1. Consumer Health Information Web Sites: the State of the Art A snapshot analysis of Consumer Health web sites Andrea M. Ketchum, MLIS, AHIP University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Library System May 24, 2004

2. Background Preparation for update and redesign of HSLS Consumer Health Information web site. Literature search found no previous analyses Survey performed to –Identify prevalent format and content of existing sites –Brainstorm –Clarify goals for redesign

3. Methods Survey of 33 Consumer Health web sites Google search –University AND “Consumer Health Information” –33 web sites selected from first 10 pages Academic centers Public libraries Hospital libraries 16 US states and Canada represented Snapshot date: November 6, 2002 Web sites analyzed for –Structure –Content

4. 33 Consumer Health Information Web Sites Aetna, InteliHealth: Harvard Medical School's Consumer Health Information http://www.intelihealth.com/ http://www.intelihealth.com/ Arizona Health Sciences Library, Consumer Health - MultFind Results http://www.ahsl.arizona.edu http://www.ahsl.arizona.edu Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library, Columbia University, Consumer Medicine http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/library/subguides/consumer.htmlhttp://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/library/subguides/consumer.html Charlottesville (VA) Community Web, Consumer Health http://hsc.virginia.edu/hs-library/outreach/consumer.html http://hsc.virginia.edu/hs-library/outreach/consumer.html Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System, Consumer Health http://www.cclslib.org/consumerhealth.html http://www.cclslib.org/consumerhealth.html Cooper Health System, Medical Library http://cooperhealth.medicallibrary.medem.com/medlib_entry.cfm?m1=http://c ooperhealth&flag=geturl http://cooperhealth.medicallibrary.medem.com/medlib_entry.cfm?m1=http://c ooperhealth&flag=geturl Crozer-Keystone Health System, Crozer-Keystone Virtual Library http://www.crozer.org/Crozer/Health+Information/default.htm http://www.crozer.org/Crozer/Health+Information/default.htm

5. Dartmouth Biomedical Libraries, Consumer Health Resources http://www.dartmouth.edu/~biomed/resources.htmld/conshealth.htmld/ http://www.dartmouth.edu/~biomed/resources.htmld/conshealth.htmld/ Duke University Medical Center Library, Consumer/Patient Health Information http://www.mclibrary.duke.edu/respub/refres/consumer.html http://www.mclibrary.duke.edu/respub/refres/consumer.html Emory Health Sciences Center Library, Emory MedWeb Subject Index for Consumer Health http://www.medweb.emory.edu/MedWebhttp://www.medweb.emory.edu/MedWeb Exempla Lutheran Medical Center, Consumer Health Libraries http://www.saintjosephdenver.org/yourhealth/libraries/ http://www.saintjosephdenver.org/yourhealth/libraries/ Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library/ New Haven Free Public Library, Consumer Health Information Network http://www.nhfpl.lib.ct.us/healthnetwork/ http://www.nhfpl.lib.ct.us/healthnetwork/ Indiana University School of Law, Consumer Information http://www.iulaw.indy.indiana.edu/programs/CLH/consumerinfo.htm http://www.iulaw.indy.indiana.edu/programs/CLH/consumerinfo.htm Indiana University School of Medicine, Consumer Health http://www.medlib.iupui.edu/ref/consumer.html http://www.medlib.iupui.edu/ref/consumer.html Lane Medical Library, Stanford University Medical Center, Consumer Health http://lane.stanford.edu/toolkits/consumer.htmlhttp://lane.stanford.edu/toolkits/consumer.html Loyola University, Consumer Health http://libraries.luc.edu/cfpages/subjectpg.cfm?sid=52 http://libraries.luc.edu/cfpages/subjectpg.cfm?sid=52

6. McGill University, Selected Consumer Health Resources http://www.health.library.mcgill.ca/resource/consumer.htm http://www.health.library.mcgill.ca/resource/consumer.htm McMaster University Health Sciences Library, Health Care Information Resources http://www-hsl.mcmaster.ca/tomflem/top.htmlhttp://www-hsl.mcmaster.ca/tomflem/top.html National Network of Libraries of Medicine, New England Region, Consumer Health Information http://www.nnlm.nlm.nih.gov/ner/ConsumerHealth.html http://www.nnlm.nlm.nih.gov/ner/ConsumerHealth.html Northern Virginia Community College Libraries, Consumer Health Resources http://www.nvcc.edu/library/BOW/elechealth.htmhttp://www.nvcc.edu/library/BOW/elechealth.htm partnership: U of Cincinnati, OSU, Case Western Reserve, NetWellness Consumer Health Information http://netwellness.org/http://netwellness.org/ Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center Library of Emory University, Consumer Health Resources http://www.emory.edu/WHSCL/REFERENCE/consumerhlth.htm http://www.emory.edu/WHSCL/REFERENCE/consumerhlth.htm University of California Davis Health Sciences Libraries, Consumer Health Resources http://www.lib.ucdavis.edu/healthsci/conshealth.htmlhttp://www.lib.ucdavis.edu/healthsci/conshealth.html University of Iowa, Virtual Hospital Information for Patients - Iowa Health Book http://www.vh.org/Patients/Patients.htmlhttp://www.vh.org/Patients/Patients.html University of Iowa, Hardin Meta Directory of Internet Health Sources http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/md/index.html http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/md/index.html

