Information Quality Assessment Research Articles

Battle of the bots: a comparative analysis of ChatGPT and bing AI for kidney stone-related questions.

To evaluate and compare the performance of ChatGPT™ (Open AI®) and Bing AI™ (Microsoft®) for responding to kidney stone treatment-related questions in accordance with the American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines and assess factors such as appropriateness, emphasis on consulting healthcare providers, references, and adherence to guidelines by each chatbot. We developed 20 kidney stone evaluation and treatment-related questions based on the AUA Surgical Management of Stones guideline. Questions were asked to ChatGPT and Bing AI chatbots. We compared their responses utilizing the brief DISCERN tool as well as response appropriateness. ChatGPT significantly outperformed Bing AI for questions 1-3, which evaluate clarity, achievement, and relevance of responses (12.77 ± 1.71 vs. 10.17 ± 3.27; p < 0.01). In contrast, Bing AI always incorporated references, whereas ChatGPT never did. Consequently, the results for questions 4-6, which evaluated the quality of sources, were consistently favored Bing AI over ChatGPT (10.8 vs. 4.28; p < 0.01). Notably, neither chatbot offered guidance against guidelines for pre-operative testing. However, recommendations against guidelines were notable for specific scenarios: 30.5% for the treatment of adults with ureteral stones, 52.5% for adults with renal stones, and 20.5% for all patient treatment. ChatGPT significantly outperformed Bing AI in terms of providing responses with clear aim, achieving such aim, and relevant and appropriate responses based on AUA surgical stone management guidelines. However, Bing AI provides references, allowing information quality assessment. Additional studies are needed to further evaluate these chatbots and their potential use by clinicians and patients for urologic healthcare-related questions.

The empowering role of health literacy in combatting fake news, misinformation and infodemics

Abstract Background In times of the rapid digital transformation, people need to acquire specific knowledge, skills and attitudes to deal with data, digital information and technology. Such skills are particularly important in times of crisis, as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown. Alongside the pandemic, a so called “infodemic” has emerged, i.e., an overabundance of information, accompanied by misinformation, which impedes sound decision-making processes, affects health literacy (HL) and impacts public health. However, while misinformation poses a well-known threat to our health and well-being, we still lack viable concepts and approaches to satisfactorily solving this issue. Thus, we aimed at reviewing the concept of HL in view of the infodemic and health-related challenges. Methods In a 12-month participatory process in Switzerland in 2023, we investigated the empowering role of HL in light of the polycrisis. On behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, we conducted a literature review on existing HL definitions. Then, we conducted 6 expert interviews and 2 focus group interviews with other 10 experts in HL and associated domains, which guided and informed the review process. Results As a result, HL can be understood as a bundle of competencies to proactively deal with health-related information, services, and challenges and thereby empowers people to manage their and other’s health and well-being. Thus, HL empowers people to better manage digital information and services and promotes critical thinking. This in turn is necessary to assess information quality, uncover misinformation and to adequately manage health data and information. Conclusions HL represents a crucial prerequisite for individuals, professionals, and decision-makers to find trustworthy health information, to reflect upon the quality and credibility of sources and content, and to understand the complex interrelations of the determinants of health and is therefore crucial for public health. Key messages • Health literacy empowers people to adequately deal with fake news, misinformation and infodemics. • Strengthening health literacy offers great potential for public health to promote critical thinking and to rebuild trust.

Assessment of reliability and information quality of youtube videos about dietary recommendations for irritable bowel syndrome

Assessment of reliability and information quality of youtube videos about dietary recommendations for irritable bowel syndrome

System interoperability and data linkage in the era of health information management: A bibliometric analysis.

