title: Specialized medical search-engines are no better than general search-engines in sourcing consumer information about androgen deficiency.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Internet provides consumers with access to online health information; however, identifying relevant and valid information can be problematic. Our objectives were firstly to investigate the efficiency of search-engines, and then to assess the quality of online information pertaining to androgen deficiency in the ageing male (ADAM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Keyword searches were performed on nine search-engines (four general and five medical) to identify website information regarding ADAM. Search-engine efficiency was compared by percentage of relevant websites obtained via each search-engine. The quality of information published on each website was assessed using the DISCERN rating tool.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 4927 websites searched, 47 (1.44%) and 10 (0.60%) relevant websites were identified by general and medical search-engines respectively. The overall quality of online information on ADAM was poor. The quality of websites retrieved using medical search-engines did not differ significantly from those retrieved by general search-engines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the poor quality of online information relating to ADAM, it is evident that medical search-engines are no better than general search-engines in sourcing consumer information relevant to ADAM.
authors.affiliation: Monash Institute of Health Services Research, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia. dragan.ilic@med.monash.edu.au
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ilic
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Bessell
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Silagy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000172:deficiency*; D003256:Community Participation; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000592:standards*; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008491:Medical Informatics Applications
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens