Consumer Health Information Web Sites: the State of the Art

1. Consumer Health Information Web Sites: the State of the Art A snapshot analysis of Consumer Health web sites Andrea M. Ketchum, MLIS, AHIPUniversity of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Library SystemMay 24, 2004

2. Background • Preparation for update and redesign of HSLS Consumer Health Information web site. • Literature search found no previous analyses • Survey performed to • Identify prevalent format and content of existing sites • Brainstorm • Clarify goals for redesign

3. Methods Survey of 33 Consumer Health web sites • Google search • University AND “Consumer Health Information” • 33 web sites selected from first 10 pages • Academic centers • Public libraries • Hospital libraries • 16 US states and Canada represented • Snapshot date: November 6, 2002 • Web sites analyzed for • Structure • Content

4. Aetna, InteliHealth: Harvard Medical School's Consumer Health Information http://www.intelihealth.com/ Arizona Health Sciences Library, Consumer Health - MultFind Results http://www.ahsl.arizona.edu Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library, Columbia University, Consumer Medicine http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/library/subguides/consumer.html Charlottesville (VA) Community Web, Consumer Health http://hsc.virginia.edu/hs-library/outreach/consumer.html Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System, Consumer Health http://www.cclslib.org/consumerhealth.html Cooper Health System, Medical Library http://cooperhealth.medicallibrary.medem.com/medlib_entry.cfm?m1=http://cooperhealth&flag=geturl Crozer-Keystone Health System, Crozer-Keystone Virtual Library http://www.crozer.org/Crozer/Health+Information/default.htm 33 Consumer Health Information Web Sites

5. Dartmouth Biomedical Libraries, Consumer Health Resources http://www.dartmouth.edu/~biomed/resources.htmld/conshealth.htmld/ Duke University Medical Center Library, Consumer/Patient Health Information http://www.mclibrary.duke.edu/respub/refres/consumer.html Emory Health Sciences Center Library, Emory MedWeb Subject Index for Consumer Health http://www.medweb.emory.edu/MedWeb Exempla Lutheran Medical Center, Consumer Health Libraries http://www.saintjosephdenver.org/yourhealth/libraries/ Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library/ New Haven Free Public Library, Consumer Health Information Network http://www.nhfpl.lib.ct.us/healthnetwork/ Indiana University School of Law, Consumer Information http://www.iulaw.indy.indiana.edu/programs/CLH/consumerinfo.htm Indiana University School of Medicine, Consumer Health http://www.medlib.iupui.edu/ref/consumer.html Lane Medical Library, Stanford University Medical Center, Consumer Health http://lane.stanford.edu/toolkits/consumer.html Loyola University, Consumer Health http://libraries.luc.edu/cfpages/subjectpg.cfm?sid=52

6. McGill University, Selected Consumer Health Resources http://www.health.library.mcgill.ca/resource/consumer.htm • McMaster University Health Sciences Library, Health Care Information Resources http://www-hsl.mcmaster.ca/tomflem/top.html • National Network of Libraries of Medicine, New England Region, Consumer Health Information http://www.nnlm.nlm.nih.gov/ner/ConsumerHealth.html • Northern Virginia Community College Libraries, Consumer Health Resources http://www.nvcc.edu/library/BOW/elechealth.htm • partnership: U of Cincinnati, OSU, Case Western Reserve, NetWellness Consumer Health Information http://netwellness.org/ • Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center Library of Emory University, Consumer Health Resources http://www.emory.edu/WHSCL/REFERENCE/consumerhlth.htm • University of California Davis Health Sciences Libraries, Consumer Health Resources http://www.lib.ucdavis.edu/healthsci/conshealth.html • University of Iowa, Virtual Hospital Information for Patients - Iowa Health Book http://www.vh.org/Patients/Patients.html • University of Iowa, Hardin Meta Directory of Internet Health Sources http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/md/index.html

7. University of Maryland Health Sciences and Human Services Library, Consumer Health Links http://www.hshsl.umaryland.edu/resources/consumer/ • University of Maryland Libraries, Consumer Health http://www.lib.umd.edu/MCK/GUIDES/consumer_health.html • University of Toronto, Patient and Consumers http://www.stmichaelshospital.com/content/programs/hslibrary/consumerhomepage.asp • University of Wisconsin-Madison Health Sciences Libraries, Consumer Health and Medical Information http://www.medsch.wisc.edu/chslib/consumer/ • Utah Library Association, Utah Consumer Health Information Network http://www.ula.org/organization/rt/heart/heart-uchin.htm • VCU Libraries, Virginia Commonwealth University, Consumer Health Resources http://www.library.vcu.edu/tml/bibs/consumer.html • Washington Hospital Healthcare System, Washington Community Health Resource Library http://www.healthlibrary.org • Yale University Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library, Consumer Health Resources http://www.med.yale.edu/library/consumer/

8. Structure and Content Analysis

10. Top 5 Structure Features Columns Site search Index = Links (internal or external) Organized by resource type Scrolling one page Most Common Features • Top 5 Content Features • List of links • Contact information • Last update notice • Disclaimer • Medical News

11. Most Common StructureSite Search

12. Most Common StructureIndex = Links

13. Most Common StructureOrganized by Resource Type

14. Most Common StructureScroll one page

15. Most Common ContentLists of Links

16. Most Common ContentContact Information

17. Most Common ContentLast Update

18. Most Common ContentDisclaimer

19. Most Common ContentMedical News

20. Bottom 5 Structure Features Site Index Border Organized by Subject Site map/guide Tables Navigation Tabs Bottom 5 Content Features Search tips Ask the Doc Commercial ads Referral service Interactive tools Least Common Features

21. Least Common StructureSite Index Border

22. Least Common StructureOrganized by Subject

23. Least Common StructureSite Map/Guide

24. Least Common StructureTables

25. Least Common StructureNavigation Tabs

26. Least Common Content:Search Tips

27. Least Common ContentAsk the Doc

28. Least Common ContentCommercial Ads

29. Least Common ContentReferral Services

30. Least Common ContentInteractive Tools

31. EXAMPLE: Most Common Structure Columbia UniversityAugustus C. Long Health Sciences Library Organized by Resource Type Site Search Index=Links Columnar Contact Info Content = List of Links Scroll one page Last Update

32. EXAMPLE: Least Typical Structure and Content Organized by subject Advertisments Site Index Border Ask a doc Interactive Tools

33. Summary • Most common design was a 1-page, columnar scrolling list of external and internal links organized by resource type, with site search, contact information, last update notice, and disclaimer. Simple maintenance suspected. • Least common design included interactive tools, referral services, search tips, advertisements, navigation tabs and a site map in a more complex layout, organized by subject: a commercial look. Time-consuming maintenance suspected. • Medical News and Alternative Medicine were the most frequent specialized topics.

34. Most Surprising Find • 61% organized by Resource Type • Directories, Web sites, etc. • Only 39% organized by Subject

35. Lessons Learned • A survey of current web sites provides inspiration as well as a menu of possible design and content features. • Borrow the visual interest and navigational flexibility from web sites with a more commercial design (Intelihealth) and combine with the simplicity of academic library sites. • Add interest with photos and other illustrations. • Provide access to as much content as possible from the front page. • Build site map into front page, through layered subject outline. • Border menus, navigation tabs add interest and search flexibility • External news sources address current medical concerns and should be available for reference online. • Keep text simple, clear, and avoid adjacent columns of text to enhance accessibility and assure compatibility with screen readers.

36. Putting it all together: HSLS Consumer Health Informationhttp://www.hsls.pitt.edu/guides/chi