Abstract
Purpose Online information can influence attitudes toward vaccination. The aim of the present study was to provide a systematic evaluation of the search engine ranking, quality, and content of Web pages that are critical versus noncritical of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Methods We identified HPV vaccine-related Web pages with the Google search engine by entering 20 terms. We then assessed each Web page for critical versus noncritical bias and for the following quality indicators: authorship disclosure, source disclosure, attribution of at least one reference, currency, exclusion of testimonial accounts, and readability level less than ninth grade. We also determined Web page comprehensiveness in terms of mention of 14 HPV vaccine-relevant topics. Results Twenty searches yielded 116 unique Web pages. HPV vaccine-critical Web pages comprised roughly a third of the top, top 5- and top 10-ranking Web pages. The prevalence of HPV vaccine-critical Web pages was higher for queries that included term modifiers in addition to root terms. Compared with noncritical Web pages, Web pages critical of HPV vaccine overall had a lower quality score than those with a noncritical bias (p
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 33-39 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Adolescent Health |
| Volume | 58 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2016 |
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Keywords
- Consumer health information
- Evaluation studies
- Health services research
- HPV vaccines
- Internet
- Medical informatics
- Quality control
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Cite this
Search Engine Ranking, Quality, and Content of Web Pages That Are Critical Versus Noncritical of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine. / Fu, Linda Y.; Zook, Kathleen; Spoehr-Labutta, Zachary; Hu, Pamela; Joseph, Jill G.
In: Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol. 58, No. 1, 01.01.2016, p. 33-39.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Search Engine Ranking, Quality, and Content of Web Pages That Are Critical Versus Noncritical of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
AU - Fu, Linda Y.
AU - Zook, Kathleen
AU - Spoehr-Labutta, Zachary
AU - Hu, Pamela
AU - Joseph, Jill G
PY - 2016/1/1
Y1 - 2016/1/1
N2 - Purpose Online information can influence attitudes toward vaccination. The aim of the present study was to provide a systematic evaluation of the search engine ranking, quality, and content of Web pages that are critical versus noncritical of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Methods We identified HPV vaccine-related Web pages with the Google search engine by entering 20 terms. We then assessed each Web page for critical versus noncritical bias and for the following quality indicators: authorship disclosure, source disclosure, attribution of at least one reference, currency, exclusion of testimonial accounts, and readability level less than ninth grade. We also determined Web page comprehensiveness in terms of mention of 14 HPV vaccine-relevant topics. Results Twenty searches yielded 116 unique Web pages. HPV vaccine-critical Web pages comprised roughly a third of the top, top 5- and top 10-ranking Web pages. The prevalence of HPV vaccine-critical Web pages was higher for queries that included term modifiers in addition to root terms. Compared with noncritical Web pages, Web pages critical of HPV vaccine overall had a lower quality score than those with a noncritical bias (p
AB - Purpose Online information can influence attitudes toward vaccination. The aim of the present study was to provide a systematic evaluation of the search engine ranking, quality, and content of Web pages that are critical versus noncritical of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Methods We identified HPV vaccine-related Web pages with the Google search engine by entering 20 terms. We then assessed each Web page for critical versus noncritical bias and for the following quality indicators: authorship disclosure, source disclosure, attribution of at least one reference, currency, exclusion of testimonial accounts, and readability level less than ninth grade. We also determined Web page comprehensiveness in terms of mention of 14 HPV vaccine-relevant topics. Results Twenty searches yielded 116 unique Web pages. HPV vaccine-critical Web pages comprised roughly a third of the top, top 5- and top 10-ranking Web pages. The prevalence of HPV vaccine-critical Web pages was higher for queries that included term modifiers in addition to root terms. Compared with noncritical Web pages, Web pages critical of HPV vaccine overall had a lower quality score than those with a noncritical bias (p
KW - Consumer health information
KW - Evaluation studies
KW - Health services research
KW - HPV vaccines
KW - Internet
KW - Medical informatics
KW - Quality control
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84954041211&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84954041211&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.09.016
DO - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.09.016
M3 - Article
C2 - 26559742
AN - SCOPUS:84954041211
VL - 58
SP - 33
EP - 39
JO - Journal of Adolescent Health
JF - Journal of Adolescent Health
SN - 1054-139X
IS - 1
ER -