Searching for answers: How well do depression websites answer the public's questions about treatment choices?

Kaitlyn Walsh; Teaghan A M Pryor; Kristin A Reynolds; John R Walker; Mobilizing Minds Research Group

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2018.08.019

Searching for answers: How well do depression websites answer the public's questions about treatment choices?

Patient Educ Couns. 2019 Jan;102(1):99-105. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2018.08.019. Epub 2018 Aug 18.

Authors

Kaitlyn Walsh¹, Teaghan A M Pryor², Kristin A Reynolds³, John R Walker¹; Mobilizing Minds Research Group

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Health Psychology, University of Manitoba, 363 Tache Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R2H 0G1, Canada.
² Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, P313 Duff Roblin Building, 190 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada.
³ Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, P313 Duff Roblin Building, 190 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada. Electronic address: Kristin.Reynolds@Umanitoba.ca.

PMID: 30150127
DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2018.08.019

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate websites providing information on treatment for depression to the public, and to evaluate changes in the quality of website information over time.

Methods: Websites (N = 25) addressing depression treatment were identified through the use of the Google search engine and by suggestions from healthcare professionals. Each website was evaluated based on the extent to which it addressed content areas deemed important by the public identified in previous research, overall quality as determined by the DISCERN, and reading level.

Results: Overall, the quality of depression websites varied greatly. The majority of websites did not adequately answer the public's questions about treatment options, and presented higher quality information in the area of pharmacological treatments as compared to other treatment options. An average reading level of 10.0 was found across websites. Upon re-evaluation, only 14 of 25 websites added new content, and the majority of websites did not improve in their overall website quality (as measured by the DISCERN).

Conclusion and practice implications: Websites could be improved by addressing important questions that consumers have concerning depression, as well as by creating higher quality content in the areas of psychological, neurotherapeutic, and alternative treatments.

Keywords: Depression; Information quality; Internet; Patient education; Treatment decision making; e-health.

Publication types

Evaluation Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Consumer Health Information*
Depression / therapy*
Health Literacy
Humans
Internet*
Patient Education as Topic*
Reading
Search Engine

Grants and funding

Canadian Institutes of Health Research/International