title: Polycystic ovary syndrome: double click and right check. What do patients learn from the Internet about PCOS?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the websites most visited by patients regarding polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and to evaluate the quality of information provided by these websites.
  
  
  METHODS
  We sought data regarding the popularity of sites providing information about PCOS regardless of the way the visitors reached the site. We then scrutinized the top sites for predefined quality check points to evaluate the quality of information provided, including Health on Net Foundation (HON) accreditation. Finally, we searched for the expansion of these sites in social networks (Facebook and Twitter).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the top 15 sites, 8 were HONcode certified. The mean performance of content presence for all sites was 7.33 (min=4, max=10, SD=1.633). There was a moderate correlation of higher performance score with HON accreditation (R: 0.535, p<0.05). Several sites have expanded in social media. None of the high-score sites has a page dedicated to PCOS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There exists a lack of HON accreditation in many sites and a wide variability in the quality of the information provided. In some cases, key elements of content, necessary for complete appreciation of PCOS, are missing. Official and high authority healthcare organisms should introduce themselves in the social media world.
authors.affiliation: 1st Ob-Gyn Clinic of Alexandra University Hospital of Athens, Greece. thanasism@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mousiolis
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Michala
authors.forename: Aris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antsaklis
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000592:standards*; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000592:standards*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; D061108:Social Media