Web-based Information Sources Research Articles

Trust and Credibility in Web-Based Health Information: A Review and Agenda for Future Research.

BackgroundInternet sources are becoming increasingly important in seeking health information, such that they may have a significant effect on health care decisions and outcomes. Hence, given the wide range of different sources of Web-based health information (WHI) from different organizations and individuals, it is important to understand how information seekers evaluate and select the sources that they use, and more specifically, how they assess their credibility and trustworthiness.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to review empirical studies on trust and credibility in the use of WHI. The article seeks to present a profile of the research conducted on trust and credibility in WHI seeking, to identify the factors that impact judgments of trustworthiness and credibility, and to explore the role of demographic factors affecting trust formation. On this basis, it aimed to identify the gaps in current knowledge and to propose an agenda for future research.MethodsA systematic literature review was conducted. Searches were conducted using a variety of combinations of the terms WHI, trust, credibility, and their variants in four multi-disciplinary and four health-oriented databases. Articles selected were published in English from 2000 onwards; this process generated 3827 unique records. After the application of the exclusion criteria, 73 were analyzed fully.ResultsInterest in this topic has persisted over the last 15 years, with articles being published in medicine, social science, and computer science and originating mostly from the United States and the United Kingdom. Documents in the final dataset fell into 3 categories: (1) those using trust or credibility as a dependent variable, (2) those using trust or credibility as an independent variable, and (3) studies of the demographic factors that influence the role of trust or credibility in WHI seeking. There is a consensus that website design, clear layout, interactive features, and the authority of the owner have a positive effect on trust or credibility, whereas advertising has a negative effect. With regard to content features, authority of the author, ease of use, and content have a positive effect on trust or credibility formation. Demographic factors influencing trust formation are age, gender, and perceived health status.ConclusionsThere is considerable scope for further research. This includes increased clarity of the interaction between the variables associated with health information seeking, increased consistency on the measurement of trust and credibility, a greater focus on specific WHI sources, and enhanced understanding of the impact of demographic variables on trust and credibility judgments.

Who Uses Online Parenting Support? A Cross-Sectional Survey Exploring Australian Parents’ Internet Use for Parenting

The need for better access to evidence-based parenting interventions is widely recognized, as few families actually participate in parenting programs. A public health approach that includes the delivery of parenting information via the Internet could increase the reach of such interventions dramatically. However, there are concerns that web-based information is not accessible by families that face the greatest barriers to accessing “traditional” face-to-face parenting support, and therefore could benefit most from online approaches. This study used a cross-sectional survey of 459 Australian parents of 2–12 year olds to investigate parents’ use of the Internet to access parenting information, and the extent to which this information is useful for parents from a range of socio-economic backgrounds. Results indicate that the majority of parents use parenting websites (65 %) and social media (45 %) for parenting information. Users of parenting websites tended to be parents of younger children. Younger age of the child was also associated with using social media, as was younger parental age, being female, not working and spending more hours online. Parents rated a range of modalities as useful for receiving parenting information, particularly seminars and individually tailored programs. Self-directed web-based programs were endorsed by 61 % of respondents. Higher-risk parents were as likely or more likely to endorse web-based information sources as lower-risk parents. As there was almost equal access to online parenting information among families from different backgrounds, we conclude that the Internet provides an exciting opportunity for delivering evidence-based parenting support to a broad range of parents, including higher-risk families.

Use of Web-Based Clinical Information Resources by the Students of Health Science Universities in Karnataka:A Study

Web-based information sources have provided an opportunity for access to medical information. In recent years online information resources have become informative, with the use of World Wide Web for medical and health applications. In this paper, an attempt has been made to study the use of clinical information resources and services available on the web by the students. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 782 students studying in 10 medical universities/deemed universities in Karnataka. The result of the study shows that majority of the students are aware of online resources. However, there is a need to improve the infrastructure provided by the universities.

Pregnancy eHealth and mHealth: user proportions and characteristics of pregnant women using Web-based information sources-a cross-sectional study.

