Assessing the Accuracy and Readability of Online Health Information for Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract

Online information on pancreatic cancer overestimates the reading ability of the overall population and lacks accurate information about alternative therapy. In the absence of quality control on the Internet, physicians should provide guidance to patients in the selection of online resources with readable and accurate information.

A systematic method for reviewing and analysing health information on consumer‐oriented websites

“…In a study of postpartum depression, for example, much of the information on websites about this condition was inaccurate or incomplete and pitched at a high level of readability (Moore & Ayers, ; Summers & Logsdon, ). Similar findings have been reported in analyses of websites for conditions as diverse as oral leukoplakia (Wiriyakijja, Fedele, Porter, & Riordain, ), pulmonary fibrosis (Fisher, O'Connor, Flexman, Shapera, & Ryerson, ) and pancreatic cancer (Storino et al., ). Much less visible are website analyses of health problems that frequently fall into the nursing domain, such as managing symptoms of fatigue.…”

“…Testing specific research questions about websites may also be undertaken based on researchers’ study purposes. Examples of such questions may address the associations between website quality indicators and the type of sponsor of the website and the type of search terms used (see Fisher et al., ; Riordain & Hodgson, ; Storino et al., ).…”

“…Exemplary published studies evaluating consumer‐oriented websites also are a source for identifying methods of reviewing websites on health topics (e.g. Fisher et al., ; Moore & Ayers, ; Storino et al., ; Wiriyakijja et al., ).…”

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Medical Information on the Internet

“…In addition, the readability of such resources is much higher than an ideal level. According to 2014 population‐level survey data, 99% of the United States population completed 5 to 6 years of formal education, and therefore the American Medical Association recommends a sixth‐grade reading level for patient‐oriented education information that targets the general population . The analysis of 146 countries on educational attainment has shown that their population aged 15 years and above had an average of 7.9 years of schooling in 2010 .…”

“…However, it is not easy to find a reliable answer using Internet search engines. Numerous studies of the accuracy of medical information obtained by Internet search engines have shown that a considerable portion of such information is misleading . On the other hand, even if online materials are accurate and reliable, they are only useful when one has a clear understanding of their meaning.…”