Systematic online academic resources (SOAR) review: Sickle cell disorders

Free open-access medical education (FOAM) resources have become highly utilized resources in emergency medicine education. However, FOAM content often lacks the traditional peer review process, leaving quality assessment to the readers. In this systematic online academic resource (SOAR) review, we apply a systematic methodology to assess the quality of FOAM resources on sickle cell disease (SCD).

We searched keywords for SCD using FOAM Search and the top 50 FOAM websites listed on the Social Media Index. Resources found were screened using inclusion/exclusion criteria, and a total of 53 resources underwent full-text quality assessment using the revised Medical Education Translational Resources Impact and Quality (rMETRIQ) tool.

The search yielded 520 resources, of which 53 met the criteria for quality assessment. A total of eight posts (15.1% of posts) were identified as high quality (rMETRIQ ≥ 16). The most commonly addressed topics within SCD topics included acute chest syndrome, acute pain crisis and general review of SCD. A total of 11 posts (21% of posts) were found to have an rMETRIQ score of less than 7, which may indicate poor quality. The most commonly identified type of resource was personalized reading (64%) and a number of posts were deemed to not have an appropriate use due to poor quality (15%).

We were able to systematically search a wide range of resources to identify, appraise, and organize FOAM resources on the topic of SCD. A final list of eight high-quality resources can guide trainees, educator recommendations, and FOAM authors.