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Quality and readability of internet-based information on halitosis
Jung Hwan Jo1, Eui Joo Kim2, Ji Rak Kim3
1Department of Oral Medicine, Seoul National University Dental Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Insights
Online information about halitosis (bad breath) is generally low quality and poorly organized. Patients seeking information on oral malodor should consult healthcare professionals for accurate advice.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Internet-Based Health Information Quality
- Oral Health
Background:
- The internet is a primary source for health information.
- Assessing the quality of online halitosis information is crucial for patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the quality and readability of internet-based information on halitosis.
- To identify key areas for improvement in online health content.
Main Methods:
- Conducted internet searches using multiple terms for halitosis.
- Screened the first 50 websites per search term across three search engines.
- Evaluated websites using established quality criteria (HON, JAMA, DISCERN, EQIP) and readability scores (FRE).
Main Results:
- 101 websites were analyzed, showing generally low scores for quality and readability.
- Less than 50% of sites met JAMA benchmarks for attribution, disclosure, and currency.
- Higher quality scores correlated with the presence of the Health on the Net (HON) seal.
Conclusions:
- Internet-based resources on halitosis are often of low quality and poorly organized.
- Clinicians play a vital role in guiding patients to reliable information on oral malodor.
- Improvements in website transparency and content organization are needed.
Objective:
To evaluate quality and readability of Internet-based information on halitosis.
Study Design:
An Internet search through 3 engines (Google, Yahoo, and Bing) was done with the terms ("bad breath," "halitosis," "oral malodor," "foul breath," "mouth malodor," "breath malodor," "fetor ex ore," "fetor oris," "ozostomia," and "stomatodysodia"). The first 50 websites from each engine resulting from each search term were screened. Included websites were evaluated using Health on the Net (HON) criteria, Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, DISCERN, Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP), Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) score, and Flesch-Kincaid Grade level.
Results:
A total of 101 websites were included. HON, DISCERN, EQIP, and FRE score were 42.9%, 37.6%, 37.4%, and 51.9% of the maximum score, respectively. Fewer than 50% of sites displayed attribution, disclosure, and currency according to JAMA benchmarks. HON score, DISCERN score, and EQIP score had significant correlation with each other and were significantly higher in sites displaying the HON seal.
Conclusion:
The current quality and readability of informative websites on halitosis are generally low and poorly organized. Clinicians should be able to assess the Internet-based information on halitosis, as well as give accurate advice and guide patients concerning this issue.
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