Information About Male Chronic Pelvic and Urogenital Pain on the Internet: An Evaluation of Internet Resources

Abstract

The objective of this study was to describe and evaluate the Internet resources available to patients searching for information about chronic urogenital/pelvic pain. As far as possible, we applied systematic review methods to search, retrieve, sort, and critique Websites, using common search engines and terms in the English language. Evaluation from a patient viewpoint focused particularly on the quality of explanations for chronic urogenital/pelvic pain in men, and on the psychological content of the Websites. While the 23 Websites reviewed were generally accessible and open, authorial attribution was largely missing and the nomenclature were inconsistent and confusing. Explanations of chronic pain were diverse and often inaccurate or only partially accurate; none represented current neurophysiologic models of chronic pain. Eight described psychological aspects of pain, five in a simple way and three with more complexity, but only one approximated a contemporary biopsychosocial model. As in other areas of chronic pain, there is a wealth of information available online, but much is of poor quality, and taken together, is likely to confuse more than enlighten patients attempting to understand male urogenital/pelvic pain symptoms or supplement information from health care professionals.