Want to know how to tell good information from bad? Here are the 10 key things to look for on health Websites.Ok, it’s time for a little shameless self promotion. Myself and a team of fellow medical writers, librarians, and editors are in the process of developing a library of interactive eBooks - health ebooks - for knowitallhealth. They will be for sale for a nomimal fee, to help cover the research costs. But - each month, from November on, we’re making one eBook available featured free of charge.
This month’s eBook is on high blood pressure, and next month’s eBook covers depression. Each eBook contains lots of useful information and links to websites that focus on their subject areas. They’re designed to be the ‘get started’ guides to the conditions they cover.
One of the key bits of content in these eBooks is the 10 Tips for Finding Credible Health Information on the Internet. Because my colleagues and I research health information online all day, we know how to find credible information, and we wanted to pass the key things to look for on to you –because we know it’s not always possible to find all the information you need on one website.
So, without further ado, here are your ‘10 Tips’. I recommend printing them out and keeping them by your computer for easy reference.
1. Perhaps one of the most obvious ways to tell credible information from less reliable content is to check the Website address or URL. A Website address ending in ‘.edu,’ denotes a site developed by an educational facility such as a university. If the site address ends with a ‘.org’ it denotes an organization or association and generally, but not always, applies to a not-for-profit organization. Government Websites end in ‘.gov,’ such as http://www.cancer.gov/.
Most sites ending with ‘com’ are businesses. That is not to say that ‘coms’ are not credible. There are millions of credible commercial sites on the Web, but it might be harder to tell who, if anyone, sponsors the information on some ‘com’ sites. It is important to note that there are exceptions to the ‘com’ rule, such as http://www.mayoclinic.com/, the official health information site of the Mayo Clinic, and the Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice.
2. Credible Websites have a page that provides information about the organization and people involved with the site. Usually this information is found under the heading ‘About Us.’ Some sites do not post biographies, resumes, pictures or even names of people, as they wish to maintain personal privacy. But some information on ‘who’ and ‘why’ should be posted - it may be in the small print, but it will be there.
3. Websites should also provide their contact information—an email address or a phone number, preferably both, somewhere on the site. This is usually found by clicking a link called ‘Contact Us.’
4. If the site carries advertising or is funded or sponsored by third parties, that information should be made visible. If any of the content is sponsored, the site should state by whom.
5. The content should have a date. The date should show when it was last reviewed and whether it was medically reviewed.
6. If information on a Website did not originate on that site, the source of the information should be provided.
7. Many health information Websites, including the ‘.coms’, carry the HON code. This stands for the Health On the Net Foundation, which has a “Code of Conduct to help standardize the reliability of medical and health information on the Internet. HON has been approved by the United Nations and while it does not review Website content, it does provide rules that Website developers must honor in order to display the code on their site. These rules relate to ethical standards and presentation of information.†(Quoted from the HON Website: http://www.hon.ch/).
Another thing to look for is the seal for TRUSTe®, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting fair information practices on the Internet. Only organizations that adhere to the TRUSTe® privacy principles and agree to TRUSTe® oversight are allowed to carry the seal on their Website.
Finally, there is URAC—the largest accrediting body for healthcare organizations in the United States. URAC has a number of accreditation programs, depending on the function of the organization. To find all of the companies accredited by URAC visit: http://www.urac.org .
8. Privacy and security statements should be posted on the Website. Often they can be found under ‘Terms of Use,’ or ‘Privacy Policy.’
9. All the links on the site should be current and easily accessible.
10. Most important of all: No health information on the Web should take the place of information provided by your physician or healthcare provider. Health information on the Internet is meant to supplement the information your physician gives you — not replace it. Be wary of any Website— health related or otherwise — that asks for your personal information before you can access their information.
These cautions extend to advice received from online chat sessions or from doctors who stand in as experts on Websites. If you are getting your health information online, make sure you get a second qualified opinion, at a minimum.
Happy Searching!
Claire