The quality of Internet sites providing information relating to hip resurfacing

To establish the accuracy of information available on the Internet regarding hip resurfacing.

The top 100 sites found in response to the query 'hip resurfacing' using Google were assessed for quality using the DISCERN instrument and the JAMA benchmarks.

Of the top 100 sites found, only 30 were relevant, available and unique. Of these only six (20%) scored highly for overall quality; however, ten (33%) sites achieved the lowest possible score. Risks and complications were not commonly presented nor were results of surgery. In one case, results presented were grossly misleading.

The use of the Internet to directly market specific products to the public raises the concern that patients are not always fully informed. The quality of health information on the Internet relating to hip resurfacing is of frequently poor and variable quality. Eighty per cent of the sites that we assessed had serious shortcomings.