Hostname: page-component-6766d58669-76mfw Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-19T08:08:53.391Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Quality of information available on the World Wide Web for patients undergoing thyroidectomy: review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 August 2011

S Muthukumarasamy ,
Z Osmani ,
A Sharpe  and
R J A England
S Muthukumarasamy*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull, UK
Z Osmani
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull, UK
A Sharpe
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull, UK
R J A England
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr S Muthukumarasamy, Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Castle Hill Hospital, Castle Road, Cottingham, East Yorkshire, HU16 5JQ Fax: +44 (0)1482 624714 E-mail: mksamy@gmail.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction:

This study aimed to assess the quality of information available on the World Wide Web for patients undergoing thyroidectomy.

Methods:

The first 50 web-links generated by internet searches using the five most popular search engines and the key word ‘thyroidectomy’ were evaluated using the Lida website validation instrument (assessing accessibility, usability and reliability) and the Flesch Reading Ease Score.

Results:

We evaluated 103 of a possible 250 websites. Mean scores (ranges) were: Lida accessibility, 48/63 (27–59); Lida usability, 36/54 (21–50); Lida reliability, 21/51 (4–38); and Flesch Reading Ease, 43.9 (2.6–77.6).

Conclusion:

The quality of internet health information regarding thyroidectomy is variable. High ranking and popularity are not good indicators of website quality. Overall, none of the websites assessed achieved high Lida scores. In order to prevent the dissemination of inaccurate or commercially motivated information, we recommend independent labelling of medical information available on the World Wide Web.

Keywords

ThyroidectomyInternetPatientsConsumer Health InformationComprehension

Information

Type
Review Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 126 , Issue 2 , February 2012 , pp. 116 - 119
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1Main procedures and interventions: summary. In: http://www.hesonline.nhs.uk/Ease/servlet/ContentServer?siteID=1937&categoryID=204 [10 April 2010]Google Scholar
2Godwin, Y. Do they listen? A review of information retained by patients following consent for reduction mammoplasty. Br J Plast Surg 2000;53:121–5Google ScholarPubMed
3The LIDA Instrument (full version 1.2). In: http://www.minervation.com/mod_product/LIDA/minervalidation.pdf [6 April 2010]Google Scholar
4The Skills for Life survey; A national needs and impact survey of literacy, numeracy and ICT skills, 2003.In: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/rr490.pdf [10 April 2010]Google Scholar
5Flesch, R. A new readability yardstick. J Appl Psychol 1948;32:221–33CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6Silberg, WM, Lundberg, GD, Musacchio, RA. Assessing, controlling, and assuring the quality of medical information on the internet: caveant lector et viewor – let the reader and viewer beware. JAMA 1997;277:1244–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Chalmers, I. Invalid health information is potentially lethal. BMJ 2001;322:998Google ScholarPubMed
8Neilson's Net ratings. In: http://en-us.nielsen.com/rankings/insights/rankings/internet [10 April 2010]Google Scholar
9Flesch–Kincaid Readability Test. In: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flesch%E2%80%93Kincaid_readability_test [11 April 2010]Google Scholar
10The principles of readability. National adult Literacy database 2004. In: http://www.nald.ca/fulltext/readab/readab.pdf [11 April 2010]Google Scholar
11Complications of thyroid surgery. Emedicine from WebMD 2010. In: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/852184-overview [14 April 2010]Google Scholar
12Life after thyroid surgery. In: http://cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk.org/type/thyroid-cancer/living/life-after-thyroid-surgery [14 April 2010]Google Scholar
13Get well soon, helping you make a speedy recovery after a thyroidectomy. http://www.rcseng.ac.uk/patient_information/return-to-work/thyroidectomy [14 April 2010]Google Scholar
14Wyatt, JC. Commentary: measuring quality and impact of the World Wide Web. BMJ 1997;314:1879–81CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15Impicciatore, P, Pandolfini, C, Casells, N, Bonati, M. Reliability of health information for the public on the World Wide Web: a systematic survey of advice on managing fever in children at home. BMJ 1997;314:1875–81CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16Sheppard, S, Charnock, D, Gann, B. Helping patients access high quality information. BMJ 1999;319:764–6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17Eysenbach, G, Diepgen, TL. Towards quality management of medical information on the internet: evaluation, labelling, and filtering of information. BMJ 1998;317:1496–500CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed