Evaluating Rehabilitative Medical Information on the Korean Internet: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Stroke.

, Kim, Chang Hwan; , Oh, Bum Seok; , Han, Sang Ho; , Hur, Jin Kang; , Kim, Yu Je; , Park, Dong Sik

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine 2002;26(6):802-805.

Kim, Chang Hwan , Oh, Bum Seok , Han, Sang Ho , Hur, Jin Kang , Kim, Yu Je , Park, Dong Sik

¹Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Korea. sweetmd@empal.com
²PT Room, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Korea.

인터넷상의 재활의학정보의 평가: 수근관증후군, 뇌졸중

김창환·오범석·한상호·허진강¹·김유제·박동식

한림대학교 의과대학 재활의학교실, ¹강동성심병원 물리치료실

Abstract

Objective
To analyse the sites of medical information by popular search engines and its appropriateness as guidance to medical information.
Method
The search phrase "carpal tunnel syndrome" (CTS) and "stroke" were entered into four commonly used Korean web search engines. 24 and 21 web-sites from search engines were gathered, respectively. These web sites then were evaluated for authorship, content, and an informational value score was assigned to each.
Results
According to authorship in CTS, 16.6 percent of the sites were commercial sites and 20.8 percent were authored by oriental medical doctors with 37.5 and 16.6 percent by general physicians and physiatrists, respectively. With stroke, 9.5 percent was commercial and each 71.4, 19.0, 0 percent was authored by oriental medical doctors, physician, physiatrist respectively. Each 75, 28.6 percent of the sites offered conventional information. The mean informational value of web sites was 51.1, 41.1 points.
Conclusion
The information about CTS on the internet is of limited quality, inconsistent contentional value, despite of relatively high informational value. With stroke, information was offered by mainly oriental medical doctors, and was not so valuable. The public and medical communities need to recognize these limitations so that the quality of medical information on the internet can be improved. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2002; 26: 802-805)

Key Words: Information, Internet, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Stroke