Increasingly, professionals and consumers alike rely on the World Wide Web as the route for seeking health and medical information. As rate of use explodes, users and health professionals in general voice quality concerns regarding health information found on the Web. These developments led to one Healthy People 2010 objective: "quality of internet health information sources," as public health officials recognize that "the potential for harm from inaccurate information . . . is significant" (p. 11-16). This presentation will provide a state-of-the-art review regarding health information seeking on the internet. The rationale includes: the diverse uses of the Web for health-related purposes (e.g., purchasing drugs, support groups, advertising, managing cases, professional consultations, and health and medical information seeking by both professionals and consumers); evidence of the magnitude of using the internet for locating health information; and the implications of the explosion of health information on the internet, both for consumers and the health care system. Reviewing literature identified via Medline, PsychInfo and Web searches, the authors will describe and discuss the implications of internet use for health information seeking, synthesize quality concerns and limitations, and identify criteria for evaluating relevant websites. Criteria will include considerations of message (e.g., information accuracy, currency), source (e.g., credibility, conflicts of interest), and design (e.g., user-friendliness, accessibility). Session participants will be able to: (1) summarize trends and implications of using and misusing the internet for health information seeking, (2) employ strategies for evaluating health information sites, and (3) identify suggested "top sites" for health information.
Learning Objectives: Session participants will be able to: (1) summarize trends and implications of using and misusing the internet for health information seeking, (2) employ strategies for evaluating health information sites, and (3) identify suggested "top sites" for health information
Keywords: Health Communications, World Wide Web
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.