Quality of health information: a study of human papillomavirus (HPV) on Brazilian websites

• Main Authors: Renata Ivone Garcia, Márcio Matias, Lia Caetano Bastos, Rogério Cid Bastos, Fernanda dos Santos Koehler
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto de Comunicação e Informação Científica e Tecnológica em Saúde (Icict) da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz) 2018-03-01
• Series: RECIIS
• Subjects: informação sobre saúde ao consumidor; papillomaviridae; avaliação de websites sobre saúde; qualidade da informação; saúde na internet.
• Online Access: https://www.reciis.icict.fiocruz.br/index.php/reciis/article/view/1361

The internet has become for the population a common source of search for information about issues related to health, including the human papillomavirus (HPV). This article presents an evaluation of the quality of the information about the HPV available on health websites and a ranking based on its results. 61 indicators were used to do the evaluation, divided into content, usability and readability criteria. In regard to content, the websites under evaluation presented information about diagnostic exams, prevention, treatment and the pathologies that can be developed. All those websites have a main menu and a pleasant layout. The indicators of readability, for the most part, were satisfied, since the websites showed attractive use of colors, size and format of fonts. It can be observed a significant level of quality of information about HPV available on the websites evaluated.