
8
2022
entrez:
11
8
2022
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
As many people relied on information from the Internet for official scientific or academically affiliated information during the COVID-19 pandemic, the quality of information on those websites should be good. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate a selection of COVID-19-related websites for the quality of health information provided. Using Google and Yahoo, 36 English language websites were selected, in accordance with the inclusion criteria. The two tools were selected for evaluation were the Health on the Net (HON) Code and the 16-item DISCERN tool. Most websites (39%) were related to information for the public, and a small number of them (3%) concerned screening websites in which people could be informed of their possible condition by entering their symptoms. The result of the evaluation by the HON tool showed that most websites were reliable (53%), and 44% of them were very reliable. Based on the assessment results of the Likert-based 16-item DISCERN tool, the maximum and minimum values for the average scores of each website were calculated as 2.44 and 4.25, respectively. Evaluation using two widely accepted tools shows that most websites related to COVID-19 are reliable and useful for physicians, researchers and the public.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
As many people relied on information from the Internet for official scientific or academically affiliated information during the COVID-19 pandemic, the quality of information on those websites should be good.
OBJECTIVE
OBJECTIVE
The main purpose of this study was to evaluate a selection of COVID-19-related websites for the quality of health information provided.
METHOD
METHODS
Using Google and Yahoo, 36 English language websites were selected, in accordance with the inclusion criteria. The two tools were selected for evaluation were the Health on the Net (HON) Code and the 16-item DISCERN tool.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Most websites (39%) were related to information for the public, and a small number of them (3%) concerned screening websites in which people could be informed of their possible condition by entering their symptoms. The result of the evaluation by the HON tool showed that most websites were reliable (53%), and 44% of them were very reliable. Based on the assessment results of the Likert-based 16-item DISCERN tool, the maximum and minimum values for the average scores of each website were calculated as 2.44 and 4.25, respectively.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Evaluation using two widely accepted tools shows that most websites related to COVID-19 are reliable and useful for physicians, researchers and the public.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35949046
doi: 10.1111/hir.12454
pmc: PMC9539229
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
371-389Informations de copyright
© 2022 Health Libraries Group.
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