Evaluation of websites that contain information relating to malaria in pregnancy

Abstract

Objectives: The study identified available websites on malaria in pregnancy on the World Wide Web and sought to evaluate their readability and information quality.

Study design: A purposeful sample of websites were selected which provided information on Malaria in pregnancy.

Methods: A total of 31 websites were identified from searches using Google, Yahoo and Bing search engines. Two generic tools (Discern and HON), one specific tool designed to assess information quality of malaria in pregnancy and readability tests (Flesch Reading Ease and Flesh-Kincaid Grade level) were used to evaluate the websites.

Results: Most of the websites scored below 50% with the HON Code tool, with most lacking information on the symptoms. One website scored over 70 with the reading ease with two (2) achieving a score of 7 for the reading level test. The readability of the websites was too advanced for an ordinary consumer.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the information quality of malaria in pregnancy websites varied from fair to medium. It was also found that the readability of the websites was too advanced for an ordinary consumer. These findings suggest that most websites are not comprehensive in addressing all the relevant aspects of malaria in pregnancy.

Keywords: Information quality; Malaria; Malaria in pregnancy; Online health information.