Background: Across the world, health data generation is growing exponentially. The continuous rise of new and diversified technology to obtain and handle health data places health information management and governance under pressure. Lack of data linkage and interoperability between systems undermines best efforts to optimise integrated health information technology solutions. Objective: This research aimed to provide a bibliometric overview of the role of interoperability and linkage in health data management and governance. Method: Data were acquired by entering selected search queries into Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science databases and bibliometric data obtained were then imported to Endnote and checked for duplicates. The refined data were exported to Excel, where several levels of filtration were applied to obtain the final sample. These sample data were analysed using Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Washington, USA), WORDSTAT (Provalis Research, Montreal, Canada) and VOSviewer software (Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands). Results: The literature sample was retrieved from 3799 unique results and consisted of 63 articles, present in 45 different publications, both evaluated by two specific in-house global impact rankings. Through VOSviewer, three main clusters were identified: (i) e-health information stakeholder needs; (ii) e-health information quality assessment; and (iii) e-health information technological governance trends. A residual correlation between interoperability and linkage studies in the sample was also found. Conclusion: Assessing stakeholders' needs is crucial for establishing an efficient and effective health information system. Further and diversified research is needed to assess the integrated placement of interoperability and linkage in health information management and governance. Implications: This research has provided valuable managerial and theoretical contributions to optimise system interoperability and data linkage within health information research and information technology solutions.

Evaluation of the Quality and Readability of Web-Based Information Regarding Foreign Bodies of the Ear, Nose, and Throat: Qualitative Content Analysis.

Foreign body (FB) inhalation, ingestion, and insertion account for 11% of emergency admissions for ear, nose, and throat conditions. Children are disproportionately affected, and urgent intervention may be needed to maintain airway patency and prevent blood vessel occlusion. High-quality, readable online information could help reduce poor outcomes from FBs. We aim to evaluate the quality and readability of available online health information relating to FBs. In total, 6 search phrases were queried using the Google search engine. For each search term, the first 30 results were captured. Websites in the English language and displaying health information were included. The provider and country of origin were recorded. The modified 36-item Ensuring Quality Information for Patients tool was used to assess information quality. Readability was assessed using a combination of tools: Flesch Reading Ease score, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning-Fog Index, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook. After the removal of duplicates, 73 websites were assessed, with the majority originating from the United States (n=46, 63%). Overall, the quality of the content was of moderate quality, with a median Ensuring Quality Information for Patients score of 21 (IQR 18-25, maximum 29) out of a maximum possible score of 36. Precautionary measures were not mentioned on 41% (n=30) of websites and 30% (n=22) did not identify disk batteries as a risky FB. Red flags necessitating urgent care were identified on 95% (n=69) of websites, with 89% (n=65) advising patients to seek medical attention and 38% (n=28) advising on safe FB removal. Readability scores (Flesch Reading Ease score=12.4, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level=6.2, Gunning-Fog Index=6.5, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook=5.9 years) showed most websites (56%) were below the recommended sixth-grade level. The current quality and readability of information regarding FBs is inadequate. More than half of the websites were above the recommended sixth-grade reading level, and important information regarding high-risk FBs such as disk batteries and magnets was frequently excluded. Strategies should be developed to improve access to high-quality information that informs patients and parents about risks and when to seek medical help. Strategies to promote high-quality websites in search results also have the potential to improve outcomes.

Reliability-based metrics for structural health monitoring information quality assessment

Reliability-based metrics for structural health monitoring information quality assessment

Quality and Readability of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Prevention-Related Websites.

This cross-sectional website analysis aimed to determine the readability and quality of English and Spanish websites pertaining to the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss. Cross-sectional website analysis. Various online search engines. We queried four popular search engines using the term "noise-induced hearing loss prevention" to reveal the top 50 English and top 50 Spanish websites for data collection. Websites meeting inclusion criteria were stratified based on the presence of a Health on the Net Code certificate (independent assessment of honesty, reliability, and quality). Websites were then independently reviewed by experts using the DISCERN criteria in order to assess information quality. Readability was calculated using the Flesch reading ease score for English and the Fernandez-Huerta formula for Spanish websites. Thirty-six English websites and 32 Spanish websites met the inclusion criteria. English websites had significantly lower readability (average = 56.34, SD = 11.17) compared to Spanish websites (average = 61.88, SD = 5.33) (P < .05). Spanish websites (average = 37, SD = 8.47) were also of significantly higher quality than English websites (average = 25.13, SD = 10.11). This study emphasizes the importance of providing quality and readable materials to patients seeking information about noise-induced hearing loss prevention. All of the English and Spanish websites reviewed were written at a level higher than the American Medical Association-recommended sixth-grade reading level. The study also highlights the need for evidence-based information online provided by experts in our field.

