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Systematic Review of Quality of Patient Information on Liposuction in the Internet


Zuk, Grzegorz; Palma, Adrian Fernando; Eylert, Gertraud; Raptis, Dimitri Aristotle; Guggenheim, Merlin; Shafighi, Maziar (2016). Systematic Review of Quality of Patient Information on Liposuction in the Internet. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open, 4(6):e759.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

A large number of patients who are interested in esthetic surgery actively search the Internet, which represents nowadays the first source of information. However, the quality of information available in the Internet on liposuction is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of patient information on liposuction available in the Internet.

METHODS

The quantitative and qualitative assessment of Web sites was based on a modified Ensuring Quality Information for Patients tool (36 items). Five hundred Web sites were identified by the most popular web search engines.

RESULTS

Two hundred forty-five Web sites were assessed after duplicates and irrelevant sources were excluded. Only 72 (29%) Web sites addressed >16 items, and scores tended to be higher for professional societies, portals, patient groups, health departments, and academic centers than for Web sites developed by physicians, respectively. The Ensuring Quality Information for Patients score achieved by Web sites ranged between 8 and 29 of total 36 points, with a median value of 16 points (interquartile range, 14-18). The top 10 Web sites with the highest scores were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of patient information on liposuction available in the Internet is poor, and existing Web sites show substantial shortcomings. There is an urgent need for improvement in offering superior quality information on liposuction for patients intending to undergo this procedure.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

A large number of patients who are interested in esthetic surgery actively search the Internet, which represents nowadays the first source of information. However, the quality of information available in the Internet on liposuction is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of patient information on liposuction available in the Internet.

METHODS

The quantitative and qualitative assessment of Web sites was based on a modified Ensuring Quality Information for Patients tool (36 items). Five hundred Web sites were identified by the most popular web search engines.

RESULTS

Two hundred forty-five Web sites were assessed after duplicates and irrelevant sources were excluded. Only 72 (29%) Web sites addressed >16 items, and scores tended to be higher for professional societies, portals, patient groups, health departments, and academic centers than for Web sites developed by physicians, respectively. The Ensuring Quality Information for Patients score achieved by Web sites ranged between 8 and 29 of total 36 points, with a median value of 16 points (interquartile range, 14-18). The top 10 Web sites with the highest scores were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of patient information on liposuction available in the Internet is poor, and existing Web sites show substantial shortcomings. There is an urgent need for improvement in offering superior quality information on liposuction for patients intending to undergo this procedure.

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Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:04 Faculty of Medicine > University Hospital Zurich > Clinic for Reconstructive Surgery
Dewey Decimal Classification:610 Medicine & health
Scopus Subject Areas:Health Sciences > Surgery
Language:English
Date:22 June 2016
Deposited On:11 Sep 2020 07:15
Last Modified:27 Jan 2022 02:32
Publisher:Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
ISSN:2169-7574
OA Status:Gold
Free access at:PubMed ID. An embargo period may apply.
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000000798
PubMed ID:27482498
  • Content: Published Version
  • Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)