Familydoctor.org, cancer.gov, webmd.com, medicinenet.com, healthfinder.gov… and the list goes on. With the astounding amount of medical information available on the Internet today, it can be difficult to identify which websites provide quality, accurate information.

Unfortunately, unreliable or misleading information abounds and consumers are caught trying to distinguish the reliable from the rubbish.

“This is a huge issue in immunization,” says Dr. Denise Bratcher, a Pediatric Infectious Disease specialist at Children’s Mercy Hospital and Clinics. “There is a wealth of misinformation on the web regarding immunizations.”

 

Find the best information

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine provides a list of questions that consumers can use to help them decide if the medical websites they visit are reputable and reliable. Some questions on the list are obvious while others require more thought on the part ofthe user. Deciphering the site’s purpose, who runs it and who pays for it can usually be determined by looking at the site’s URL and “about” page.

Figuring out where the information comes from, who selects it and how current it is might not be so easy. Regardless of the work it takes, dig around the site because it’s important to know where the information originated [the source should be clearly labeled], how often it is updated [updates should also be clearly posted] and whether a professional or scientific editorial board reviewed the material before it was posted [look in the “about” section].

Bratcher says parents looking for accurate information about pediatrics, particularly in regard to immunizations, should refer to www.chop.edu.

“The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia site deals specifically with immunizations and addresses myths about immunizations,” she says. On the easy-to-navigate site, vaccine education can befound under the Health and Medical Information tab.

Consumers who want to learn more about their health, Bratcher suggests the Center for Disease Control and Prevention site, www.cdc.gov, and American Academy of Pediatrics, www.aap.org, which is a great site for parents, Bratcher says.

 

Use the best information

No matter how complete and accurate the information is, the key is to take that information and consult with your physician.

“A website will never be as complete as having a relationship with a doctor who understands the disease,” says Dr.David Emmott, a Urologist at Kansas City Urology Care. “Medical care takes place with someone who understands.”

Although it might be uncomfortable to bring up online research, Dr. Emmott suggests printing out the information to discuss during a physician consultation. He has patients that bring in articles, websites, and lists of questions. Some patients even record their conversations. When a patient has done the legwork to understand more about their health, Emmott makes it a point to address whatever concerns the patient has during the course of their conversation.

“We are educators and assistants for patients in making their own decisions,” Emmott says, anything more than that would be overstepping boundaries.

Ultimately, when it comes to deciding which site provides more fact than fiction, Bratcher says consumers should look for evidence rather than anecdotes. In that regard, consumers can put some of their doctor’s medical principles to use.

“We focus on evidence-based practice to show that something we want to do is the best action to take,” Bratcher says. “So make sure the information is not just personal opinion but includes actual literature to back it up.”