A Quality and Completeness Assessment of Testicular Cancer Health Information on TikTok

TikTok has become a hub for easily accessible medical information. However, the quality and completeness of this information for testicular cancer has not been examined. Our study aims to assess the quality and completeness of testicular cancer information on TikTok. A search was performed on TikTok using the search terms “Testicular Cancer” and “Testicle Cancer”. Inclusion criteria encompassed videos about testicular cancer in English. We excluded non-English videos, irrelevant videos, and videos without audio. We evaluated these videos using the DISCERN instrument and a completeness assessment. A total of 361 videos were considered for screening and 116 videos were included. Of these, 57 were created by healthcare professionals (HCPs). The median video length was 40 s (5–277 s), with &gt;25 million cumulative views and a median of 446,400 views per video. The average DISCERN score was 29.0 ± 5.7, with HCPs providing higher-quality videos than non-HCPs (30.8 vs. 5.5, p &lt; 0.05). HCPs also had more reliable videos (21.2 vs. 18.1, p &lt; 0.05). Overall quality levels were mostly poor or very poor (97.4%), with none being good or excellent. Most HCP videos were poor (63.2%), whilst many non-HCP videos were very poor (61.0%). The most viewed video had 2,800,000 views but scored a 31 on the DISCERN tool and one on the completeness assessment. The highest DISCERN score had 11,700 views. HCP videos better defined the disease and were more complete (p &lt; 0.05). Most videos discussed self-assessment but were lacking in definitions, risk factors, symptoms, evaluation, management, and outcomes. Most of TikTok’s testicular cancer information lacks quality and completeness, whilst higher-quality videos have limited reach.

#PapSmear on TikTok: User Sentiments and Health Information [ID 2683630

INTRODUCTION: TikTok has emerged as a leading social media platform, with many users using the app for educational purposes, including for discussions about obstetrics and gynecology. We assessed tone, content, and quality of health information of TikTok videos tagged with #PapSmear. METHODS: One hundred videos tagged with #PapSmear on TikTok were collected using the data-scraping program, Apify (Prague, Czech Republic). Videos were extracted with their number of views, likes, comments, and shares, and analyzed for tone, themes, creator demographics and health information quality. Two modified standardized scales were used: DISCERN, for health information quality and Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT), for understandability and actionability. RESULTS: We reviewed 93 of 100 videos tagged with #PapSmear. Videos received 237 million views, 19 million likes, and 241 thousand comments in total. Videos were coded as positive (26.9%), negative (37.6%), and neutral (35.5%). Medical professionals created most of the positive videos (68.0%), whereas most negative video creators were not medical professionals (91.4%). Nearly half of positive videos were educational (48.0%), and most negative videos recounted personal patient experiences (60.0%). Videos scored high on understandability (average 73.4%, SD 16.3%) but low on actionability (average 31.9%, SD 34.1%) and quality of health information (2.12, SD 0.4). CONCLUSION: There is a discrepancy in tone between patients and medical professionals in videos tagged with #PapSmear. Videos with educational material were easy to understand, but provided low-quality health information and did not effectively highlight opportunities for patient action. Negative influence from TikTok should be considered in patient–provider communication about Pap smears.

The Triangulated Influence Of Electronic Word Of Mouth (eWOM) Information On Consumer Purchase Intention: A Conceptual Paper

In the contemporary digital era, consumer decision-making processes have evolved significantly in response to the proliferation of information sources. This conceptual paper explores the intricate nexus between information credibility, valence information, information quality, and resultant consumer purchase intention across diverse industry domains. Recognizing the pivotal role of consumer perceptions in shaping buying decisions, this paper aims to elucidate the conceptual framework governing these variables. Through a comprehensive literature synthesis and theoretical analysis, this paper endeavours to delineate the interconnections among information credibility, valence content, and information quality, elucidating their collective influence on consumer decision-making. By proposing a conceptual framework that integrates these variables, this paper aims to offer a conceptual roadmap for understanding how consumers perceive and evaluate information credibility, react to valence content, and assess information quality, culminating in their purchasing behaviours across industry sectors. This conceptual exploration aims to lay the foundation for future empirical investigations and strategic business approaches, facilitating a deeper comprehension of the intricate dynamics guiding consumer behaviour in the digital age.

