Evaluating Health Information on the Web

One day you get a call from your doctor’s office about your lab tests: your cholesterol is too high. You don’t really know all the implications of this diagnosis so you go to your computer and type “high cholesterol” in Google. The results page lists more than 32 million links. A quick scan shows you sites of research centers, government agencies, sites offering natural alternatives and treatments for this condition. 

How do you make sense of all this? How do you know which sites are reliable and scientifically accurate? 

A search engine such as Google is not the best place to start. Instead, start with a source that you know provides reliable information and that can direct you to other reliable sources of information. For example, The National Library of Medicine’s Medline Plus (www.medlineplus.gov) is one of the best places to begin a search about health matters. 

Once you are on your way with your Internet search, ask these questions about each Web site you visit: 

• Does the Web site display who is responsible for the site? The site should describe the type of organization it belongs to (eg, nonprofit, government, commercial) and disclose the sources of funding. 

• Is the purpose of the Web site stated? The site’s purpose should be to provide unbiased information about the health topic, not to promote a product or treatment. 

• Does it provide a mission statement? The mission of the sponsor organization should be clearly stated and should be consistent with the site’s content. 

• Is there a way to contact the information provider or Webmaster? Different methods of contact should be available (eg, e-mail, phone, mailing address). 

Then, ask the following questions about the Web site’s content: 

• Is the information slanted in favor of the Web site’s sponsor or source of funding? Health information should be accurate and unbiased.