How well does the Internet answer patients' questions about inflammatory bowel disease?

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Patient Education
• Digital Health

Background:

• The internet is a primary source for health information.
• Patients increasingly seek online resources for medical conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the quality of patient information on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) provided by common websites.
• To assess how well websites answer patient-specific questions about IBD.

Main Methods:

• Thirty websites were assessed using a comprehensive question list covering medical information, treatment, and self-management.
• Information quality was measured using the DISCERN and Ensuring Quality Information for Patients scales.

Main Results:

• Four websites (Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, About.com, HealthCentral, WebMD) scored highest in IBD information quality.
• Most sites adequately covered symptoms and treatments but lacked detail on prognosis, side effects, and self-management.
• Quality assessment scales indicated varying levels of information reliability.

Conclusions:

• Websites can improve by including patient-prioritized information and clearly citing sources and update dates.
• Enhancing readability and organization would benefit most health information websites.
• Greater focus on self-management content is recommended for IBD resources.