This document discusses how consumers can verify the reliability of health and medical information found online. It provides examples of symptom checker websites from reputable institutions like Mayo Clinic and WebMD. It also discusses the Health on the Net (HON) website rating system and the Science-Based Medicine view that HON's ratings don't thoroughly assess scientific quality. The document outlines pros and cons of self-diagnosis online and notes ways consumers can evaluate website reliability, such as checking for expertise, bias, author credentials, and outdated information.

1. “HOW CAN CONSUMERS
VERIFY THE RELIABILITY
OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL By Eilís Casey
INFORMATION AVAILABLE
ON THE INTERNET?”

2. SYMPTOM CHECKERS
Mayo Clinic WebMD
www.mayoclinic.com/health/symptom-
http://symptoms.webmd.com/#./introView
checker/DS00671

3. HEALTH ON
THE NET
FOUNDATION
http://www.hon.ch/HONcode/Patients/Visitor/visitor.html

4. SCIENCE-BASED MEDICINE
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/reliability-of-health-information-on-the-web/

5. SBM ON THE HON RATING
“…rates health care sites on a number of criteria. These include
assessment of how authoritative the sources are, the level of
transparency, and if opinions expressed are justified with evidence
and references. While generally reasonable , the HON assessment
does not necessarily involve a thorough assessment of the quality of
the science on a given website , and many sites with what I would
consider dubious information have earned the HON seal of approval .”
Reliability of Health Information on the Web
Published by Steven Novella.
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/reliability-of-health-
information-on-the-web/

6. HON CATEGORIES
 Non-profit
 Academic
 Individually Run
 Commercial

7. SBM’S
VIEW ON
WEB MD
“...”commercial”
a l s o r e f e r s to
s i te s t h a t
monetize
c o n te n t – n o t
necessarily
selling products,
but simply
p r ov i d i n g
c o n te n t a s t h e i r
product in order
to s e l l
advertising. This
i n c l u d e s s i te s
such as
We b M D . ”
http://www.webmd.com/

8. PROS OF SELF DIAGNOSIS
 Learn more about yourself and how your body functions
 Inexpensive
 Helps you discuss your condition with your doctor (may also
hinder if on wrong track)
 Can relieve stress
 Quick information

9. CONS OF SELF DIAGNOSIS
 Creates stress
 Websites run on simple database
 Failure to detect a serious illness which causes general symptoms
which could have multiple causes e.g.. fever
 Suggestions of an extremely serious disease that you don’t have

10. EMBARRASSING BODIES
http://www.channel4embarrassingillnesses.com/

11. EMBARRASSING BODIES
 T.V Show
 Popular
 Medical Professionals
 Deal with common problems
 Speak directly to the public
 Video appointments

12. EMBARRASSING BODIES
Picture Gallery
My Health Checker
Smart Phone App

13. HOW TO CHECK WEBSITES (1)
 Look for Sites from Established Institutions
 Look for Sites With Expertise

14. HOW TO CHECK WEBSITES (2)
 Steer Clear of Commercial Sites
 Beware Bias

15. HOW TO CHECK WEBSITES (3)
 Check the Date
 Look at the Site's Layout

16. HOW TO CHECK WEBSITES (4)
 Avoid Anonymous Authors
 Check the Links

17. BCM
http://www.bcm.edu/

18. UNRELIABLE WEBSITES
http://www.bioedonline.org/news/news.cfm?art=1200

19. CONCLUSION
 Be aware
 Research
 Don’t be stressed
 Seek advice

20. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING