Can Internet Information on Vertebroplasty be a Reliable Means of Patient Self-education?

Abstract

Background Studies of the quality and accuracy of health and medical information available on the Internet have shown that many sources provide inadequate information. However, to our knowledge, there are no published studies analyzing the quality of information available online regarding vertebroplasty. Because this has been a highvolume procedure with highly debated efficacy, it is critical that patients receive complete, accurate, and well-balanced information before deciding a treatment course. Additionally, few studies have evaluated the merit of academic site authorship or site certification on information quality, but some studies have used measurements of quality that are based primarily on subjective criteria or information accuracy rather than information completeness. Questions/purposes The purposes of our study were (1) to evaluate and analyze the information on vertebroplasty available to the general public through the Internet; (2) to see if sites sponsored by academic institutions offered a higher quality of information; and (3) to determine whether quality of information varied according to site approval by a certification body. Methods Three search engines were used to identify 105 web sites (35 per engine) offering information regarding vertebroplasty. Sites were evaluated for authorship/sponsorship, content, and references cited. Information quality was rated as ''excellent,'' ''high,'' ''moderate,'' ''low,'' or ''unacceptable.'' Sites also were evaluated for contact information to set up an appointment. Data were analyzed as a complete set, then compared between authorship types, and finally evaluated by certification status. Academic sites were compared with other authorship groups and certified sites were compared with noncertified sites using Student's t-test. Results Appropriate indications were referenced in 74% of sites, whereas only 45% discussed a contraindication to the procedure. Benefits were expressed by 100% of sites, but risks were outlined in only 53% (p \ 0.001). Ninety-nine percent of sites provided step-by-step descriptions of the procedure, and 44% of sites also included images. Alternative treatments were mentioned by 51% of sites. Twenty-seven percent of sites referenced peer-reviewed literature, 41% offered experiential or noncited data based on American populations, and 7% offered analogous data from international populations. Thirty percent of sites provided contact information for patient appointment scheduling. Seven percent of sites were classified as excellent quality, 6% as high quality, 11% as moderate quality, 19% as poor quality, and 57% as unacceptable. Sixteen percent of sites were sponsored by academic institutions, 62% by private groups, 8% by biomedical device companies, and 14% were sponsored otherwise. Academic sites reported fewer risks of the procedure than private sites or other sites (p = 0.05 and p = 0.04), but reported more risks Each author certifies that he or she, or a member of his or her immediate family, has no funding or commercial a...

Review of information technology for surgical patient care

“…[47, 48, 50] One article used author-generated criteria to grade the websites and another used the Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) tool. [46, 49]…”

“…[46-49] Mean DISCERN criteria scores ranged from 40 – 60 (out of 80) and only 4-30% of the websites bore the HONcode seal. Websites with HONcode certification had significantly higher mean DISCERN scores (58.0 v 39.8).…”

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

“…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.…”

“…Numerous studies of the accuracy of medical information obtained by Internet search engines have shown that a considerable portion of such information is misleading. [4][5][6][7][8][9] 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. Although there are many review articles and guidelines that offer scientifically proven information on the Internet, they are written for professionals and thus contain many technical terms that are not easily understood by the layperson.…”

Engagement, Empowerment and Patient Generated Health Data

“…The concerns for self-education are real, with one study showing that of 105 websites dedicated to vertebroplasty education, 19% were classified as poor quality with 57% as unacceptable (Sullivan, Anderson, Ahn, & Ahn, 2014 Finally, patients and doctors commented that finding a legitimate source for self-education was difficult and this is partly due the readability of most authoritative web pages, with current literature suggesting that of 251 web pages with information on 12 common health conditions identified across sectors, the readability of Australian sites exceeds the average Australian levels of reading (Cheng & Dunn, 2015).…”