Quality Of Internet-based Information Research Articles

A systematic review of internet-based information on dermatomyositis and polymyositis.

Patients with rheumatic diseases are increasingly using internet-based information to inform healthcare utilization and make treatment decisions. Our aim was to assess the readability and quality of internet-based information on dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM). Key words "Dermatomyositis" and "Polymyositis" were searched on 3 commonly used search engines (Google, Yahoo and Bing). The first 3 pages (~30) of search results were examined from each search engine. Readability of information was assessed using 4 readability formulae (Flesch Reading Ease Score, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, the Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook index, the Coleman-Liau index). Quality of information was assessed using the DISCERN tool, Journal of The American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria and Health on The Net Code (HoN code). We also examined Google Trends® data to determine if there were obvious temporal search patterns. Thirty-two websites were included in the study after duplicates were removed and exclusion criteria were applied. The overall quality was low including DISCERN with a median overall score of 38/80 (interquartile range 12.25), only 4/32 (13%) websites fulfilled all 4 JAMA benchmark criteria, and 9/32 (28%) had HoN code. Readability of information was assessed using 4 readability formulae (Flesch Reading Ease Score, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, the Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook index, the Coleman-Liau index. There was no obvious temporal trend in searches on analysis of Google Trends® data. The overall quality and readability of internet-based information relating to DM and PM is poor. Patients require appropriate information of high quality and readability throughout the course of their disease in order to make informed decisions on their condition including treatment.

Quality of internet-based information on obstetric anesthesia

Aim: The internet is one of the most frequently used tools to reach up to actual information. In the field of health, patients frequently search for treatment options and outcomes over the internet. In this study, the quality and reliability of the data on obstetric anesthesia were investigated.Material and Methods: The ten most frequently searched keywords for obstetric anesthesia and the first 30 search results for each word were analyzed with JAMA Benchmark Criteria and Discern score. The web sites that emerged as servers were divided into 5 classes as anesthesia associations and academic papers, public institutions, private hospitals/clinics, news and forums/personal blogs. Results: The average DISCERN score of all sites was calculated as 29.75±7.04. The quality of the information provided on the internet about obstetric anesthesia was evaluated as poor. The most common results for our keywords were provided by private hospitals (27.8%). Web sites linked to public institutions were the last to provide information (2.2%). Treatment options and benefits are the most clearly mentioned issues, while risks and treatment failure are the least addressed. According to the JAMA benchmark criterion, the majority of sites had up-to-date but unclear information.Conclusions: In obstetric anesthesia, the quality and reliability of the information provided on the internet are poor. It was concluded that the anesthesiology associations were not sufficiently involved on the internet in informing patients about obstetric anesthesia. Patients applying in health institutions should be advised that the information on the internet may not be reliable and that they should consult a specialist physician.Keywords: Obstetric anesthesia; internet-based information; DISCERN score; JAMA Benchmark criteria

Clefts of the lip and palate: is the Internet a trustworthy source of information for patients?

Great numbers of patients use the Internet to obtain information and familiarize themselves with medical conditions. However, the quality of Internet-based information on clefts of the lip and palate has not yet been examined. The goal of this study was to assess the quality of Internet-based patient information on orofacial clefts. Websites were evaluated based on the modified Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) instrument (36 items). Three hundred websites were identified using the most popular search engines. Of these, 146 were assessed after the exclusion of duplicates, irrelevant sites, and web pages in languages other than English. Thirty-four (23.2%) web pages, designed mostly by academic centres and hospitals, covered more than 22 items and were classified as high-score websites. The EQIP score achieved by websites ranged between 4 and 30, out of a total possible 36 points; the median score was 19 points. The top five high-scoring web pages are highlighted. The overall quality of Internet-based patient information on orofacial clefts is low. Also, the majority of web pages created by medical practitioners have a marketing perspective and in order to attract more patients/customers avoid mentioning the risks of the reconstructive procedures needed.

A longitudinal study of user perceptions of information quality of Chinese users of the internet

More than a half billion people use the internet in China, and the environment in which these users work, study, and play using the internet is a rapidly changing one. User perceptions of the quality of information accessed through the internet and through more traditional sources of information may shift over time as the underlying social, cultural, and political environment changes. This study reports the results of a longitudinal survey study of perceptions of information quality of young adults using the internet in China. Results suggest that perceptions of the information quality of internet-based information have shifted more from 2007 to 2012 than perceptions of traditional text sources of information. Implications of the findings for researchers, educators, and information providers are discussed.

How Information Quality and Market Turbulence Impact Convention and Visitors Bureaus’ Use of Marketing Information: Insights for Destination and Event Marketing

Information is an essential component of convention and visitors bureaus for their marketing purposes in order to make their destinations and events more attractive to visitors. During the information gathering process, tourism and event marketing directors must select relevant and credible data for successful decision-making. Based on the lack of academic research in the area of online marketing information use by convention and visitors bureaus, this study investigates what factors influence convention and visitors bureaus’ online information use for their market research. In particular, this study examines the relationships among technology change, customer change, information quality, and marketing information use with convention and visitors bureaus in the United States. Utilizing an online survey to convention and visitors bureau managers, findings from this study identify the use of Internet-based information as positively associated with the quality of Internet-based information followed by customer change and technology change. Implications for destination marketers and event marketers are included.

Does internet reporting improve the accessibility offinancial information in a global world? Acomparative study of New Zealand and Indiancompanies

The accessibility of business reporting, including financial reports on company websites is not necessarily increased by providing more information on websites. The quality of Internet-based information is affected by both the accessibility and quantity of information provided. However, the accessibility of the information is an under researched area. This paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge on web-based business reporting, by considering the dimension of accessibility in terms of website appearance and visual design from four different perspectives. The aim is to consider the differences that occur in website organisation as a way of considering the accessibility of information provided on company websites. The paper considers the differences in the accessibility of website information between New Zealand and Indian companies as a means of demonstrating the variation that can occur across countries as well as within the same reporting structure. We conclude that Internet financial reporting does provide the illusion of comparability but without a more sustained focus on the harmonisation of terminology and attributes included in Internet reporting, the potential for comparison is reduced.