Most of the information about breast cancer found on the internet is accurate, but some of it can be misleading, says a new U.S. study.
The study by researchers at the University of Texas found that one in 20 breast cancer web pages contained information that was inaccurate. Sites focused on alternative or complementary medicine were 15 times more likely to have incorrect information, it found.
According to the study's authors, 44 per cent of women recently diagnosed with breast canceruse the Web to find health information.
Associated Press
According to the authors, 44 per cent of women recently diagnosed with the disease turn to the web to find health information.
The researchers evaluated 343 web pages using such criteria as display of authorship and the credentials of the identified authors and physicians, whether general disclaimers were provided, whether references were listed and the if date of the last update was posted.
They looked for breast cancer information using search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Alta Vista, Overture and AlltheWeb between June 1 and June 30, 2004.
The authors suggest people searching for breast cancer information online should be wary and look elsewhere to verify what they learn. "Consumers searching for health information online should still consult a clinician before taking action," reads the study.
The study is to be published in the March 15, 2008, issue of the journal Cancer.
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