To analyze the current proportions and characteristics of women using Internet (eHealth) and smartphone (mHealth) based sources of information during pregnancy and to investigate the influence, this information-seeking behavior has on decision-making. A cross-sectional study was conducted at two major German university hospitals. Questionnaires covering socio-demographic data, medical data and details of Internet, and smartphone application use were administered to 220 pregnant women. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. 50.7% of pregnant women were online information seekers. 22.4% used an mHealth pregnancy application. Women using eHealth information showed no specific profile, while women using mHealth applications proved to be younger, were more likely to be in their first pregnancy, felt less healthy, and were more likely to be influenced by the retrieved information. Stepwise backward regression analysis explained 25.8% of the variance of mHealth use. 80.5% of cases were classified correctly by the identified predictors. All types of Web-based information correlated significantly with decision-making during pregnancy. Pregnant women frequently use the Internet and smartphone applications as a source of information. While Web usage was a common phenomenon, this study revealed specific characteristics of mHealth users during pregnancy. Improved, medically accurate smartphone applications might provide a way to specifically target the mHealth user group. As user influenceability was of major relevance to all types of information, all medical content should be carefully reviewed by a multidisciplinary board of medical specialists.

Community dissemination and genetic research: moving beyond results reporting.

The community-based participatory research (CBPR) literature notes that researchers should share study results with communities. In the case of human genetic research, results may be scientifically interesting but lack clinical relevance. The goals of this study were to learn what kinds of information community members want to receive about genetic research and how such information should be conveyed. We conducted eight focus group discussions with Yup'ik Alaska Native people in southwest Alaska (N = 60) and 6 (N = 61) with members of a large health maintenance organization in Seattle, Washington. Participants wanted to receive genetic information they "could do something about" and wanted clinically actionable information to be shared with their healthcare providers; they also wanted researchers to share knowledge about other topics of importance to the community. Although Alaska Native participants were generally less familiar with western scientific terms and less interested in web-based information sources, the main findings were the same in Alaska and Seattle: participants wished for ongoing dialogue, including opportunities for informal, small-group conversations, and receiving information that had local relevance. Effective community dissemination is more than a matter of presenting study results in lay language. Community members should be involved in both defining culturally appropriate communication strategies and in determining which information should be shared. Reframing dissemination as a two-way dialogue, rather than a one-way broadcast, supports the twin aims of advancing scientific knowledge and achieving community benefit.

Unintended outcomes of the London 2012 Olympic Games: local voices of resistance and the challenge for sport participation leverage in England

This study was undertaken with five families before, during and after the London 2012 Olympics to examine and explore everyday reactions to the Games on families in the East Midlands region of England. The aim of the research was to build localised accounts of the multiple interpretations, potential impacts and reactions to the Olympics in everyday family household settings. The views, perceptions and interpretations of the Games were gathered through qualitative research methods, using video diaries and, pre- and post-event, group interviews. Findings from the study illustrated diverse reactions to the legacy messages, resistance to policy interpretations surrounding this mega event and a strong sense of regional and financial exclusion from the event. Lessons can be learnt for both policy-makers and event managers in the design of future events that encompass the localised perspectives of those communities and individuals who consume the event beyond direct physical participation. In particular, themes from the data included the importance of regional community involvement of national showcase events, limitations of existing media and web-based information sources, and the everyday resistance to policy messages assumed as taken for granted. It is also hoped that the study will provide lessons for the Rio 2016 Olympics from a local delivery perspective.

The Internet School of Medicine: Use of Electronic Resources by Medical Trainees and the Reliability of those Resources

Electronic sources of medical information are plentiful, and numerous studies have demonstrated the use of the Internet by patients and the variable reliability of these sources. Studies have investigated neither the use of web-based resources by residents, nor the reliability of the information available on these websites. A web-based survey was distributed to surgical residents in Michigan and third- and fourth-year medical students at an American allopathic and osteopathic medical school and a Caribbean allopathic school regarding their preferred sources of medical information in various situations. A set of 254 queries simulating those faced by medical trainees on rounds, on a written examination, or during patient care was developed. The top 5 electronic resources cited by the trainees were evaluated for their ability to answer these questions accurately, using standard textbooks as the point of reference. The respondents reported a wide variety of overall preferred resources. Most of the 73 responding medical trainees favored textbooks or board review books for prolonged studying, but electronic resources are frequently used for quick studying, clinical decision-making questions, and medication queries. The most commonly used electronic resources were UpToDate, Google, Medscape, Wikipedia, and Epocrates. UpToDate and Epocrates had the highest percentage of correct answers (47%) and Wikipedia had the lowest (26%). Epocrates also had the highest percentage of wrong answers (30%), whereas Google had the lowest percentage (18%). All resources had a significant number of questions that they were unable to answer. Though hardcopy books have not been completely replaced by electronic resources, more than half of medical students and nearly half of residents prefer web-based sources of information. For quick questions and studying, both groups prefer Internet sources. However, the most commonly used electronic resources fail to answer clinical queries more than half of the time and have an alarmingly high rate of inaccurate information.

