I recently discovered The Weekly Health Quiz on the New York Times' Web site. Being curious by nature, I hastily completed the interactive quiz for that week and scored 6 out of 8 correct responses, which gave me a rating of "good." The questions dealt with Senator Kennedy's brain tumor, social (group) influence on smoking cessation, the antioxidant lycopene, music therapy, the wisdom of older persons, recovery from sports-related concussions, hookahs, and a gene that regulates the urge in the brain for food intake. Links to the original newspaper article from which each question was generated were listed, providing ample information for each given answer. Not only was it fun, it was educational as well, and it provided a fine distraction from my otherwise uneventful reading.
Now that my interest was piqued, I reviewed several other quizzes from recent weeks, trying to achieve a perfect 8. The topics were broad and the questions were well constructed- they were straightforward and not tricky or too complex. What better way to encourage readers to really read and absorb the content in health-related news stories than by offering a test of their knowledge? Who could resist the challenge to score with the Times?
Electronic Diagnoses
Shortly after my introduction to the Weekly Health Quiz, I was drawn to Web MD, a popular Web site for consumers looking for health information. To keep my query simple, I selected two symptoms from their list, fatigue and joint pain. I was immediately prompted to complete a series of short questions designed to help narrow the differentials and suggest possible causes for my complaint. Disclaimers and cautionary messages appropriately direct you to a healthcare provider, as "Web MD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment." This is typed in small font at the bottom of the page and expanded on a different page, which many readers might miss. I then switched directions and searched for health assessment and health risk tools. Risk tools are usually specific for an identified condition and caution the reader of their limitations.
We must have assurance that these assessment tools are comprised of items that have demonstrated some degree of predictive reliability in research studies.
Using different interactive tools, I had soon calculated my body mass index, frame size, and body fat, and determined my risks for breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and alcoholism. I asked myself, "Can I believe these results? What do they mean to my present and future health? What do I do next?"
Accurate Information?
Do patients and consumers ask these same questions and have these same concerns? None of the interactive tools I accessed requested my full health history or considered special circumstances; most asked a few targeted, relevant questions. How can a Web site provide accurate information if it does not ask what is necessary to provide the proper answer? When researching for specific information on the Internet, it is important to have assurance that assessment tools are comprised of items that have demonstrated some degree of predictive reliability in research studies.
Ascertaining Speculation
As advanced practice clinicians, our patients look to us to decipher what they have read, seen, and heard. Results or interpretations are only as accurate as the accuracy of the information available. We should remind our patients of this, especially when they come in convinced that they have correctly diagnosed their illness and determined their treatment through the Internet.
Jamesetta Newland, APRN, BC, FNP, FAANP, FNAP, PhD
Editor-in-Chief, [email protected]