[The Internet as a source for information retrieval. Example: soft tissue sarcoma].
BACKGROUND
Due to increasing availability, easier access, and rapid growth of information, the Internet has become an important source of medical information. We analyzed the value of Internet sites and the content of their medical information for physicians and patients using the example "soft tissue sarcoma."


METHODS
Sixteen German and English Internet search engines were used to evaluate the retrieved internet sites regarding their target group, publisher, contents, and topicality.


RESULTS
The majority of retrieved websites were in English compared to significantly fewer in German. The content of information was more valuable for patients and physicians on the English websites compared to the German ones. Even if many of the evaluated websites originated from medical organizations or universities, the amount of information was limited and often not up to date.


CONCLUSIONS
Information on the web is widespread, but for special queries too limited and difficult to identify. An improvement of available websites is needed, especially those maintained by universities and nonprofit medical organizations. The retrieval software should be optimized to ease identification of information, which should be validated by a recognized standard.
Peiper
M
M
Chirurgische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany. peiper@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Knoefel
W T
WT
Junge
G
G
Hosch
S
S
Izbicki
J R
JR
D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval; D020407:Internet; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012509:Sarcoma; D012984:Software