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Using internet to access health information

Internet, also known as World Wide Web, has become entrenched in many ways of our lives. Nowadays we routinely use internet to communicate, entertain, shop, undertake financial transactions and even educate, just to name a few of the ways the web has been incorporated in to our lifestyles.  Increasingly, internet is also used for health purposes. Several research reports from different parts of the globe indicate that the number of people who use internet for health purposes is steadily increasing. Some reports indicate that nearly 27% of Australians who use internet regularly seek health information on the web. The use of internet for health purposes include contacting health professionals via email, making decisions about their health care interventions based on information available on the internet, finding support groups and chat groups of people with similar health condition(s) and getting a second opinion about their health condition(s).

This is not really surprising because increasingly health care is moving towards what is widely termed as patient-centred care. That is the patient is empowered to make decisions about their health care, and is at the centre of health care. Health care service delivery, using a patient centred model, is a collaborative partnership between the patient and the health professional where the patient is an active participant rather than a passive recipient of health care. Therefore, patients may use all available means, including internet, to better inform themselves about all available health care options.

However, not all health care information available on the internet can be trusted. There are issues of limitations, misunderstandings and bias in the health care information presented on the internet. For example, websites which promote benefits of certain drugs may be funded by the manufacturer of the drug themselves. Similarly, information posted on websites about a particular intervention may be as a result of merely personal experiences (called testimonials) rather than rigorous research. Interpreting these findings should be undertaken with caution.

There are some websites and resources which do provide good quality information on a range of health care interventions. For example, The Cochrane Library (http://www.nicsl.com.au/cochrane/index.asp) is a free resource for all Australians. This library contains synthesised findings of several published research studies, developed using rigorous research methods, including a summary of findings in lay-man terms. Another interactive source of health information on the internet can be found at Australian Broadcasting Corporations Health and Wellbeing website (http://www.abc.net.au/health/default.htm). This website provides home to a rich array of information on a range of health conditions, regular discussions on research evidence for common health care interventions and an extensive consumer guide. Many of the programs are also Pod cast which is convenient for those who want to listen to these programs at their leisure.

So how to decide the information on a health care intervention you have identified from a website is good quality and is trustworthy? There are series of questions you can ask which will help you to evaluate and decide if the information presented on a website is good quality and trustworthy. They are:

  1. Who runs the website?  There must be clear indication and branding about who runs the website. Things to look for out include credentials, qualifications and affiliations to other organisations.
  2. Who pays for the website?  As it costs money to establish and maintain a website, the funding source should be clearly stated. Websites which contain in .gov means it is a government sponsored website. Check to see if it is sponsored by a drug company or a manufacturer of a health product.
  3. What is the purpose of the website?  This will tell you who pays for the website and what they intend the website to do. Advertising material should be clearly differentiated from health care information.
  4. Where does the information come from?  This will tell you if the information presented on the website came from the creators of the website or borrowed from other sources (such as other websites, interviews, testimonials etc).
  5. What is the basis of the information?  This will tell you what the basis is for their claims. That is, is their claim based on research or merely opinions of individuals? If it is based on research evidence, then there must be reference to journal articles. If it is based on personal opinion, it should be clearly stated.
  6. How is the information selected?  This will tell you what processes were followed when selecting the information presented. Was this done in conjunction with a board of experts using systematic processes or merely one person's perspective?
  7. How current is the information?  It is vitally important that health care information is regularly updated. The website must tell you when was it updated last and if any future updates are planned.
  8. How comprehensive is the information?  It is important that the website provides comprehensive information about benefits and risk of interventions, cost of interventions and potentially comparison between different interventions.
  9. Does the website collect any information about you and why?  Some websites track paths frequently used by visitors to the website in order to capture information on most visited webpages. Some also ask you to register, subscribe or become a member. If this is the case, there must be information on how this personal information will be handled and your privacy protected. Do not sign up for anything you are not sure you fully understand.
  10. How does the website manage communication with visitors?  There should be some mechanism of you contacting the website owner/administrator/webmaster for questions and/or feedback. Be wary if there are no visible communication options (such as email address, phone, fax, street address).

With access to internet growing, it is foreseeable that more and more people will use the internet as a source of information about health care interventions. However, internet should not be used to replace a health care professional. Consumers of internet based health information should be conscientious and cautious when considering the trustworthiness of the information presented.

References can be obtained from Dr Saravana Kumar

 

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