I'm not a doctor, but I play one on the web: Credibility, funding, and interactivity features on health organization websites
✍ Scribed by Sharon Stoerger
- Publisher
- Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
- Year
- 2008
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 339 KB
- Volume
- 44
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0044-7870
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Abstract
The Web has become an important resource for individuals seeking health information. Recent literature on online health information suggests that interactive features can improve the search experience and may even enhance the individual's learning experience and engagement (Boulos, Maramba, & Wheeler, 2006). Some researchers have found links between credibility and interactivity, as well as between funding and interactivity. But connections among the three features were found to be lacking. This study involved a content analysis of 60 health‐related websites – 30 women's health organizations and 30 general health organizations – that were collected and analyzed in October and November 2006. A framework designed to assess levels of and relationships among credibility, funding, and interactivity was developed to determine the similarities and differences between the two types of sites. The analysis revealed that sites with lower credibility levels included more interactivity features, except when funding was not present. Because a greater number of individuals are seeking information online and the calls for higher levels of interactivity on websites continue to surface, these findings could have implications for the future of online health information resources.