Risk Management in Agile Al/Ml Projects: Identifying and Mitigating Data and Model Risks

Purpose: This study addresses the crucial challenge of managing risks associated with data and models in Agile Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) projects. It aims to develop a systematic framework for effective risk control utilizing agile methodologies. Methodology: The research is grounded in an interpretivist approach and utilizes a deductive method. It constructs a comprehensive framework for identifying and mitigating risks, integrating risk management seamlessly into Agile processes for AI and ML development. Findings: The study introduces four technological themes critical for risk mitigation: dynamic distribution of resources, model robustness, risk integration, and quality assessment of information. These themes provide actionable strategies for reducing risks throughout the Agile AI/ML development lifecycle, ensuring that risk assessment and mitigation are integral to project planning and execution. Unique contribution to theory, practice, and policy: The study contributes to both theory and practice by offering a detailed, actionable framework for risk management in Agile AI/ML projects. It advocates for the adoption of adaptive technologies and tools, continuous stakeholder engagement, and adherence to ethical standards. Recommendations include validation of the framework through empirical research and ongoing longitudinal evaluations to adapt and refine risk management practices. This approach aims to enhance the reliability and efficiency of project outputs in dynamic environments, providing a significant foundation for policy development in technology project management.

The structure assessment web server: for proteins, complexes and more.

The 'structure assessment' web server is a one-stop shop for interactive evaluation and benchmarking of structural models of macromolecular complexes including proteins and nucleic acids. A user-friendly web dashboard links sequence with structure information and results from a variety of state-of-the-art tools, which facilitates the visual exploration and evaluation of structure models. The dashboard integrates stereochemistry information, secondary structure information, global and local model quality assessment of the tertiary structure of comparative protein models, as well as prediction of membrane location. In addition, a benchmarking mode is available where a model can be compared to a reference structure, providing easy access to scores that have been used in recent CASP experiments and CAMEO. The structure assessment web server is available at https://swissmodel.expasy.org/assess.

Advanced Linguistic Complex T-Spherical Fuzzy Dombi-Weighted Power-Partitioned Heronian Mean Operator and Its Application for Emergency Information Quality Assessment

Against the background of a major change in the world unseen in a century, emergencies with high complexity and uncertainty have had serious impacts on economic security and sustainable social development, making emergency management an important issue that needs to be urgently resolved, and the quality assessment of emergency information is a key link in emergency management. To effectively deal with the uncertainty of emergency information quality assessment, a new fuzzy multi-attribute assessment method is proposed in this paper. First, we propose the linguistic complex T-spherical fuzzy set (LCT-SFS), which can deal with two-dimensional problems and cope with situations in which assessment experts cannot give quantitative assessments. Then, the advanced linguistic complex T-spherical fuzzy Dombi-weighted power-partitioned Heronian mean (ALCT-SFDWPPHM) operator, which incorporates the flexibility of Dombi operations, is proposed. The partitioned Heronian mean (PHM) operator can consider attribute partitioning and attribute correlation, the power average (PA) operator can eliminate the effect of evaluation singularities, and the advanced operator can circumvent the problem of consistent or indistinguishable aggregation results, which provides a strong comprehensive advantage in the evaluating information aggregation. Finally, a fuzzy multi-attribute assessment model is constructed by combining the proposed operator with the WASPAS method and applied to the problem of assessing the quality and sensitivity of emergency information; qualitative and quantitative comparison analyses are carried out. The results show the method proposed in this paper has strong feasibility and validity and can represent uncertainty assessment more flexibly while providing reasonable and reliable results. The method can provide new ideas and methods for the quality assessment of emergency information, and promoting sustainable, efficient, and high-quality development of emergency management.

