"Diverticulitis is a condition in which diverticuli in the colon rupture. The rupture results in infection in the tissues that surround the colon” (MedicineNet, 2010, para.1). Or at least that’s what MedicineNet.com states that it is. Sometimes what we find on the Internet isn’t as reliable as what we may think. Doing research and finding correct and reliable information is very important in the nursing practice. There is so much information available at our fingertips, but finding accurate information is sometimes a challenge and can be detrimental to patient care if the information found is inaccurate. The purpose of this assignment is to evaluate the validity of three health websites.
The first website that I will evaluate is
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I believe this site to be a valid one because there is an ample amount of credibility with the standards that they follow and the information is provided by the expertise of many different types of physicians. I really can’t say enough about this site.
The third site that I will evaluate is MedlinePlus. This site is the “National Institute of Health’s Web site for patients and their families and friends” (MedlinePlus, 2010, para.1) and it is produced by the National Library of Medicine (NLM). The website provides information on the latest treatments, information on drugs and supplements, definitions of words and you can also review certain medical videos. Dr. Donald A.B. Lindberg is the Director of the site and of the National Library of Medicine. He calls this site “a goldmine of good health information from the world’s largest medical library” (MedlinePlus, 2010, para. 3). It has extensive information from the National Institutes of Health and various trusted sources on over 800 diseases and conditions (MedlinePlus, 2010). Just like the other two websites that I have chosen, the site is not meant to provide medical advice. Instead it provides consumers with information to better understand their health and any illness they may have.
The site does not provide an address for MedlinePlus. However, the location for the NLM is Bethesda, MD. The URL address for MedlinePlus is http://medlineplus.gov and their email address for comments or questions is
Locate a total of five research databases or collections related to your topic. Each research database description is worth 30 points. You may search for these in various locations, e.g., the Internet, an intranet at work, print publications, etc. You may NOT choose the databases that are already familiar to you – MEDLINE, PUBMED (which also indexes MEDLINE), GOOGLE SCHOLAR, and CINAHL. Instead, you are expected to expand your knowledge of evidence-based sources. Places to help you begin include your textbook, which lists databases and websites that report research. The Chamberlain online library (http://library.chamberlain.edu) gives you access to several databases and provide tutorials for searching. Government sites such as those at the National Institutes of Health offer collections of research on a variety of subjects. The key to choosing the databases is that each contains research-based evidence that also pertains to your topic of interest.
Over the years medical providers have come to realize that some treatments and screenings are more appropriate than others for diseases and/or illnesses. As this occurs these successful findings are published and then become the gold standard by which providers treat patients. Without these gold standard practices treatment is fragmented and can fail. In light of this knowledge the government began a website to gather these guidelines and recommendations in one simple place for providers to access no matter their location. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is a part of the US Department of Health and Human Services and this is where providers can find those recommendations and guidelines thus improving patient outcomes by utilizing them.
I will compare the information available from two major online medical resources to see what type of audience they are targeting and how the information is communicated. The topic that I will be chosen is diabetes. The websites that I will be getting my sources are from Medicinenet (http://www.medicinenet.com/diabetes_mellitus/article.htm) and the CDC centers for disease control and prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/home/index.html).
DS is a 57-year-old white female whit a history of diverticulitis who presents to the clinic for an evaluation of abdominal pain. She stated that she began experiencing left lower quadrant pain last night that worsened through the night and into this morning. The pain is described as dull, occasionally cramping, rated 7/10 in severity. The patient also stated that this pain is similar to previous episodes of diverticulitis. The patient stated that she took Gas-X this morning with little relief. She was able to move her bowels yesterday and this morning, both reportedly normal. The patient denied any fever, chills, chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, melena, hematochezia, or any other symptoms. At this time, there were
Health and medicine are important for a society to run smoothly. The internet can be very dangerous. First of all, one does not know who is putting this information on the internet and many illnesses have similar symptoms but need different treatments. It is not always easy to decide what is reliable. 80% of internet users go online to find health related information. Many people rely and trust the internet which makes them sicker. When one is unhealthy, it leads to them not being able to perform their role in society and become exempt from normal obligations. Doctors play a vital role in keeping people healthy and productive in our society. People tend to believe what they read on the internet. But as we have learned
The objective of this study is to identify and evaluate a health-related website within the domain indicated as heart.org or heart.gov. This study will provide empirical evidence to support the website as a credible source for inclusion in a scholarly assignment.
Wayne Gattinella is the Chief Executive Officer and President of WebMD which is sponsored by several pharmaceutical companies, medical equipment and health products. Medically certified authors submit information to WebMD which is reviewed by, a medical review board which consist of four physicians to ensure quality and accuracy. Medical doctors, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses are the authours for the information found on WebMD who have their name and credentials listed at the end of each article and their affiliation. There is no contact information for further follow-up to the authour but individuals are encouraged to seek further medical advice. Information is easily obtained on this site with some patience and time; usually there are additional hyperlinks in these articles for additional information which is current and easily uploaded.
Reading this site, it is easy to see that this publication of information if from a trusted professional association that has been around for some time, approximately over 100 years to be exact. The site seems to be very accurate in its information that it reports. The Mayo Clinic team works alongside a team and slew of medical professionals and experts that provide them with the necessary information, research and clinical evaluations in order to present valuable and useful information (Mayoclinic.org, 2014). Because of the wealth of various medical professionals that readily participate and are active members of this team and staff, you can trust that the information is not coming from a mere bias approach of being a single person or single minded organization, but from people who come from different backgrounds and bring different experiences to the table all for the same common goal.
* Checking the information against reliable sources, including the National Practitioner Data Bank and the American Board of Medical Specialties
HISTORY- EPIDEMIOLOGY: Diverticulitis is an intestinal inflammation occurring as a complication to the disorder of diverticulosis. The global epidemiology is associated with the western culture diet, being far more common in industrialized countries like the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, and much less prevalent in Asia and Africa. These two conditions were rare in the 18th century and appear to be linked to the reduction of fiber in flour due to the development of roller mills that replaced grist mills in the late 1800’s. Roller mills were a more efficient method of refining wheat into flour; however this resulted in the destroying or removal of most of the fiber from the grain. This
Whenever I am sick and show symptoms I have not had in the past, I turn to the computer and search for what I have. I usually go to the first site that pops up, Mayo Clinic. Is there a better site, or is Mayo Clinic reliable?
Determining the credibility of a website starts with tools that can be used to evaluate the site. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) offers information defining how to evaluate websites credibility. Key factors such as; “Who runs and pays for the website, what the website’s purpose is, Where did the information on the site come from and how is
The information provided on this site is factual and can be used to educate the population. This web page is open to the public for viewing. I enjoy learning new information from this site to share with my students and patients.
These web-sites are all created by companies trying to sell something. They are not going to provide any medical research that does not support their product claims to sell their product. This is why it is important to review scientific data when thinking about starting a new, possibly controversial, dietary supplement. Researchers and doctors are much more biased when examining a product than a group that has a stake in the possible positive or negative results. The purpose of research is to inform the public, not sell
The last two sources that are not from an academic website of any kind seem credible, and have doctors to back up their finding, but they both have disclaimers on them that the information is purely educational and should not take the place of a doctor's advice. The fact that they have this disclaimer makes me wonder if they have to have it, or are not confident in the information they have given.