1 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

2 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

3 Methods  Content Analysis (Study period: June, January 2000)  Development of Website Evaluation Tool  Reliable and validated  surveys  Short surveys with 13 questions including demographic information  Interviews  Semi-structured interviews

4 Results: Content Analysis Number of Web Sites Examined in This Study Number of Parent Sites5 Number of Linked Sites125 Total No. of Sites130 Number of Unique, Non-Duplicate Linked Sites97 Number of Inaccessible Links17 Number of Accessible Links80 Total No. of Websites Reviewed in Study (parents & linked sites) 85

5 Results: Responses from Web Master Survey and Interviews Description of Information FrequencyPercentageSample No. of web sites responded to inquiry % Web sites w/ contact info (n=75) No. of web sites that answered the survey % Web sites w/ contact info (n=75) No. of Web Masters interviewed % Web sites who responded to survey (n=32)

6 Surveys and Content Analysis Compared : Policies and Procedures on Websites (%)

7 Surveys and Content Analysis Compared : P olicies and Procedures on Links (%)

8 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 find12.5% Possible explanation: Respondents may have interpreted the question differently, I.e. not formal policies/ procedures but informal, unwritten ones

9 Characteristics of a “good” website identified by the Webmasters: AccurateVisually Appealing CurrentConfidential CredibleConsistent navigation and searchability Sources, authorship & references Credentials of sources Disclosure of sponsorship Disclosure of conflicts of interest

10 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

11 Responsibilities of Web Masters (%)

12 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

13 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

14 Implications  Content Analysis  Surveys, Interviews  In the majority of sites, only the webmaster and maybe one other person reviewed content or links for posting