Exploring the Learner Information System (LIS): A Usability Assessment on Enhanced Facility for Educators

A Learner Information System (LIS) is a web- based tool that serves as a database for all students enrolled in basic education. The department implemented several facility enhancements to address identified problems with enrolling students, updating their profiles and statuses, and generating reports. However, to determine whether the system's facility augmentation is effective, it is crucial to look at the system's usability from the viewpoint of the end- user. This study aims to evaluate users’ usability assessment of system quality, information quality, and interface quality of the system. A survey-type study that utilized a mixed method and adopted the Lewis Computer System Usability Questionnaire (CSUQ) with 19 questions and used a 7-point Likert scale. The study used convenience sampling of 30 out of 54 junior and senior high school teacher-advisers. The result of the study indicates that the responses have a positive perception of the three main factors of system usability assessment. The result also shows that only the information quality indicator significantly affects the length of service. Overall, the respondents were satisfied with their user’s experience on the LIS.

Quality and Readability Assessment of Web-based Arabic Health Information on Early Childhood Caries.

Patients are increasingly using the internet for searching health-related information. However, the quality and readability of the information available on the internet need to be assessed. To date, no study has assessed the quality and readability of web-based Arabic health information on early childhood caries. To evaluate the quality and readability of patient-oriented online Arabic health information regarding early childhood caries. For this infodemiological study, the Google and Yahoo search engines were searched using specific Arabic terms for early childhood caries, and the top 100 searches from both search engines were considered. Eligible websites were categorized in terms of affiliation as commercial, health portal, dental practice, professional, and journalism. The quality of the websites was assessed using the QUality Evaluation Scoring Tool (QUEST), and readability using the Gunning Fog index (GFI). A total of 140 websites were included after applying the exclusion criteria, of which 50.7% websites were of journalism. The majority of the websites (70%) had an overall low-quality level, with a QUEST score <10. The quality of websites retrieved from Google searches was of significantly higher quality than those from Yahoo (P < 0.0001). More than half (51.4%) of the websites had good readability, with a GFI score ≤8. Journalism websites had a significantly higher proportion of websites with poor readability level (62%) compared with other affiliations (P = 0.0072). The web-based Arabic information regarding early childhood caries is currently of low quality and moderate readability level, thereby indicating a need for improving such patient-facing content.

Quality assessment of available Internet information on early orthodontic treatment

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the content, reliability, quality and readability of information on Internet websites about early orthodontic treatment.MethodsThe “early orthodontic treatment” search term was individually entered into four web search engines. The content quality and reliability were reviewed with DISCERN, Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), and Health on the Net code (HONcode) tools using the contents of websites meeting predetermined criteria. The readability of websites was evaluated with Flesch Reading Facilitate Score (FRES) and Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL).ResultsEighty-six websites were suitable for inclusion and scoring of the 200 websites. 80.2% of websites belonged to orthodontists, 15.1% to multidisciplinary dental clinics and 4.7% to professional organizations. The mean DISCERN score of all websites (parts 1 and 2) was 27.98/75, ranging between 19 and 67. Professional organization websites had the highest scores for DISCERN criteria. Moreover, 45.3% of websites were compatible with JAMA’s disclosure criterion, 7% with the currency criterion, 5.8% with the authorship criterion and 5.8% with the attribution criterion. Only three websites met all JAMA criteria, and these websites belonged to professional organizations. None of the websites had the HONcode logo. Mean FRES and FKGL were 47.6 and 11.6, respectively.ConclusionsThe quality of web-based information about early orthodontic treatment is poor, and readability is insufficient. More accurate and higher quality Internet sources are required on the web.

Health Information Quality of Online Newspaper Articles in Korea.

