Health Information Assessment Guide on the Internet
Internet space is filled with a lot of health and medical information, making the information network the main source of information for many individuals. All it takes is a few clicks on the keyboard or a few touches on the smartphone screen to access health information in Arabic and sometimes in local dialect However, this does not necessarily mean that all of the information available on the Internet is correct, accurate or credible, as some of the sites that provide such information may be non-specialized, contain information that is not based on rigorous scientific evidence, or may Be free Because of the lack of updating and review continuously, so the ability to assess the health information available on the Internet is indispensable to get the right information amid the flood of false information .. How can this be done? This is what this article will address.
* 4 questions to evaluate health information online
Evaluating the sources of health information available on the Internet requires answering several questions about their origin, accuracy, bias and updating. By answering these questions it is possible to determine whether the health information contained is true or not.
1. Who wrote that information?
The first question about who is behind the publication of this health information, and whether it has the qualifications and experience to do so, can be ascertained by visiting the site's profile page to determine whether the source of the information is a person specializing in health care, education, health education or organization Governmental or non-governmental organizations with a health specialty.
Of course, if the person who wrote the information does not belong to the previous categories, this raises doubts about its validity.
2. Is this information accurate?
The second question is about the accuracy of the health information contained in the site, which can be ascertained by the existence of sources that have been relied upon to publish this information. Of course, these sources must be scientific, such as scientific references and scientific research published in court patrols and reliable websites. Health problems free of spelling and grammatical errors, in addition to their presentation clearly.
3. Is the information biased or impartial?
The third question is whether there is bias or impartiality in the published information. This can be detected if the published information promotes a particular product, medicine or drug, or is sponsored by commercial or advertising sponsorship, or even attempts to adopt an idea or belief. The language used tends to exaggerate, amplify or underestimate things, or the information may be based on individual views or one view. In any case, health information should remain neutral, because it is a scientific fact based on solid evidence and evidence.
4. Is the information updated and reviewed?
The fourth and final question that some might overlook is the extent to which this information is updated. There is a lot of health information published on the Internet that may be reliable, accurate and neutral. However, it is outdated and outdated, so the date of publication of this information, the date of its updating and review, Information that may look outdated and outdated. Many of the health sites with high credibility regularly review the information on their pages and update it regularly if necessary.
* Tips for accessing reliable health information
In addition to these four questions to assess the sources of health information on the web, there are a few tips that can be followed by access to more reliable health information.
- Search in more than one location
Do not make your health information limited to just one site, and search for the same information in more than one source to confirm its accuracy and accuracy by comparing information in different locations.
- Bypassing "Google" and avoiding "Wikipedia"
The popular search site is a non-specialist search site, and therefore should not be relied solely on access to health information. You should search in specialized health information sites. You should also avoid Wikipedia as a primary source of health information. By non-specialists, and are often not reviewed or updated, especially in Arabic.
- Use patient-oriented sites
It is necessary to go to those sites that address patients to obtain medical information instead of resorting to sites that provide specialized information to health care experts from doctors, pharmacists and others, as these sites provide health information suitable for patients in a simple and simple way away from specialized scientific terms, which may be difficult On understanding often.
- Do not coordinate behind site claims
Keep away from sites that claim to have absolute truth and distort sites and other sources of information. Examples of such sites are those promoting alternative therapies that are not scientifically proven or conspiracy theories.
- Ask a specialist when uncertainty
Finally, in the event of uncertainty or doubt about a health information, health care professionals, such as doctors and pharmacists, can always be consulted and advised by a reliable source.
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