Finding Trustworthy Medical Information Online
Consumers worry about the reliability of the medical information available online. According to a recent study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 86 percent of Internet searchers sometimes doubt the reliability of what they find. Frequently, online medical information is incorrect, based on outdated reports, or just the product of a charlatan. The March & April, 2007 edition of AARP Magazine recommends some guidelines for consumers for up-to-date and accurate medical answers:
- Stick with credible medical search sites (list and links are provided at end of this article).
- Get an information prescription for a credible medical site from your doctor.
- Consider the source: .gov represents government, .edu means academic institution, .org means a non-profit organization.
- Check for timeliness of the article and check multiple sources.
- Seek seals of approval. Health on the Net (www.hon.ch) and URAC (www.urac.org) are both credible groups that approve websites based on standards for privacy, security and responsibility.
- Follow the money - always check to see who is advertising or sponsoring a site.
- Guard your privacy. Read a website's privacy policy before joining. If there is no prominently displayed policy, don't register with a medical website.
The following websites are recommended by AARP for providing reliable medical information:
- AARP Health (www.aarp.org/health) - information on drugs, insurance, and staying healthy at 50-plus.
- American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) - includes links to clinical trials and patient support groups.
- American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org) - along with news of the latest research, provides nutritional information and recipes.
- American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org) - features an online heart and stroke encyclopedia.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov) - government's latest information on public health and communicable diseases is posted here.
- Clinical Trials (www.clinicaltrials.gov) - lists experimental treatments you may be eligible to receive.
- Family Doctor (www.familydoctor.org) - straightforward general information from the American Academy of Family Physicians.
- Healthfinder (www.healthfinder.gov) - health library available in English and Spanish, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- KidsHealth (www.kidshealth.org) - a foundation-sponsored site about children's health through adolescence; includes a special area for teens.
- Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.com) - offers online tools to help guide treatment decisions.
- Medem (www.medem.com) - a partnership among medical societies to foster doctor-patient communication; includes an online medical library.
- Medline Plus (www.medlineplus.gov) - the National Library of Medicine's comprehensive health information portal.
- National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov) - provides clinical details about every type of cancer and the latest treatments.
- WebMD (www.webmd.com) - a for-profit news and information service with interactive activities.