Saturday, March 29, 2008

How to Check if a Health Website is Reliable

Step 1:
Who wrote this information? This should be clearly stated and if it is not, check the website's "About" section.

Step 2:
Was this information reviewed by health professionals? Also, likely in the "About" section.

Step 3:
If the site offers statistics, do they come from a reputable source?

Step 4:
Does any of the information appear to be an opinion and not absolute fact? If so, is it the opinion of a health care professional?

Step 5:
When was the information updated? Check for a "Published" date or a copyright date near the bottom of the page.

Step 6:
Who is sponsoring the information? To find this out go to the main home page of the site. For example, if you are reading the signs and symptoms of diabetes on WebMD, then WebMD is the information sponsor. You can also check the tag of the Web address: *.gov is a government site; *.edu is an educational institution; and *.org is a non-profit organization.