title: Quality of internet health information on thumb carpometacarpal joint arthritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Internet has become a heavily used source of health information. No data currently exists on the quality and characteristics of Internet information regarding carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The search terms "cmc arthritis," "basal joint arthritis," and "thumb arthritis" were searched using Google and Bing. Search results were evaluated independently by four reviewers. Classification and content specific review was performed utilizing a weighted 100-point information quality scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 60 websites reviewed, 27 were unique pages with 6 categorized as academic and 21 as non- academic. Average score on content specific review of academic websites was 56.8 and for non-academic was 42.7 (p=0.054). Average Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level for academic websites was 12.4, and for non-academic was 9.9 (p=0.015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Internet health information regarding thumb CMC arthritis is primarily non-academic in nature, of generally poor quality, and at a reading level far above the U.S. average reading level of 6th grade. Higher-quality websites with more complete content and appropriate readability are needed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The quality of Internet health information regarding thumb CMC arthritis is suboptimal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
authors.forename: Robin N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Kamal
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
authors.forename: Gabrielle M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Paci
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
authors.forename: Alan H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gosselin
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, 125 Nashua St., Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rainbow
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
authors.forename: Arnold-Peter C
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D001168:Arthritis; D052737:Carpometacarpal Joints; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D013933:Thumb
keywords: CMC arthritis; Internet health information; basal joint arthritis; thumb arthritis