Quality, Readability, and Accessibility of Online Content From a Google Search of “Macular Degeneration”: Critical Analysis

Hua, Hong-Uyen; Rayess, Nadim; Li, Angela S.; Do, Diana; Rahimy, Ehsan

doi:10.1177/24741264221094683

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…17,18 Online patient education materials about macular degeneration are written above a 10th-grade reading level, higher than the recommended 7th-grade or below reading level for patient materials. 19,20 As such, both public knowledge and underdiagnosis likely contribute to the low rates of disease awareness among US adults with AMD. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the US to characterize the prevalence of patient awareness of their AMD.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Disease Awareness Among Patients With Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Patterns and Predictors

Cheng,

Kim,

Lyon

et al. 2023

Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose: To examine the prevalence and predictors of patient awareness of their disease in adults with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: This study analyzed 5553 adults 40 years or older in the 2005–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who underwent retinal imaging. AMD was determined based on retinal images. Patient awareness of their AMD was assessed by a self-reported AMD diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to examine the association of patient awareness of their AMD with sociodemographic characteristics and specific AMD lesion types on retinal imaging. Results: AMD was identified in 425 of the adults surveyed (6.5%) (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.5%-7.5%), including 87.7% (95% CI, 82.9%-92.5%) with early AMD and 12.3% (95% CI, 7.5%-17.1%) with late AMD. Among adults with either type of AMD on retinal imaging, 17.5% (95% CI, 13.1%-22.0%) were aware of their disease, which included 11.6% (95% CI, 8.4%-14.9%) with early AMD and 59.2% (95% CI, 43.1%-75.3%) with late AMD ( P < .0001). In the same group, those aged 60 years or older (odds ratio [OR], 33.46; 95% CI, 7.67-146.03) and with a best-corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or worse (OR, 4.63; 95% CI, 2.95-7.26) had higher awareness of their AMD diagnosis, whereas Hispanic (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.09-0.88) vs White adults and those who did not speak English at home (OR, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01-0.41) had lower awareness of their diagnosis. Conclusions: Fewer than 1 in 5 adults with AMD were aware of their personal diagnosis, including fewer than 3 in 5 adults with late AMD. Older adults and those with worse vision were more likely to know they have AMD, whereas Hispanic adults and those who did not speak English at home were less likely. Efforts to increase patients’ awareness of their AMD may improve rates of follow-up and prevent vision loss.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is a need for easily understandable patient materials about AMD and tools to discuss the risk for progression, particularly given the constraints of the busy retina clinic. 19 Qualitative studies are needed to better understand patient knowledge of AMD features and target patient education interventions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disease Awareness Among Patients With Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Patterns and Predictors

Cheng,

Kim,

Lyon

et al. 2023

Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This scoring system has been utilised before both within ophthalmology and in the wider field of medicine. 11–15…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This scoring system has been utilised before both within ophthalmology and in the wider field of medicine. [11][12][13][14][15] The Google Chrome HONcode certificate toolbar was employed to reveal which websites contained this seal. This is a marker for websites which meet the standards for credibility, transparency, and reliability.…”

Section: Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

A quality analysis of internet patient information for immediate, sequential, bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS)

Carlisle,

Patterson,

Bonnar

2023

European Journal of Ophthalmology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Due to surgical capacity pressures, induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, immediate bilateral simultaneous cataract surgery (ISBCS) has been utilised increasingly throughout the U.K. This surgical method comes with both novel risks and benefits, so the consent process must be modified. Prior randomised trials have demonstrated that appropriate online information may act as an adjunct to the surgical consent process. This study aims to assess the quality of available internet information for ISBCS. Methods Terms searched were ‘bilateral cataract surgery patient information’, ‘double cataract surgery patient information’, and ‘immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery patient information’. The Google search engine was used. The DISCERN instrument and JAMA benchmarks were used to assess healthcare information for quality. The Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRE), Flesch Kincaid Grade (FKG) Level and Gunning Fog Score (GFS) were used to assess for readability. HONcode certification was used to assess transparency and quality. Results Forty-six websites were found. The average DISCERN score was 41.3, meaning a “fair” quality which is below what many patients would anticipate discovering when trying to find information. National Healthcare Service websites had higher DISCERN scores than private healthcare-provided websites ( p < 0.01; 95% CI: 1.13–1.88.) Conclusions Fair patient information for ISBCS has been demonstrated. Specific internet information sources with appropriate information should be further developed, with cited sources, and patients signposted to them if felt appropriate.

show abstract

Google Trends–Assisted Analysis of the Readability, Accountability, and Accessibility of Online Patient Education Materials for the Treatment of AMD After FDA Approval of Pegcetacoplan

Cohen,

Brant,

Rayess

et al. 2024

Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose: To evaluate the readability, accountability, accessibility, and source of online patient education materials for treatment of age-related macular degeneration AMD and to quantify public interest in “Syfovre” and “geographic atrophy” after Food and Drug Administration approval. Methods: Websites were classified into 4 categories by information source. Readability was assessed using 5 validated readability indices. Accountability was assessed using 4 benchmarks of the Journal of the American Medical Association ( JAMA). Accessibility was evaluated using 3 established criteria. The Google Trends tool was used to evaluate temporal trends in public interest in “Syfovre” and “geographic atrophy” in the months after US Food and Drug Administration approval. Results: Of 100 websites analyzed, 22% were written below the recommended sixth-grade reading level. The mean (±SD) grade level of analyzed articles was 9.76 ± 3.35. Websites averaged 1.40 ± 1.39 (of 4) JAMA accountability metrics. The majority of articles (67%) were from private practice/independent organizations. A significant increase in the public interest in “Syfovre” and “geographic atrophy” after FDA approval was found with the Google Trends tool ( P < .001). Conclusions: Patient education materials related to AMD treatment are often written at inappropriate reading levels and lack established accountability and accessibility metrics. Articles from national organizations ranked highest on accessibility metrics but were less visible on a Google search, suggesting the need for visibility-enhancing measures. Patient education materials related to “Syfovre” had the highest average reading level and low accountability, suggesting the need to modify resources to best address the needs of an increasingly curious public.

show abstract

Quality, Readability, and Accessibility of Online Content From a Google Search of “Macular Degeneration”: Critical Analysis

Cited by 3 publications

References 21 publications

Disease Awareness Among Patients With Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Patterns and Predictors

Disease Awareness Among Patients With Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Patterns and Predictors

A quality analysis of internet patient information for immediate, sequential, bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS)

Google Trends–Assisted Analysis of the Readability, Accountability, and Accessibility of Online Patient Education Materials for the Treatment of AMD After FDA Approval of Pegcetacoplan

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About