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There are more and more Web sites dedicated to providing health information.
And as you seek information, you want to make sure you receive it from reliable
sources. How do you know if a source is reliable? Below is a list of factors
to consider as you evaluate health Web sites.
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Trusted Reputation
- Rely on a Web site that has an established
and trusted reputation. Governmental agencies, health associations, professional
organizations, and research centers are good resources. In addition, certified
health care professionals and libraries are also reliable.
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Web Site Purpose
- Is the purpose of the Web site to market a product,
or is it educational? If the page is designed for commercial purposes or supported
by advertisements, there may be a conflict of interest. Be sure you understand
who the intended audience is for the information.
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Multiple Sources
- Seek medical information from several
sites and don’t rely on a single source. With each source, you have
an opportunity to learn more through different perspectives.
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Validation
- Only trust what you see or read on a Web site
if you can validate the source of the information. You want information from
a site that identifies the author and his/her affiliations. You need to
determine whether the author has anything to gain from proposing one viewpoint
versus another.
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Contact Information
- The Web site should provide contact
information including a phone number and/or email address, so you can contact
the author if you would like.
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Feedback
- The Web site should offer a way for you to provide
feedback to the site's owners.
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Sole Source of Information
- Be skeptical of
Web sites that claim to be the sole source of information on a topic.
Also be wary of Web sites that disrespect other sources of knowledge.
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Lots of Links
- Because a Web site provides a list of links
does not ensure the site is credible, nor have those Web sites necessarily endorsed
those links.
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Editorial Board
- The site should be professionally managed
and reviewed by an editorial board of experts to ensure that the content is
credible and reliable. Sources used to create the content should be clearly
referenced and acknowledged.
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Web Site Privacy Statement
- Check to see if there is a
privacy statement on the Web site. Read through it to see if it explains how information
is collected. Determine if the Web site ensures that any personal medical or other
information is held confidentially.
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