XML and Web Technologies for Data Sciences withR

With their book XML and Web Technologies for Data Sciences with R, Deborah Nolan and Duncan Temple Lang provide an extensive introduction to the collection and processing of XML and other web data within the R programming environment. The authors pick up a remarkable development that has been taking place over the last years: We observe a rapid and profound change in what is possible in data-based science and business by exploiting new (and often web-based) sources of information. From the software perspective, R has become one of the major workhorses for modern data science work. Temple Lang has contributed several important R packages over the past years, including RCurl for network communication, XML for parsing and creating XML-style documents and RJSONIO for handling JSON content.

Transparency of Health-Apps for Trust and Decision Making

Transparency of Health-Apps for Trust and Decision Making

Accuracy and Completeness of Patient Information in Organic World-Wide Web Search for Mohs Surgery: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Multirater Study Using Consensus Criteria

Many patients obtain medical information from the Internet. Inaccurate information affects patient care and perceptions. To assess the accuracy and completeness of information regarding Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) on the Internet. Prospective cross-sectional Internet-based study reviewing 30 consecutive organic results from three U.S. urban areas on "Mohs surgery" using Google. Text was assessed using a consensus-derived rating scale that quantified necessary and additional or supplementary information about MMS, as well as wrong information. Websites were classified according to type of sponsor. Ninety-one percent of sites conveyed basic information about MMS. There was variation in the mean amount of additional information items (range 0-9) according to website type: 8.4, medical societies; 6.7, academic practices; 5.9, web-based medical information resources; 4.7, private practices; and 4.4, other (p<.001). Cumulatively, academic practices and professional societies (mean 7.42) provided more additional information than private practices and web-based sources (mean 5.11, p<.001). There were no differences based on geographic location. Wrong items included misspelling Mohs (10%), indicating that only plastic surgeons could reconstruct (7%), and noting MMS was never cost-effective (7%). High-ranking websites provide basic information about MMS. Academic practice and professional society sites provide more-comprehensive information, but private practice sites and web-based medical information sources also provide additional information.

Patient Satisfaction Scores and Their Relationship to Hospital Website Quality Measures

Hospitals and health systems are using web-based and social media tools to market themselves to consumers with increasingly sophisticated strategies. These efforts are designed to shape the consumers' expectations, influence their purchase decisions, and build a positive reputation in the marketplace. Little is known about how these web-based marketing efforts are taking form and if they have any relationship to consumers' satisfaction with the services they receive. The purpose of this study is to assess if a relationship exists between the quality of hospitals' public websites and their aggregated patient satisfaction ratings. Based on analyses of 1,952 U.S. hospitals, our results show that website quality is significantly and positively related to patients' overall rating of the hospital and their intention to recommend the facility to others. The potential for web-based information sources to influence consumer behavior has important implications for policymakers, third-party payers, health care providers, and consumers.

Perceptions of Students on Culture and Its Impact on Web-based Information Seeking at Solusi University in Zimbabwe

The objective of this study was to identify cultural implications and differences through the perceptions of postgraduate students (male and female) at Solusi University, in Zimbabwe and assess the cultural implications and cultural differences` impact on information seeking, management and evaluation in the information environment and information practices, of an institution of higher learning. Literature has shown that there are differences between the success and failure factors in the developed and developing countries with regard to the development and use of Web-based or online information sources for learning purposes in Universities. There is very little literature, and evidence of attention given to this area of study in Zimbabwe in particular. This study is build on the premise that “information seeking” is socio-culturally bounded and that the success of use of Web-based information is highly related to – if not found at, the intersection between the implied by the perceptions of students, that is, information seekers and learners and the technology applied to achieve the desired information search outcomes. The data were collected by use of an instrument of a questionnaire that was administered among postgraduate students at Solusi University, in Zimbabwe, in 2011. The data were analysed quantitatively with SPSS version17.0 for Windows using mainly cross-tabulations and Chi-squared tests. The statistically significant differences focused on the general Web-based information seeking, management and evaluation in this information environment, and information practices used within the Solusi University. The conclusions drawn from the study were that cultural differences and implications influence the seeking of Web-based learning information and that the impact of cultural differences and implications should be examined more thoroughly in future studies, which should apply both qualitative and quantitative methods.

