A Comprehensive Assessment of Cleft Lip and Palate Websites and Patient Education Information

The objective of this study is to evaluate online educational resources on cleft lip and palate teams.

A Cross-Sectional Study.

An International, Multi-Institutional Study.

All American Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Association-approved teams with websites.

None.

Websites were assessed for patient education and support content. Affiliation between presence of materials and U.S. Newsweek Top 100 Hospitals was also assessed.

187 teams were included. Presence of educational videos were available in 29.4% of websites, educational infographics in 18.2%, written materials in 66.8%, perioperative instructions in 19.3%, diagnosis information in 34.8% and treatment information in 63.1%. Information on team members were available on 77.0% of websites, resources in languages other than English in 38.5%, and support group resources in 25.7%. Cleft lip and palate diagnosis information was significantly associated with geographic region, with the largest impact from the West region (P = .03). There was a significant difference between teams affiliated with U.S. Newsweek Top 100 hospitals: Top 100 hospitals had a higher presence of educational infographics, perioperative instructions, definitions, diagnosis, and treatment (P < .01). There was no significant difference between presence of educational videos (P = .37).

While many websites had basic educational materials, very few included detailed information on peri-operative planning, as well as additional forms of information including videos, infographics, and non-English languages. Providing comprehensive patient education materials online is an important supplement for patients with cleft lip and palate and should be prioritized by cleft teams.