Evaluating Quality, Credibility, and Readability of Online Over‐the‐Counter Hearing Aid Information

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Abstract

Objective

With over‐the‐counter hearing aids being recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, the accuracy and usefulness of online information has not yet been examined. This study evaluates the quality, credibility, readability, and accessibility of online over‐the‐counter hearing aids education materials.

Methods

Google was queried using the search term “over‐the‐counter hearing aids”. The top 50 results were categorized into healthcare versus non‐healthcare authored resources. The Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES) and Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) tests were utilized to assess readability, whereas the Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose (CRAAP) test and DISCERN instruments were used to assess quality and credibility. The number of clicks taken to access relevant information on each website was used to assess accessibility.

Results

There was no significant difference in FRES or FKGL readability scores between healthcare and non‐healthcare authored websites ( p = 0.5548, p = 0.5981, respectively), but both readability scores were higher than that of the recommended reading level for patient education materials. There was no significant difference in CRAAP and DISCERN scores between both groups ( p = 0.5746, p = 0.1699, respectively). The number of clicks did not significantly differ between healthcare and non‐healthcare authored resources ( p = 0.4932).

Conclusion

This study highlights poor readability and accessibility of virtual healthcare information regarding OTC hearing aids. Although credibility in articles authored by healthcare and non‐healthcare professionals was adequate, readability was greatly compromised due to the written information exceeding the recommended United States reading level. Accessibility posed a similar issue, as many sites required multiple clicks to access product information.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 134:3302–3309, 2024

Related collections

Most cited references 18

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A Guideline of Selecting and Reporting Intraclass Correlation Coefficients for Reliability Research.

Terry Koo, Mae Li (2016)

Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) is a widely used reliability index in test-retest, intrarater, and interrater reliability analyses. This article introduces the basic concept of ICC in the content of reliability analysis.

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Low Health Literacy and Evaluation of Online Health Information: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Nicola Diviani, Bas van den Putte, Stefano Giani … (2015)

Background Recent years have witnessed a dramatic increase in consumer online health information seeking. The quality of online health information, however, remains questionable. The issue of information evaluation has become a hot topic, leading to the development of guidelines and checklists to design high-quality online health information. However, little attention has been devoted to how consumers, in particular people with low health literacy, evaluate online health information. Objective The main aim of this study was to review existing evidence on the association between low health literacy and (1) people’s ability to evaluate online health information, (2) perceived quality of online health information, (3) trust in online health information, and (4) use of evaluation criteria for online health information. Methods Five academic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Communication and Mass-media Complete) were systematically searched. We included peer-reviewed publications investigating differences in the evaluation of online information between people with different health literacy levels. Results After abstract and full-text screening, 38 articles were included in the review. Only four studies investigated the specific role of low health literacy in the evaluation of online health information. The other studies examined the association between educational level or other skills-based proxies for health literacy, such as general literacy, and outcomes. Results indicate that low health literacy (and related skills) are negatively related to the ability to evaluate online health information and trust in online health information. Evidence on the association with perceived quality of online health information and use of evaluation criteria is inconclusive. Conclusions The findings indicate that low health literacy (and related skills) play a role in the evaluation of online health information. This topic is therefore worth more scholarly attention. Based on the results of this review, future research in this field should (1) specifically focus on health literacy, (2) devote more attention to the identification of the different criteria people use to evaluate online health information, (3) develop shared definitions and measures for the most commonly used outcomes in the field of evaluation of online health information, and (4) assess the relationship between the different evaluative dimensions and the role played by health literacy in shaping their interplay.

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The impact of health information on the internet on the physician-patient relationship: patient perceptions.

Elizabeth Murray, Bernard Lo, Lance Pollack … (2003)

Use of the Internet for health information continues to grow rapidly, but its impact on health care is unclear. Concerns include whether patients' access to large volumes of information will improve their health; whether the variable quality of the information will have a deleterious effect; the effect on health disparities; and whether the physician-patient relationship will be improved as patients become more equal partners, or be damaged if physicians have difficulty adjusting to a new role. Telephone survey of nationally representative sample of the American public, with oversample of people in poor health. Of the 3209 respondents, 31% had looked for health information on the Internet in the past 12 months, 16% had found health information relevant to themselves and 8% had taken information from the Internet to their physician. Looking for information on the Internet showed a strong digital divide; however, once information had been looked for, socioeconomic factors did not predict other outcomes. Most (71%) people who took information to the physician wanted the physician's opinion, rather than a specific intervention. The effect of taking information to the physician on the physician-patient relationship was likely to be positive as long as the physician had adequate communication skills, and did not appear challenged by the patient bringing in information. For health information on the Internet to achieve its potential as a force for equity and patient well-being, actions are required to overcome the digital divide; assist the public in developing searching and appraisal skills; and ensure physicians have adequate communication skills.