The Misinformation Superhighway

By Angela Butera Dickson

Back in 1995, only a handful of health-related websites could be found in cyberspace. Today a quick search of the words “health” and “website” yields almost 39 million choices. While some of these sites offer searchers high-quality information, a surprising number provide more hype than help, raising the alarm for a number of health care providers and concerned consumers.

Still, it is possible to find the accurate, helpful information you need if you know how to navigate the superhighway traffic jam safely. Knowing how to tell the difference between good information and bad simply comes down to asking the right questions.

The Internet is the ultimate vanity press. Anyone with a computer and a connection can become an instant publisher. There are no guidelines, no educational training or expertise required, and there are no rules when it comes to publishing in cyberspace. Never before has so much misinformation been available to so many people.

With this avalanche of data comes the potential for harm from websites that give misinformation as factual content. This anything-goes forum provides plenty of room for false claims, fake studies and empty promises of health and help for those in need.

It’s been estimated that 80 per cent of all computer-savvy adults use the Internet to research health topics. In a 2002 survey undertaken by the Health on the Net Foundation (HON), “respondents, patients and health professionals agreed that ‘accuracy of information’ is the most important issue facing the medical Internet.” Trustworthiness and the ease of site navigation were the next most common concerns of those surveyed.

Knowledge can be empowering if it is accurate, but “information on the Internet can lead to two of the most painful conditions in medicine… confusion and fear,” says Dr. Vicki Rackner, the CEO of Medical Bridges, a company that helps people partner with their doctors more effectively. It is vital that you learn to distinguish the best quality sites from those that offer misinformation to ensure that what you’re getting is truthful and trustworthy.

You already know where to look, so let’s talk about what to look for. “The best way to get good answers is to ask the right questions,” Dr. Rackner advises. Understanding your goal will help you to formulate your questions and make your search easier. The more specific your search, the less work you’ll have wading through all the site choices.

Remember that looks aren’t everything. There are some very polished, professional-looking sites on the Internet that offer poorly researched information, and sometimes outright falsehoods. “Always question the intention of the group putting the information on the Internet.” Dr. Rackner says. “Are they offering you information to help you, or to help themselves?” Take a quick look for pop-up windows, flashing advertisements and sales banners, hit counters and other hallmarks of an amateurish or sales website. These sites often have intriguing claims and advertising meant to sell you a product or service. Many attempt to do so under the guise of informing the public about a new treatment breakthrough or potential cure.

What’s in a name? Well, on the Internet, assurance can sometimes be found in a name. Web addresses that end in .org, .edu and .gov, in general, offer accurate information that is meant to inform the public. When in doubt, start out with the recognized, top-quality sites like the Canadian Health Network (www.canadian-health-network.ca), Health Canada (www.hc-sc.gc.ca) or WebMD (www.webmd.com). The information offered on respected sites may help you to recognize misinformation on others.

Dig deeper to see if the resource is credible. Is the name of the organization responsible for the information easily found on the site? Is their contact information also given? Is it a recognized authority in the field of study about the health topic you’re investigating? Are the studies quoted from recognizable sources, and do they include links so that you can read the studies yourself? Does the site use original content and are the links offered appropriate to the topic?

Most reputable sites don’t ask for personal information, or for you to register in order to access their web pages, but a few of them do. If the site charges a fee for use, this should be clearly stated before you give any personal information to the organization.

Most pages offer a copyright notice on the bottom of the page stating when the website was last updated. If it isn’t current, then the information the site contains may not be either. Don’t be fooled by the time stamp you will find on some websites that automatically shows today’s date. It offers no assurance of a current update.

Is there a clear and obvious caution statement that says the site contents are for informational purposes only and shouldn’t be taken as a substitute for professional care? Reputable sites often caution readers in this way. Use the information you learn online as a starting point to explore additional treatment options and healthier lifestyle goals with your healthcare provider. Last, but most importantly, Dr. Rackner suggests that “before you make any choices, consult with your ultimate authority – yourself. There are no right answers in medicine. There’s only the choice that serves you the best for your unique situation. Your hunches can be trusted.”

Remember that information is empowering and important, and can help to treat two of the most painful conditions in medicine – confusion and fear – but misinformation can also cause these same two conditions, as Dr. Rackner points out. It is possible to find the safe, accurate and helpful information you need in cyberspace. You can safely navigate the traffic jam of health data available on the Internet, armed with a healthy dose of skepticism and your ability to ask important questions.

(Angela Butera Dickson, R.N., is a freelance writer in Sanford, Maine, U.S.A. She can be reached through her website, www.angeladickson.com.)