Tips for Evaluating Health Care Information on the Internet
The Internet is a great consumer health resource because it’s an easily accessible place to spread and share information. However, a drawback of the Internet is that anyone can post information, regardless of the author’s qualifications and the accuracy or timeliness of the information. We’ve compiled a list of questions and tips that you can use to evaluate websites to help determine whether they are reliable and reputable sources of health information.
Author
1) Who created the website? Web Tip: Search for About Us
or Help links and look at the URL for hints. If there are no
individuals, biographies, or credentials listed, this is a red flag!
2) Can I contact the website creators with questions or
feedback? Web Tip: Find Contact information, Email addresses,
and/or Help section. If there is no contact information, this is a
red flag!
Accuracy
3) What is the purpose of the web site? Web Tip: Find the
Mission or Purpose Statement. Consider the advertisements
and tone of writing.
Is the intent to sell a product, express opinions, or provide
information?
4) Who is the website’s intended audience? Web Tip: Think
about the design and writing style.
5) Is the information biased or objective? Web Tip: Examine for
funding disclosures and advertising. Look for persuasive tone or
product promotion.
Timeliness
6) Is the website up to date? Web Tip: Look for Last Updated or
Update date, Creation date, Copyright or other date.
7) Are the links current or broken? Web Tip: Test out several
links to see if they work.
Read the original here:Tips for Evaluating Health Care Information on the Internet – Hometown Focus.
