JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Halitosis is a condition characterized by an undesirable mouth odor. Accessing medical information through the internet has become a prominent global trend.

Objective:

This study aims to assess the quality and readability of web-based Arabic health information on halitosis.

Methods:

A total of 300 Arabic websites were retrieved from Google using three commonly used phrases for halitosis in Arabic. The quality of the websites was assessed using benchmark criteria established by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the DISCERN tool, and the presence of the Health on the Net Foundation Code of Conduct (HONcode). The assessment of readability was conducted using online readability indexes.

Results:

A total of 127 websites were examined, with 87.40% of websites failing to fulfill any JAMA requirements. The DISCERN tool had a mean score of 34.55±7.46, with the majority (56.69%) rated as moderate quality, 34.31% as having a low score, and none receiving a high DISCERN score. No website had HONcode certification. Arabic halitosis websites had high readability scores, with 90.55% receiving a Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) score ≥ 80, 98.43% receiving a Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) score < 7, and 67.72% receiving a Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) score < 7. There were significant correlations between the DISCERN scores and the quantity of words (p < 0.001) and sentences (p < 0.001) on the websites. Additionally, there was a significant relationship (p < 0.001) between the number of sentences and FKGL and FRE scores.

Conclusions:

While readability was very good, Arabic halitosis websites were of poor quality. Ensuring the availability of reliable materials for understanding halitosis and treatment options is crucial for Arabic-speaking populations.