A 2009 survey done by survey by the National Center for Health Statistics found that more than half (51%) of all Americans between the ages of 18 and 64 had looked up health information on the Internet in the preceeding year. Not surprisingly, people with chronic illnesses and disabilities are among the most avid users of Internet health sites.
As the one-on-one time doctors are able to spend with us decreases, we patients are turning more and more to the Internet for in-depth information about our health conditions. There is both a positive and a negative aspect to getting so much of our health information from the Internet. On the positive side, the ever-increasing amount of medical information available online has empowered us to take more responsibility for our health care and made us active participants in decisions related to our health care. On the negative side, there's a lot of misinformation and just plain bad advice on the Web.
Remember that anyone can start a Web site and say pretty much anything they want. So how do you tell which health sites can be trusted to have accurate information? Here are 10 key questions you should ask about any health-related Web site:
1. Who runs the site?
Most reputable sites will display the name of the company, organization or individual who runs the site on every page – not just on the homepage. There should also be an “About Us” link (usually at the bottom of the page), where you can find information about staff, board members, medical experts, etc.
2. What is the site's purpose?
You should find a mission statement or statement of purpose in the “About Us” link, but often that turns out to be a fairly general statement and may not tell you all you need to know. A brief scan of the site should give you a feel for its purpose. Are they trying to sell you a product or service? Obviously a chiropractic site is going to promote the benefits of chiropractic care. And a company that sells supplements is going to have articles about the benefits of various supplelments. That doesn't necessarily mean the information is incorrect. You just need to be aware that there is a certain degree of bias in the material you find on that site.
3. How is the site funded?
Web sites can be expensive to set up and maintain – especially those that provide a wide range of information and are reviewed by medical experts. Except for some individuals who set up a Web site as a hobby or write a personal blog to express their opinions, all Web sites have to be funded somehow. Some, like nonprofits, may ask for donations; others sell a product or service; most sell advertising space on their site. Any advertising should be easily identified, clearly labeled as such, and separated in some way from editorial content.
4. Who is responsible for content on the site?
