title: [An evaluation of web-based informations about gastroesophageal reflux diseases in Korea].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Internet has become an important source of medical information not only for medical personnels but also for patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of internet based medical information about 'gastroesophageal reflux' or 'reflux esophagitis' in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  The first 15 internet sites using the key words 'gastroesophageal reflux' or 'reflux esophagitis' were retrieved from the 7 most frequently used internet search engines. The quality of information from a total of 108 websites was evaluated using a checklist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among total 108 sites related to 'gastroesophageal reflux' or 'reflux esophagitis', fifty-six sites (51.8%) were made by hospitals or clinics and 94 sites (87.0%) were made for patients. Of the 108 sites, eleven web sites (10.1%) had more than three JAMA benchmarks (authorship, references, currency, and disclosure). Higher quality sites (at least three JAMA benchmarks) were less likely to contain inaccurate information than lower quality sites (fewer than three JAMA benchmarks)-3/11 (27.2%) vs. 60/97 (61.9%) (p<0.01). Despite the fact that articles in the literature emphasized an insufficient evidence to support an association between the lifestyle, dietary behaviors, and GERD, such guidelines continue to be recommended as first-line therapy in most websites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Informations about gastroesophageal reflux disease were incomplete in the majority of medical web sites. These would bring about confusion to patients seeking for an information about GERD through the internet. There is a need for better sources in evidence based informations about gastroesophageal reflux diseases on the web.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: June Sang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tae Gun
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Hoi Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyun Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jun Haeng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang Goon
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Poong -Lyul
authors.initials: P-
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Jae J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rhee
mesh_terms: D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006266:Health Education / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000592:standards; D020407:Internet; D007723:Korea; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D014584:User-Computer Interface