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CC BY 4.0 · Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet 2018; 40(09): 547-553
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1672163
Original Article
Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Quality Information about Uterine Fibroids on the Internet

Qualidade da informação presente na Internet sobre Leiomioma uterino
Daniela Gama de Melo
1   Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of medicine of Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
,
Pedro Sérgio Soares Jallad
2   Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
,
Luiz Gustavo Oliveira Brito
1   Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of medicine of Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
2   Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
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Further Information

Publication History

03 April 2018

13 June 2018

Publication Date:
19 September 2018 (online)

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Abstract

Objective There are no published studies analyzing the quality of the information for lay women on the Internet regarding uterine fibroids. The accuracy of the provided material is also unknown. Thus, we have performed a cross-sectional study with 381 websites in the English and Brazilian Portuguese languages between May and December 2017.

Methods Two investigators performed the analysis, and the Cohen kappa coefficient was calculated to analyze the agreement between them. Search terms (uterine fibroids and derivatives) in the English and Brazilian Portuguese languages were used. The accuracy was analyzed by a 10-item checklist created based on the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) consensuses about uterine fibroids. The item–test correlation and the intraclass coefficient were performed in the 16 questions from the DISCERN instrument, which was designed to measure the quality of health information on the Internet. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) measurements were performed for the independent variables and the DISCERN/accuracy scores.

Results Google was the most used search engine, and uterine fibroid was the search term that generated most of the analyzed material. The median score for accuracy in all websites was 5 out of 10, and the median score of the DISCERN instrument was 38 out of 80. The top-scoring sites in the English language were derived from scientific organizations and federal governments, and they regarded the DISCERN score (The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists [ACOG], the Food and Drug Administration [FDA]) and the accuracy criteria (NIH, and FDA). On the other hand, in the Brazilian Portuguese language, the highest scores in both instruments were from magazines or physician's blogs. The Cronbach α test showed a higher correlation (0.77–0.79) between the sites and DISCERN; however, the item–test correlation varied from 0.39 to 0.56.

Conclusion There is a need to improve the quality of the information regarding uterine fibroids for lay women.

Resumo

Objetivos Não existem estudos publicados analisando a qualidade de informação para mulheres leigas na internet sobre o leiomioma uterino. A acurácia do material existente também não é conhecida. Portanto, realizamos um estudo transversal envolvendo 381 sites em língua inglesa e portuguesa de maio a dezembro de 2017.

Métodos Dois pesquisadores fizeram a análise, e o coeficiente kappa de Cohen foi calculado para analisar a concordância entre ambos. Termos de pesquisa (leiomioma uterino e derivados) em inglês e português foram usados. A acurácia foi analisada por meio de uma lista de 10 itens criados após a fusão de consensos da Sociedade Americana de Medicina da Reprodução (ASRM, na sigla em inglês), dos Institutos Nacionais de Saúde (NIH, na sigla em inglês) e da Sociedade Europeia de Menopausa e Andropausa (EMAS, na sigla em inglês) sobre leiomioma uterino. A correlação item–teste e o coeficiente intraclasse foram realizados nas 16 questões do questionário DISCERN, um instrumento desenvolvido para medir a qualidade da informação de saúde disponível na internet. O método de análise de variância (ANOVA, na sigla em inglês) foi utilizado para as variáveis independentes e as pontuações de acurácia e do DISCERN.

Resultados O Google foi a ferramenta mais utilizada, e o leiomioma uterino foi o termo de busca que gerou a maior parte do material analisado. A pontuação média para a acurácia dos websites foi 5/10, e do questionário DISCERN, 38/80. Os sites de língua inglesa com maior pontuação foram os de organizações científicas e de governos federais, tanto no questionário DISCERN (Faculdade Americana de Obstetrícia e Ginecologia [ACOG, na sigla em inglês], Administração de Alimentos e Medicamentos [FDA, na sigla em inglês]) quanto na acurácia (NIH e FDA). Entretanto, em língua portuguesa, os sites com as maiores pontuações em ambos os instrumentos foram de revistas ou blogs médicos. O teste α de Cronbach evidenciou maior correlação entre os sites e o DISCERN (0,77–0,79); contudo, a correlação item–teste variou de 0,39 a 0,56.

Conclusão Há necessidade de melhorar a qualidade da informação sobre o leiomioma uterino para mulheres leigas.

Keywords

uterine fibroids - quality of information - DISCERN questionnaire - internet

Palavras-chave

miomas uterinos - qualidade da informação - questionário DISCERN - internet

Contributions

Melo DG and Jallad PSS: data collection or management; manuscript writing.


Brito LGO: project development; data management; data analysis; manuscript writing/editing.


All of the authors critically revised the article for important intellectual content and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published.


 

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