title: Surfing for hip replacements: has the "internet tidal wave" led to better quality information.
abstract: This study aimed to determine the quality of information available on the internet regarding Total Hip Replacement (THR). The unique websites identified were categorised by type and assessed using the DISCERN score, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, and a novel (THR)-specific content score. The presence of the Health On the Net (HON) code, a reported quality assurance marker, was noted. Commercial websites predominate. Governmental & Non-Profit Organizations websites attained the highest DISCERN score. Sites that bore the HONcode seal obtained significantly higher DISCERN and THR content scores than those without the certification. Physicians should recommend the HONcode seal to their patients as a reliable indicator of website quality or, better yet, refer patients to sites they have personally reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma & Orthopedic Surgery, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Mujtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nassiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma & Orthopedic Surgery, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bruce-Brand
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma & Orthopedic Surgery, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics & Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Shojaeddin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chenouri
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma & Orthopedic Surgery, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Paul T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Curtin
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000379:methods*; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000592:standards; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014481:United States
keywords: hip replacement; information; internet