title: Assessment of internet-based information regarding pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to establish descriptive data on the content, accuracy, and relevance of Internet-based information regarding pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the search terms, urinary incontinence, uterine prolapse, dropped uterus, cystocele, and dropped bladder, the first 20 Web sites that appeared in each of 3 highly used search engines were identified. Two experienced reviewers independently evaluated each site for specific content, relevance, and accuracy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 220 individual sites were identified: government-, university-, and/or society-sponsored sites represented 14.1% of the identified sites. Private parties, community groups, or unknown sponsors represented 73.2% of the sites. Industry represented 12.7% of the sites. The year the site was created was displayed in 45.9% of the sites, although 66.4% of the sites contained a year of update. Overall, 45% of the sites were rated as mostly/completely relevant to the search term and 44% of the sites were rated as mostly/completely accurate. Government-, university-, and/or society-sponsored sites were significantly more likely to be rated mostly/completely relevant and mostly/completely accurate compared with all other site sponsors with P = 0.05 and P = 0.0003, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Government, university, and/or medical societies sponsor a minority of Web sites compared with other sponsors but provide more comprehensive content that is more relevant and accurate to the topics of pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA. minaglia@hawaii.edu
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minaglia
authors.forename: Bliss
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaneshiro
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Soules
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Kassondra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grzankowski
authors.forename: Kassondra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gryznkowski
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Millet
authors.forename: Ian A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Oyama
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D020407:Internet / Q000592:standards*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*