Introductory message from the Editors.

After a period of thorough discussions and in depth preparations for a journal associated with United European Gastroenterology (UEG), we are happy and proud to present to you the first issue of the United European Gastroenterology Journal (UEG Journal). We are aware of the ever-expanding number of scientific journals and web-based sources of information in our field, but we are convinced that there is a need for this journal: a high-quality publication of clinically relevant scientific information in the field of Gastroenterology in the broad sense, with a close link to UEG. The table of content of this first issue, with its broad variety of high-level clinically relevant articles, is a good illustration of the scope and direction the journal wants to pursue. It is our ambition to develop the UEG Journal into a prime journal, with a leading status amongst researchers, clinicians and the industry. The journal will focus on clinical and human research in gastroenterology in the broad sense, which includes liver disease, biliopancreatic disease, gastrointestinal endoscopy, digestive oncology, gastrointestinal surgery, pediatric gastroenterology, nutrition and primary care aspects of gastrointestinal disease, amongst others. The journal welcomes original studies, meta-analyses or reviews on epidemiological, pathophysiological, pharmacological aspects of gastrointestinal disorders and on their diagnosis, management and outcomes. We look forward to publishing clinical trials, clinical practice guidelines and consensus documents; especially at the European level the UEG journal should be the obvious forum. We will commission and publish high-quality postgraduate teaching and excellent stat-of-the-art reviews, in line with UEG’s important role in providing postgraduate and scientific education. The journal will also publish basic research with clinical or pathophysiological implications. The key factor in deciding whether or not to accept submitted work in the journal will be the evaluation of the scientific quality and content, through a peer-review process. Success of a new journal depends on many factors, and builds on help from many different angles. The strong support and commitment from both the UEG Executive Committee and the UEG Editorial Office provide the journal with an indispensable head-start. We are very fortunate to interact with a highly dedicated and professional team from our publisher, SAGE, the largest independent biomedical publisher. The associate editors, recruited internationally based on their complementary skills and knowledge are a dynamic and enthusiastic team, with an established track record as clinical researchers. Together with the editorial board, composed of internationally leading researchers in the field of gastroenterology in the broad sense, they will shape and guard the high scientific level of journal content. The most indispensable factor in the road to success for a journal are the authors. We would like to invite you, clinical and basic scientists in our field, from inside and outside Europe, to submit your interesting findings to this journal. The UEG journal will be published bi-monthly and has a lot to offer to candidate authors. In line with the quality standards we aim for, we will provide a rapid turnover of submitted articles, with a time-to-decision of less than 2 weeks. Selected schemes and pathway figures will benefit from redrawing by a professional medical illustrator with whom the journal teamed up. The full content of the journal will be made available to all delegates of UEG week, thereby creating a readership base of more than 14000 registered participants at the 20th UEGW in Amsterdam last October. The journal will be both made freely accessible through PubMed Central and searchable on PubMed at the earliest opportunity. In addition, to authors the UEG Journal will offer a fair peer-review process, swift decision making and, in case of acceptance, rapid online publication and high visibility and accessibility of your work by your colleagues and peers. Finally, there are currently no page charges for accepted papers. We hope you will enjoy this first issue of the UEG journal and we are convinced that with your submission of high quality contributions this Journal will soon be recognized as an important Journal in what we feel is one of the most interesting and exciting areas in Medicine, Gastroenterology.

Skin and sun awareness and skin cancer prevention

It is vitally important for HCAs and APs to be knowledgeable about skin cancer and its prevention, as it is the most common cancer in the UK at present. This article describes the 3 main types of skin cancer and their prevalence, and explores who is at risk of developing skin cancer. The importance of skin and sun awareness is examined, along with the warning signs of skin cancer. The HCA/AP role in prevention is explored; this includes: skin assessment, encouraging skin awareness in others and giving appropriate advice to ‘at-risk’ individuals or groups. Current sun health promotion messages and useful sources of web-based information for both healthcare professionals and the public are also provided.

웹 기반 중국인물정보원의 현황 조사와 분석 연구

The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze the status and characteristics of Web-based biographical information sources. Hence, this study examined the current status of Web-based biographical sources in China, Taiwan, Japan, and the U.S. It also conducted a comparative analysis of family names from the subject dictionary and Biography of China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), reference books of China and the Chinese Historical Biographical Database and the China Biographical Database Project (CBDP) of the U.S. Furthermore, the problems related to status investigation and analyses of the Chinese biographical sources were studied. In this study, some suggestions were made to improve the management and usability of those biographical information sources in China and Korea.

