Evaluating the Quality of Websites Offering Information on Female Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

Abstract

This study evaluates websites relevant to female hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). Its primary aim is to evaluate the quality of Internet HSDD information. One hundred and one websites, identified through simple Google searches, were scored using a tool incorporating expert consensus-derived quality criteria for HSDD. The tool included structural criteria such as currency, authorship, and disclosure of competing interests. It also included performance criteria, evaluating accuracy, and comprehensiveness, and was adapted from a published website evaluation tool for diabetes. For each website, a quality index score with a potential range from 1 to 5 (1 = poor, 5 = excellent) was calculated, and the websites were rank ordered using this score. Quality index scores ranged from 1.68 to 4.64, with 75% of websites scoring at or below 3.27. Test-retest reliability was moderate (n = 24, r = 0.6601, P = .0004). Rank ordering of the websites by quality index allowed identification of the top five highest quality websites. The majority of HSDD websites' quality scores fell in the score range from 1 to 3, indicating room for improvement in the quality of websites that address HSDD. Website evaluation tools utilizing both structural and performance quality criteria may help clinicians to assist their patients in assessing the quality of Internet health information.

The authors express their appreciation to Dr. Anita Clayton for her expert assistance in developing the web evaluation tool and to Patty Murray for editing the manuscript. The research and manuscript preparation were supported by a grant from Proctor & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The funding sponsor had no input on protocol development, manuscript preparation, or manuscript submission. The authors have no actual or potential conflicts of interest to report.

Notes

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