Elderly, novice users and health information web sites: issues of accessibility and usability

The Web can provide a quick and easy way to access health information, especially for elderly users. However, these health information sites need to be accessible and usable. In spite of legislation and clear guidelines, there continues to be issues of poor accessibility and usability. Because of an aging population and the likelihood of being more susceptible to age-related impairments such as restricted vision and mobility, the severity of this problem continues to grow. This article presents the results of an exploratory study aimed at assessing the accessibility and usability of three health information Web sites for elderly novice users. The results from the study show that certain aspects of these Web sites make it difficult for elderly people to use them, especially if the users have impairments. Problematic areas are highlighted regarding usability and accessibility, and recommendations are made based on the findings.