1 who's filtering health information? the role web masters play in disseminating health...
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Who's filtering health information? The role web masters play in disseminating health information on the Internet
Julie Becker, Ph.D., MPH Temple University
Center for Public Health Philadelphia, PA
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Purpose
To examine if organizations’ have policies and procedures regarding posting information and creating links on websites
To define those policies and procedures for posting information and creating links
To identify who plays a role in posting information, creating links and developing policies/ procedures
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Methods
Content Analysis (Study period: June, 1999- January 2000) Development of Website Evaluation Tool Reliable and validated
E-mail surveys Short surveys with 13 questions including
demographic information
Interviews Semi-structured interviews
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Results: Content Analysis Number of Web Sites Examined in This Study
Number of Parent Sites 5
Number of Linked Sites 125
Total No. of Sites 130
Number of Unique, Non-Duplicate Linked Sites
97
Number of Inaccessible Links 17
Number of Accessible Links 80
Total No. of Websites Reviewed in Study
(parents & linked sites)
85
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Results: Responses from Web Master Survey and Interviews
Description of Information
Frequency
Percentage
Sample
No. of web sites responded to inquiry
42 56.0% Web sites w/ contact info (n=75)
No. of web sites that answered the survey
32 41.3% Web sites w/ contact info (n=75)
No. of Web Masters interviewed
19 59.4% Web sites who responded to survey(n=32)
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Surveys and Content Analysis Compared:
Policies and Procedures on Websites (%)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Survey Content Analysis Agreement
AuthorshipSourcesResourcesFundingContact Info
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Surveys and Content Analysis Compared: Policies and Procedures on Links (%)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Survey Content Analysis Agreement
AuthorshipSourcesResourcesFundingContact Info
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Results from Survey:
Are policies and procedures available for users to review regarding: Positive Response Posting information 25.0% Creating links 15.6%
Researcher could only find 12.5%
Possible explanation: Respondents may have interpreted the question differently, I.e. not formal policies/ procedures but informal, unwritten ones
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Characteristics of a “good” website identified by the Webmasters:
Accurate Visually Appealing
Current Confidential
Credible Consistent navigation
and searchability
Sources, authorship & references
Credentials of sources
Disclosure of sponsorship
Disclosure of conflicts of interest
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Themes from the Interviews Few could define a good web site
“I know a good web site when I see one” Respondents cited accuracy, research-based,
authorship, and currency as key attributes Yet few had those attributes on their web sites
Few consumers participate in review of content for web posting “knew what consumers wanted”
Part of their job to develop policies and procedures Yet many expressed concern that formal written policies may not exist within their organization
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Responsibilities of Web Masters (%)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Webmasters' Responses
ReviewInformation
Review Links
CommitteeReview
CommitteeReview Links
Sr Level MgrReview
Sr Level MgrReview Links
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Webmasters:
Had multiple duties (90%) Defined role as an “add-on” responsibility Grossly underestimated time
commitments for development and maintenance of website
Viewed website as an “electronic brochure” and non-innovative
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Summary
Few formal, written policies and procedures existed
A difference was evident between nominal and operative policies and procedures
The role of webmaster was an “add-on” duty
Little formal training of webmasters Gross underestimate of time and resources
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Implications
Content Analysis Surveys, Interviews
In the majority of sites, only the webmaster and maybe one other person reviewed content or links for posting