Evaluating asthma websites using the Brief DISCERN instrument

Figures & data

Table 1 Uniform resource locator addresses of the unsponsored websites and their Brief DISCERN scores, reading ease, and reading grade level scores

Website	HON*	Reading ease	Grade level	Brief DISCERN
www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/asthma.aspx	No	42	11.2	16
www.aafa.org	Yes	54	9.5	20
www.webmd.com/asthma/default.htm	Yes	60.7	7.7	16
www.aanma.org	No	51.9	10.2	6
www.epa.gov/asthma/index	No	82.7	2.9	10
www.mayoclinic.com/health/asthma/DS00021	Yes	51.4	9.5	27
www.medicinenet.com/asthma/article.htm	Yes	39.1	11.8	26
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001196	No	58.6	8.4	20
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/asthma	Yes	62.7	8	26
www.cdc.gov/asthma	No	69.5	7.1	18
www.emedicine.medscape.com/article/296301-overview	No	17	15.4	30
www.lung.org/lung-disease/asthma/	No	60.3	8.3	22
www.asthma.com/	No	53	10.1	20
http://health.yahoo.net/channel/asthma.html	No	59.4	8.8	13
http://www.ask.healthline.com/health/asthma	No	48.1	10.6	19
Mean score		54.02	9.3	19.27

Note:

* HON, presence of the Health On the Net Code of Conduct (HONcode) logo on the website.

Table 2 Uniform resource locator addresses of the sponsored websites and their Brief DISCERN scores, reading ease, and grade level scores

Website	HON*	Reading ease	Grade level	Brief DISCERN
www.asthma.com	No	60.2	10	16
www.dailyasthmamedication.com	No	57	9.1	22
www.asthma-control-treatment.com	No	24.7	14.4	15
www.xpansions.com	No	50.4	10.9	13
www.caallergy.com	No	42	11.1	6
www.merckengage.com	No	79.1	4.8	12
www.massgeneral.org/children	No	54.8	8.9	8
Mean score		52.6	9.89	13.14

Note:

* HON, presence of the Health On the Net Code of Conduct (HONcode) logo on the website.