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Quality and Readability of Online Information for Patients with Pancreatic Cysts
ABSTRACT
Background:
Pancreatic cysts are a complex medical problem with several treatment options. Patients are using online health information to understand their condition and to guide treatment choices.
Objective:
The goal of this study was to describe the quality and readability of publically available online information on pancreatic cysts and to compare these across website affiliation.
Methods:
A Google© search for “pancreatic cysts” was performed and the first 30 websites were evaluated. Website affiliation was classified as academic, media, non-profit, government, or not disclosed. Information describing cancer risk was recorded. The DISCERN instrument measured the quality of content regarding treatment choices. Four standardized tests were used to measure readability.
Results:
Twenty-one websites were included. The majority of websites (95.2%) described the cancer risk associated with pancreatic cysts. Nearly half of the websites were written by an academic hospital or organization. The average DISCERN score for all websites was 40.4 (range 26-65.5; maximum 80). Websites received low scores due to lack of references, failure to describe the risks of treatment, and/or to explain how treatment choices affect quality of life. The average readability score was 14.8 (range 5.76-23.9; maximum 19+) indicating a college reading level. There were no significant differences across website affiliation groups.
Conclusions:
Online information for patients with pancreatic cysts is moderate quality and written above a middle school reading level. Gastroenterological, cancer treatment organizations, and physicians should advocate for improving available information by providing cancer risk stratification, treatment impact on quality of life, references, and better readability. Clinical Trial: n/a
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