Accuracy and self correction of information received from an internet breast cancer list: content analysis

doi:10.1136/bmj.38753.524201.7C

BMJ 2006;332:939-942 (22 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.38753.524201.7C (published 2 March 2006)

Research

Accuracy and self correction of information received from an internet breast cancer list: content analysis

Adol Esquivel, graduate student¹, Funda Meric-Bernstam, associate professor², Elmer V Bernstam, assistant professor¹

¹ School of Health Information Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA, ² Department of Surgical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Correspondence to: E V Bernstam elmer.v.bernstam{at}uth.tmc.edu

Abstract

Objectives To determine the prevalence of false or misleadingstatements in messages posted by internet cancer support groupsand whether these statements were identified as false or misleadingand corrected by other participants in subsequent postings.

Design Analysis of content of postings.

Setting Internet cancer support group Breast Cancer MailingList.

Main outcome measures Number of false or misleading statementsposted from 1 January to 23 April 2005 and whether these wereidentified and corrected by participants in subsequent postings.

Results 10 of 4600 postings (0.22%) were found to be false ormisleading. Of these, seven were identified as false or misleadingby other participants and corrected within an average of fourhours and 33 minutes (maximum, nine hours and nine minutes).

Conclusions Most posted information on breast cancer was accurate.Most false or misleading statements were rapidly corrected byparticipants in subsequent postings.

Add to CiteULike CiteULike Add to Complore Complore Add to Connotea Connotea Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us Add to Digg Digg Add to Reddit Reddit Add to Technorati Technorati What's this?

Relevant Articles

Policing of information from internet breast cancer list: Findings may not be generally applicable: Ketan K Dhatariya
BMJ 2006 332: 1095. [Extract] [Full Text]

Policing of information from internet breast cancer list: "List mining" raises new issues in research ethics: James E Till
BMJ 2006 332: 1095. [Extract] [Full Text]

Online cancer support groups can police themselves
BMJ 2006 332: 0. [Full Text]

Are virtual communities good for our health?: Alejandro R Jadad, Murray W Enkin, Sholom Glouberman, Philip Groff, and Anita Stern
BMJ 2006 332: 925-926. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

DESHPANDE, A., JADAD, A. R. (2009). Trying to Measure the Quality of Health Information on the Internet: Is It Time to Move On?. The Journal of Rheumatology 36: 1-3 [Full text]
Morken, T., Bull, N., Moen, B. E. (2009). The activity on a Norwegian Occupational Health mailing list 1997-2006. Occup Med (Lond) 59: 56-58 [Abstract] [Full text]
Keselman, A., Logan, R., Smith, C. A., Leroy, G., Zeng-Treitler, Q. (2008). Developing Informatics Tools and Strategies for Consumer-centered Health Communication. J. Am. Med. Inform. Assoc. 15: 473-483 [Abstract] [Full text]
Im, E.-O., Chee, W. (2008). The Use of Internet Cancer Support Groups by Ethnic Minorities. J Transcult Nurs 19: 74-82 [Abstract]
Dhatariya, K. K (2006). Policing of information from internet breast cancer list: findings may not be generally applicable.. BMJ 332: 1095-1095 [Full text]
Till, J. E (2006). Policing of information from internet breast cancer list: "list mining" raises new issues in research ethics.. BMJ 332: 1095-1095 [Full text]
Jadad, A. R, Enkin, M. W, Glouberman, S., Groff, P., Stern, A. (2006). Are virtual communities good for our health?. BMJ 332: 925-926 [Full text]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Internet Breast Cancer List: Donald E M Price
bmj.com, 7 Mar 2006 [Full text]
Some background on the list: Brian M Lynch
bmj.com, 21 Apr 2006 [Full text]
Questionable Methodology and Unsurprising Findings: Peter Davison
bmj.com, 22 Apr 2006 [Full text]
"List mining" raises novel issues in research ethics: James E. Till
bmj.com, 24 Apr 2006 [Full text]
Limited use of this finding: Ketan K Dhatariya
bmj.com, 24 Apr 2006 [Full text]
Re: Questionable Methodology and Unsurprising Findings: Elmer V. Bernstam, et al.
bmj.com, 24 Apr 2006 [Full text]
Re: Questionable Methodology and Unsurprising Findings: Brian J Anthony
bmj.com, 24 Apr 2006 [Full text]
Re: Questionable Methodology and Unsurprising Findings: Gunther Eysenbach
bmj.com, 26 Apr 2006 [Full text]