Thanks to the Internet, you have thousands of health-related
websites at your fingertips. That’s the easy part.
Determining which sites provide useful, reliable, current
information can be the hard part.
The following tips from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
and other health experts can help.
Sort out sources.
First, figure out who’s in charge of a website.
Knowing who’s accountable can help you assess a site’s purpose
and trustworthiness. Look for a section titled “About Us” or
“About This Site” on the home page.
Just looking past the period in a site’s address can provide an
important clue. For example, government sites end in “.gov,”
educational institution sites end in “.edu,” nonprofit sites end in
“.org,” and commercial sites end in “.com.”
Also, if the site uses outside information, the original source
should be spelled out. If you can’t easily spot the source, beware.
Most recently reviewed.
Medical information changes over
time, so sites should be reviewed and updated regularly. Often,
the most recent information is posted at the bottom of a page.
Some sites also identify who reviews their materials, along with
their medical credentials.
Finding reliable
health websites
Another way to see if a site is being kept current is to try out a
few links. Broken links may indicate out-of-date information.
Protect your privacy.
Be cautious of sites that ask users to
subscribe or become a member. If you’re asked to provide personal
information, make sure you understand how it’ll be used.
Those details should be clearly explained on the site, often under
a heading such as “Privacy Statement” or “Privacy Policy.” Don’t
sign up if the policy seems unclear.
Use healthy skepticism.
Watch for statements that seem too
good to be true. Common red flags include the following:
•
Promises of quick, dramatic results
•
Claims that a cure is based on “secret ingredients”
•
Assurances that one remedy can correct a variety of
health problems
In general, let your common sense prevail. If you’re unsure
about what you’re finding online, talk to your doctor about your
health concerns.
References: See page 7
Looking for a health website you can trust?
Visit
selecthealth.org
. Under “LiVe Well,”
choose “Health Education.”
4
Total Fitness | spring 2014 |
selecthealth.org
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