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Tips for Recognizing and Finding Quality Health Information on the Web

Tips for Recognizing and Finding Quality Health Information on the Web. James Shedlock, A.M.L.S., A.H.I.P., F.M.L.A. Director, Galter Health Sciences Library September 27, 2007 Meeting of the American Medical Writers Association, Chicago Chapter. Introduction. Context for remarks

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Tips for Recognizing and Finding Quality Health Information on the Web

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  1. Tips for Recognizing and Finding Quality Health Information on the Web James Shedlock, A.M.L.S., A.H.I.P., F.M.L.A. Director, Galter Health Sciences Library September 27, 2007 Meeting of the American Medical Writers Association, Chicago Chapter

  2. Introduction • Context for remarks • UC Graham Sch Cont Studies, Medical Writing Editing Cert, Course: Sci Med Bibl Resources • Web as a writer’s resource • Health sciences librarian as a writer’s resource • Tips for Recognizing and Finding Quality Health Info on the Web • Using Libraries, Knowing Librarians • Questions, Dialogue, Conclusion

  3. Context • Justification for UC Course • Aid students/writers-editors • Provide “knowledge and skills” • The Web as a Writer’s Resource • Scholarly information is moving from print to the web. • Online access is easy and convenient, though … • Print is not dead.

  4. Tips: Recognizing Quality • First quality marker – authorship: who is responsible for the info? • Credibility and authority = responsibility • Who stands by this info? • Credentials as markers of authority • Reputation, respected • Dependable

  5. Tips – Authorship, cont. • The good … • Professional associations … AMA, ADA, AHA, etc. • Academic degrees – M.D., D.D.S, D.Pharm., R.N. • .gov, .edu – signs of reputation • .com • Issue here is: what to trust? Quality information vs. sales • If you want sales, .com is an important signifier. In other words, commercial information is justified for sales.

  6. Tips – Authorship, cont. • The bad … • See: Quackwatch. This site concentrates on “[combatting] health-related frauds, myths, fads ….” Offered here as a source of how to identify bad health websites. http://www.quackwatch.com/

  7. Tips – Other Quality Markers • Currency/updating, “Last update: …” • Current info as a quality marker, i.e., up-to-date. • Currency is also a feature of good web design -- a marker that someone is paying attention to this website. • Facts vs. opinion: how to tell the difference? • Look for references: where do the facts come from? • Honesty: “This is my opinion.” • Expert opinion – who is an expert? • Audience: Look for professional-oriented information (though consumer info may be good background/education)

  8. Tips – Other Quality Markers • Purpose – Is the site upfront about what it is saying? • Be aware of bias. • Commercial sites, their info vs. objective, public-service info • Look for an information perspective. • Sponsorship

  9. Tips – Other Quality Markers • Reviewers – Is the site reviewed by experts? • How do you know they are experts? • Experts in what? • Good design, layout, organization • Can you easily and quickly find what you need? • Is the content readable?

  10. Tips – Other Quality Markers From Health on the Net Foundation (HON) … • Complementarity – Health info does not substitute for a qualified health care professional. • Privacy – respects confidential patient info • Attribution – cites source of info • Justifiability – claims are supported • Transparency – accessible info, clear, accurate contact info • Financial disclosure – financial support identified • Advertising policy – ads distinguished from editorial content

  11. Dilemma: Who is the Expert? What to do about the knowledgeable layperson? • Personal websites as evidence of expert knowledge; amateurs who know their field. • Can you trust them? Is their expert opinion better than the experts? • Hit and miss. • Hit example: Lorenzo’s Oil (1992 film). • Apply quality markers as a test.

  12. Libraries as a Web Resource • What is a library? Markers include: an organized collection of scholarly resources, services to users, commitment to preserving knowledge. • Almost all concentrate now on collecting online resources. Users demand it. • Libraries are not disappearing, just changing to meet users’ needs. • Libraries on the web: see http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/hslibs.html

  13. Using Libraries • Free reference assistance • Expert advice • Use librarians as an information guide and/or counselor • Free web resources organized for you. As an example, see: http://www.galter.northwestern.edu/electronic_resources/index.cfm?action=guides_list • See also GHSL E-Resources: http://www.galter.northwestern.edu/electronic_resources/index.cfm?action=search_form • search by format

  14. Using libraries • More free content thanks to Open Access movement. • Open Access promotes free access to research findings supported by federal tax dollars. Example includes NIH research that makes its way into scholarly journals. • Generally, open access materials are released 6-12 months after publication. • Free medical journals; see: http://www.freemedicaljournals.com/

  15. Using Libraries, cont. • How to get access to online scholarly resources? • Use your employer’s library. • No library? (This info is for freelancers). • Options include … • Use pay-per-view – pay the publisher; average $15-$30 per article. • Travel to nearest academic hs library, if open to the public. • Use local computers, licenses and Internet connections. • Check local, large hospital libraries (just in case). • Use interlibrary borrowing services of your local public library. • Use Loansome Doc.

  16. Librarian’s Role • Librarian as Internet guide/advisor. Consider the librarian as a personal consultant … to meet your information needs … through education (teaching you to help yourself) or through service (working with you and for you). • Reference service concentrates on the ‘difficult’ question … because Google answers the easy ones. (Librarians love ‘the hunt’).

  17. Questions, Dialogue, Conclusion • How do these ideas compare to your experiences? • Are Google/Yahoo search results satisfying? • What are your challenges in getting the info you need to do your job? • Are libraries satisfying your info needs? Are they easy to use … efficient … service-oriented?

  18. Sources • Medical Library Association: • www.mlanet.org • http://www.mlanet.org/resources/userguide.html • HON, Health On the Net Foundation • http://www.hon.ch/Global/pdf/TrustworthyOct2006.pdf

  19. Contact • For more information, contact: • Jim Shedlock, Northwestern University j-shedlock@northwestern.edu

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