7. University of Maryland Health Sciences and Human Services Library, Consumer Health Links http://www.hshsl.umaryland.edu/resources/consumer/ http://www.hshsl.umaryland.edu/resources/consumer/ University of Maryland Libraries, Consumer Health http://www.lib.umd.edu/MCK/GUIDES/consumer_health.html http://www.lib.umd.edu/MCK/GUIDES/consumer_health.html University of Toronto, Patient and Consumers http://www.stmichaelshospital.com/content/programs/hslibrary/consumerh omepage.asp http://www.stmichaelshospital.com/content/programs/hslibrary/consumerh omepage.asp University of Wisconsin-Madison Health Sciences Libraries, Consumer Health and Medical Information http://www.medsch.wisc.edu/chslib/consumer/ http://www.medsch.wisc.edu/chslib/consumer/ Utah Library Association, Utah Consumer Health Information Network http://www.ula.org/organization/rt/heart/heart-uchin.htm http://www.ula.org/organization/rt/heart/heart-uchin.htm VCU Libraries, Virginia Commonwealth University, Consumer Health Resources http://www.library.vcu.edu/tml/bibs/consumer.htmlhttp://www.library.vcu.edu/tml/bibs/consumer.html Washington Hospital Healthcare System, Washington Community Health Resource Library http://www.healthlibrary.orghttp://www.healthlibrary.org Yale University Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library, Consumer Health Resources http://www.med.yale.edu/library/consumer/http://www.med.yale.edu/library/consumer/

8. Structure Fields (33 sites surveyed) Columns33 Site Search22 Index = Links21 Organized by Resource Type20 Scroll One Page19 Site Index in Border15 Organized by Subject13 Site Map/Guide6 Tables 4 Navigation Tabs 2 Structure and Content Analysis

9. Content Fields (33 sites surveyed) List of Links32Ask a Librarian6 Contact Information26Today’s Date5 Last Update18Quality Tips4 Disclaimer16Non-English Language3 Medical News12Search Tips2 Alternative Medicine12Ask the Doc2 Demographic Groups10Commercial Affiliation2 Guides 9Referral Service2 Privacy Statement7Interactive Tools 1

10. Most Common Features Top 5 Structure Features Columns Site search Index = Links ( internal or external) Organized by resource type Scrolling one page Top 5 Content Features List of links Contact information Last update notice Disclaimer Medical News

11. Most Common Structure Site Search

12. Most Common Structure Index = Links

13. Most Common Structure Organized by Resource Type

14. Most Common Structure Scroll one page

15. Most Common Content Lists of Links

16. Most Common Content Contact Information

17. Most Common Content Last Update

18. Most Common Content Disclaimer

19. Most Common Content Medical News

20. Least Common Features Bottom 5 Structure Features Site Index Border Organized by Subject Site map/guide Tables Navigation Tabs Bottom 5 Content Features Search tips Ask the Doc Commercial ads Referral service Interactive tools

21. Least Common Structure Site Index Border

22. Least Common Structure Organized by Subject

23. Least Common Structure Site Map/Guide

24. Least Common Structure Tables

25. Least Common Structure Navigation Tabs

26. Least Common Content: Search Tips

27. Least Common Content Ask the Doc

28. Least Common Content Commercial Ads

29. Least Common Content Referral Services

30. Least Common Content Interactive Tools

31. Columbia University Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library EXAMPLE: Most Common Structure Index=Links Site Search Organized by Resource Type Scroll one page Contact Info Last Update Content = List of Links Columnar

32. Organized by subject Site Index Border Ask a doc EXAMPLE: Least Typical Structure and Content Interactive Tools Advertisments

33. Summary Most common design was a 1-page, columnar scrolling list of external and internal links organized by resource type, with site search, contact information, last update notice, and disclaimer. Simple maintenance suspected. Least common design included interactive tools, referral services, search tips, advertisements, navigation tabs and a site map in a more complex layout, organized by subject: a commercial look. Time-consuming maintenance suspected. Medical News and Alternative Medicine were the most frequent specialized topics.

34. Most Surprising Find 61% organized by Resource Type –Directories, Web sites, etc. Only 39% organized by Subject

35. Lessons Learned A survey of current web sites provides inspiration as well as a menu of possible design and content features. Borrow the visual interest and navigational flexibility from web sites with a more commercial design (Intelihealth) and combine with the simplicity of academic library sites. Add interest with photos and other illustrations. Provide access to as much content as possible from the front page. –Build site map into front page, through layered subject outline. –Border menus, navigation tabs add interest and search flexibility External news sources address current medical concerns and should be available for reference online. Keep text simple, clear, and avoid adjacent columns of text to enhance accessibility and assure compatibility with screen readers.

36. Putting it all together: HSLS Consumer Health Information http://www.hsls.pitt.edu/guides/chi