İstanbul Medical Journal (Jul 2020)
What is the Frequency of Internet Searches by Patients with Rheumatic Diseases? To What Degree are the Websites They Get Information from Reliable and What is the Effect of These Websites on Their Treatment?
Abstract
Introduction:This study aimed to determine internet use among a certain number of patients with regard to the three prevalent rheumatic diseases in clinical practice and more importantly to evaluate the quality of information available on the internet using the DISCERN scoring system.Methods:The study population consists of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia. As part of this study, we conducted a survey and recorded whether or not they researched over the internet concerning their diseases. After the survey, we also tested the reliability of the websites. We analysed websites using the DISCERN scoring system in order to determine to what degree these websites contained sufficient.Results:We found that 102 out of 173 cases (58.9%) used the internet to get information about their disease, while 71 cases (41.04%) did not conduct any internet research. According to the DISCERN scoring, the aforementioned websites were evaluated with 15 questions in the survey. Consequently, it was inferred that among these websites, 24 (27.2%) had high-level (4 to 5 points), 44 (50%) had medium-level (2 to 3 points) and 20 (22.7%) had poor-level (1 point) quality and reliability.Conclusion:The digital interest that has gradually increased in the recent years has become a concern as patients desire to have information on the course and treatment of their rheumatic diseases. It should be acknowledged that patients with long-term treatment and follow-up processes are not and will not be guided only by their doctors. Physicians may improve the quality of life of their patients and help them avoid unnecessary anxieties, if they regard the foregoing when they inform and instruct them.
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