A Snapshot of Renal Transplant Patients Using Medical Web Browsing

This study explored the pattern of Internet use by renal transplant patients in the West of Scotland. A 31-item questionnaire was used to obtain information about patient's Internet use and the relations between Internet use and sex, age, education, and health requirements. The study consists of 84 postrenal transplant patient surveys. Validation of the questionnaire showed an intraclass correlation coefficient 0.77 to 0.96 with 95% confidence interval (CI 0.75-0.99). The overall response rate was 65% (n=84/130). In all, 87% of the patients (n=73/84) had access to a computer and the Internet. And 94% of the patients (n=60/64) in age groups 21 to 60 years had access to the Internet with no difference in the access in various age subgroups, whereas 67% of the patients (n=12/18) in age group 61 to 70 years (P = .004) had Internet access. The Internet was a preferred source of health information for 70% of the patients (n=59/84) as compared to books 17% (n=14/84; P = .003) and magazines 12% (n=10/84; P = .001). Of the Internet group, 90% (n=53/59) looked up information on transplantation mostly about transplant operations (69%) and rejection (66%). Of all the patients, 85% (n=71/84) of them would like the transplant team to develop a Web site for information on transplantation and 52 (62%) would like to receive health advice by e-mail. The majority of renal transplant patients use the Internet for information on transplantation. Almost all patients under 60 years old had access to the Internet for this purpose; suggesting a trend toward the Internet as the favored way to get information. Transplant units should develop flexible, Web-based sources of transplant-related information. This would allow rapid adaptation to changes in prevalent practice, reflecting the preferences of the patient population.

Information Technologies and Ecological Site Descriptions

Just as ecological systems are dynamic, so too are the needs for managing ecological site descriptions as part of a business system. The development of information technology (IT) as a discipline has brought increased capability to represent and communicate concepts that exist in the minds of rangeland managers and scientists. IT plays an important role throughout the processes of defi ning, publishing, and marketing ecological site descriptions through the collection, analysis, storage, and mining of fi eld and supporting data. In this paper we examine the current role that IT (including recent Web-based information sources and tools) plays in the development of ecological site descriptions, as well as some of the future challenges and opportunities. Although most land management entities follow a somewhat similar data process, this example is from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which has historically managed ecological site information for public use.

The internet for self-diagnosis and prognostication in ALS

Persons with ALS, and those close to them, may use the internet to explore symptoms prior to formal diagnosis, and as a source of information about prognosis and treatment thereafter. We used an internet search engine to rank the sensitivity of a variety of symptom search terms a patient might use for the diagnosis of ALS/MND. We also studied search engine responses to questions about life expectancy and possible 'cure'. An internet search engine in relation to ALS currently lacks sensitivity, and results varied greatly with only minor differences in the search terms used. The prognostic information did not reflect the inherent heterogeneity. Results in relation to 'cure' were misleading and may promulgate false hopes. There is a need to guide those with ALS (and particularly their children) to sources of reliable web-based information in addition to open discussion.

Do your friends make you smarter?: An analysis of social strategies in online information seeking

Prior research in the social search space has focused on the informational benefits of collaborating with others during web and workplace information seeking. However, social interactions, especially during complex tasks, can have cognitive benefits as well. Our goal in this paper is to document the methods and outcomes of using social resources to help with exploratory search tasks. We used a talk-aloud protocol and video capture to explore the actions of eight subjects as they completed two “Google-hard” search tasks. Task questions were alternated between a Social and Non-Social Condition. The Social Condition restricted participants to use only social resources—search engines were not allowed. The Non-Social Condition permitted normal web-based information sources, but restricted the use of social tools. We describe the social tactics our participants used in their search process. Asking questions on social networking sites and targeting friends one-on-one both resulted in increased information processing but during different phases of the question–answering process. Participants received more responses via social networking sites but more thorough answers in private channels (one-on-one). We discuss the possibility that the technological and cultural affordances of different social–informational media may provide complementary cognitive benefits to searchers. Our work suggests that online social tools could be better integrated with each other and with existing search facilities. We conclude with a discussion of our findings and implications for the design of social search tools.

MEDLINE: A Guide to Effective Searching in PubMed and Other Interfaces

MEDLINE: A Guide to Effective Searching in PubMed and Other Interfaces