Patient Health Information: Evaluating Health Information

The ability to find and evaluate health information is an important skill as a health consumer. There are many websites that promote false or unsupported information. It is often difficult to discern whether an information source is credible. In order to make good decisions about your health, you need to make sure the information you find online is accurate and from a reliable source. Below are a few links to help you learn about how to effectively evaluate health information. 

• Evaluating Internet Health Information: A Tutorial From the National Library of Medicine
• Medical Library Association: Find Good Health Information
• MedlinePlus: Evaluating Health Information
• National Institutes of Health: How to Evaluate Health Information on the Internet

Authority: Consider the Source

• Who is the author, publisher, or sponsor?
• Does the author have the proper credentials?
• Is anyone affiliated with the site?
• Is there contact information on the website?

Bias: Consider the Purpose

• What is the purpose of the information?
• Is the point of view objective or impartial?
• Is advertising clearly marked?
• Does the site play to the emotions?

Accuracy: Consider the Reliability

• Is the information based on current medical research?
• Is the information supported by evidence?
• Can you find comparable information in other sources?
• Are there grammar or spelling errors on the site?

Currency: Consider the Timeliness

• Is there a date on the page?
• When was the page last reviewed or updated?
• Are there a lot of broken links?
• Is there more recent research about the topic?