What does the latest study, the flashiest ad or the scariest headline about health issues really mean? If there is one thing Americans can’t seem to get enough of, it’s information about their health.
The Internet is a great source of information. It’s quick, easy and convenient. But not all of the information on the Web is credible. When it comes to your health, don’t believe everything you read.
“Web sites devoted to health care are among the most popular sites on the Internet,” says Dr. John Wallendjack, vice president of Medical Affairs for HealthAmerica. “Everywhere you turn, there is information about every known topic related to good health.”
Smart Business spoke with Wallendjack about how to identify good information on the Web and weed out the bad.
What precautions should someone take when evaluating medical information on the Web?
Knowledge is a good thing, but you have to be careful. As you bounce from Web page to Web page, be sure to check who is in charge of the site. You might start on a reputable page, but a link might take you to a site run by someone with a very different agenda.
Before you believe any health-related information you find on the Web, find out who is responsible for the information on the site. The easiest way to do this is to look at the site’s home page. If the home page doesn’t tell you who publishes the site, look for a link that says ‘About us’ or ‘About this site.’ Often, this link will be at the bottom of the home page.
Clicking on this link will usually take you to a page that explains what person or organization is responsible for the information on the site.
How can you tell if a report or a health care study is reliable?
Check where the study was published. The most reliable studies are found in peer-reviewed clinical journals, such as The Journal of the American Medical Association or The New England Journal of Medicine. Also, find out if a company that could benefit from the results funded the study. That’s not always a warning sign, but it can be.
What are some examples of reliable sources on the Internet?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends sites that end in ‘.gov.’ They are sponsored by federal government sources such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (www.hhs.gov), the FDA (www.fda.gov) and the National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov), to name a few.
Look for ‘.edu’ sites, which are run by universities or medical schools, such as Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, or maintained by other health care facility sites, such as the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic.
Other reliable sources are ‘.org’ sites maintained by not-for-profit groups whose focus is on research and teaching the public about specific conditions. These include the American Diabetes Association, the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.
Be aware that sites whose addresses end in ‘.com’ are usually commercial sites and are often selling products or services.
