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Expertise online
Finding reliable information
Some 95 million Americans have turned to the Internet for health information, according to a May 2005 report by the nonprofit
Pew Internet & American Life Project in Washington, D.C.
On a typical day, more U.S. adults use the Internet than go to a physician, the Pew project reported from a 2002 national
phone survey of 500 online health seekers. Sixty-one percent of respondents said the Internet had improved the way they cared
for themselves. Two percent said they knew someone who had been harmed by online health information.
How do you find accurate health information online? Studies conducted up until 2002 found that from 20 percent to 90 percent
of health information on the Internet was incomplete or inaccurate. Experts say there's no reason to think that's changed
much.
To help you navigate, Consumer Reports WebWatch, a project of Consumers Union, publisher of this magazine, worked with the Health Improvement Institute, a nonprofit group
based in Bethesda, Md. The groups rated the 20 health information Web sites with the most visitors, according to the Internet
research company Nielsen//NetRatings.
All rated Web sites got top marks for disclosing their use of visitors' personal information. Most sites rated excellent by
CR WebWatch were more likely than other sites to post correct, current health information. Because of the large amounts of data,
content could not be evaluated in depth.
The Ratings are based on analysis through June 9, 2005. Since Web sites frequently change their content or might revise their policies,
CR WebWatch will update the Ratings in the future.
What you can do
When consulting a Web site, avoid pitfalls by asking the following questions:
What is the site's intent? Reputable sites clearly state their purpose, often on the home page or in an About Us section.
Be wary if a site encourages you to buy or use a particular product.
Who owns the site? Reputable groups disclose address and phone numbers, often in a Contact Us section.
What are the privacy policies? Avoid sites that “share” or sell your information to other vendors or don't let you opt out
of unsolicited e-mail.
What is the source of the information? Sites should provide credentials for experts and references for scientific data.
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