The Web is an important source of health information, but the quality of such online information is highly variable. This study evaluates the quality of health articles published on Naver News, Korea's most popular portal, using the Health Information Quality Assessment Tool (HIQUAL). We collected 712 health-related articles published on Naver News from May 1 to 7, 2023. After applying exclusion criteria, we selected 116 articles for analysis. Two clinicians independently assessed the quality of these articles using the HIQUAL, which scores articles based on five domains: "reliability," "usefulness," "understandability," "sufficiency," and "transparency." Overall article quality was generally considered recommendable (mean±standard deviation: 7.52±2.00). "Usefulness," one item of "reliability," and "understandability" were the three items with the highest levels of satisfaction. "Sufficiency" criteria for costs, risks, and benefits received low scores. Quality scores for articles focused on health risk factors and intervention showed a statistically significant difference. While the overall quality of health information in Korean online newspaper articles is acceptable, room for improvement remains in some areas, particularly with regard to the fair presentation of costs, risks, and benefits. The study highlights the need for ongoing quality improvement and evaluation initiatives for online health information.

Credibility of EWOM and Consumer Satisfaction on Food/Health Supplement Products during the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the pandemic, many information about the function of various food and health supplement products for prevention/recovery from Covid-19 infection circulated through EWOM (electronic word of mouth), which was believed by consumers, even though not all of them were proven to be true. This study aims to examine the role of perceived EWOM credibility on consumer satisfaction with food/health supplement products during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theoretical framework guiding this research is Source Credibility Theory, which provides a lens to examine how the credibility of EWOM sources affects consumer satisfaction. The participants were 103 people aged 19-25 years who had purchased and consumed food/health supplement products during the COVID-19 pandemic and had read EWOM about information/reviews of the products they consumed. Participants filled out a questionnaire that measured their perceived EWOM credibility and consumer satisfaction. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results showed that perceived EWOM credibility positively influenced consumer satisfaction. Aspects of perceived EWOM credibility, included argument quality and homophily had a significant influence on consumer satisfaction. The quality of arguments positively contributes to enhancing customer satisfaction, whereas homophily, on the other hand, has a negative impact. Consequently, a heightened perception of EWOM credibility, particularly concerning the quality of argument presented directly correlated with increased participant satisfaction with the food/health supplement products they had consumed. The findings of this study hold practical implications for the promotion of food and health supplements, emphasizing the significance of EWOM credibility. Additionally, the results underscore the importance of fostering information literacy among consumers in this domain. For instance, strategies could include the dissemination of infographics illustrating methods to assess information quality and discern genuine information from hoaxes. On the other hand, relying solely on information based on shared backgrounds does not fully support the attainment of satisfaction in consumption.

Quality assessment of online patient information on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy using the modified Ensuring Quality Information for Patients tool.

Websites and online resources are increasingly becoming patients' main source of healthcare information. It is paramount that high quality information is available online to enhance patient education and improve clinical outcomes. Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopy is the gold standard investigation for UGI symptoms and yet little is known regarding the quality of patient orientated websites. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of online patient information on UGI endoscopy using the modified Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) tool. Ten search terms were employed to conduct a systematic review. for each term, the top 100 websites identified via a Google search were assessed using the modified EQIP tool. High scoring websites underwent further analysis. Websites intended for professional use by clinicians as well as those containing video or marketing content were excluded. A total of 378 websites were eligible for analysis. The median modified EQIP score for UGI endoscopy was 18/36 (interquartile range: 14-21). The median EQIP scores for the content, identification and structure domains were 8/18, 1/6 and 9/12 respectively. Higher modified EQIP scores were obtained for websites produced by government departments and National Health Service hospitals (p=0.007). Complication rates were documented in only a fifth (20.4%) of websites. High scoring websites were significantly more likely to provide balanced information on risks and benefits (94.6% vs 34.4%, p<0.001). There is an immediate need to improve the quality of online patient information regarding UGI endoscopy. The currently available resources provide minimal information on the risks associated with the procedure, potentially hindering patients' ability to make informed healthcare decisions.

Assessment of Financial Information Quality: Evidence from Tunisian Context

The present paper aims at assessing the financial information quality within Tunisian firms. We analyzed a sample annual data of 78 financial and non-financial Tunisian listed companies. We use the level of discretionary accruals and if the firm restate its financial statement or not as proxies of financial information quality. Our main results show that the financial information quality is globally low. We note a high level of discretionary accruals within financial firms compared to non-financial pears. We also find that financial firms are less likely to restate their financial statements compared to those of non-financial firms.