Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026
09:02
Cortical Bone Assessment Using Ultrasonic Guided Waves: A Reproducibility Study in a Healthy Population
Published on: January 31, 2025
Assessment of osteoporosis-website quality
E M Lewiecki1, L A Rudolph, G M Kiebzak
1New Mexico Clinical Research & Osteoporosis Center, 300 Oak St. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA. LEWIECKI@aol.com
Summary
A new tool helps evaluate osteoporosis websites for patient education. The study found significant quality variations, with .gov, .edu, and .org sites generally outperforming .com sites.
Area of Science:
- Medical Informatics
- Health Communication
Background:
- The internet offers vast patient education resources but risks disseminating inaccurate health information.
- Osteoporosis information is highly sought by patients online, necessitating quality assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate tools for assessing the quality of osteoporosis patient education websites.
- To identify key indicators for evaluating online health information reliability.
Main Methods:
- Developed evaluation tools with quality indicators (content, credibility, navigability, currency, readability) for healthcare professionals and patients.
- Assessed interobserver reliability and validity of the tools.
- Evaluated a sample of osteoporosis websites using the developed tools.
Main Results:
- High agreement was found between healthcare professionals (nurse educators and physicians) in quality assessments.
- Osteoporosis website quality scores varied widely (18-96), with a mean of 66.
- Websites with .gov, .edu, and .org suffixes demonstrated significantly higher quality than .com sites.
Conclusions:
- A validated tool for assessing medical website quality was successfully developed and evaluated.
- Significant variability exists in the quality of online osteoporosis information.
- The tool can aid patients in selecting reliable information and encourage developers to improve website quality.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Bone Disorders
Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
01:31Essential Minerals for Bone Health
The minerals contained in all of the food we consume are essential for our organ systems. However, certain essential minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, and fluoride, largely affect bone health.
Calcium and Phosphorus
Calcium is a critical component of bones, especially in the form of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. Since the body cannot make calcium, it must be obtained from the diet. However, calcium cannot be absorbed from the small intestine without...
Calcium and Phosphorus
Calcium is a critical component of bones, especially in the form of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. Since the body cannot make calcium, it must be obtained from the diet. However, calcium cannot be absorbed from the small intestine without...
01:31Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling
Osteoclasts are cells responsible for bone resorption and remodeling. They originate from hematopoietic progenitor cells present in the bone marrow. Numerous progenitor cells fuse to form multinucleated cells, each with 10-20 nuclei. A single osteoclast has a diameter of 150 to 200 µM. These cells have ruffled borders that break down the underlying bone tissue and release minerals such as calcium into the blood in bone resorption. Osteoclasts cling to bones with their ruffled edges during bone...
01:25Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health
The growth and maintenance of bone are regulated by a combination of nutritional factors, including vitamins, such as vitamin A, B12, C, D, and K.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
01:40Bone Remodeling
Bone remodeling is a continuous and balanced process of bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. In adults, it helps maintain bone mass and calcium homeostasis. While mechanical stress can stimulate turnover as part of the normal maintenance and reparative process, several hormones also regulate bone remodeling.
01:17Hormones and Bone Tissue
The endocrine system produces and secretes hormones, which interact with the skeletal system. These hormones control bone growth, maintain bone once it is formed, and remodel it.
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...