Evaluating the User Interface of Health Literacy Websites in Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Since the relationship between the user and the web is through the user interface, it is ‎essential that health websites be user‏-‏centric. The aim of the present study was to identify the ‎strengths and weaknesses of the user interface of health websites in Iran. Methods: This applied and descriptive research was conducted using heuristic method. Based on their ‎Alexa rank and the rate of related pages, 13 health websites were selected. The websites were ‎examined by 5 evaluators (3 graduates in computer sciences and 2 in medical library and ‎information sciences) using a checklist containing 5 major criteria and 27 items. The data were ‎analyzed using descriptive statistics in Excel software. Results: The health literacy websites had observed 63.78% of the criteria of the checklist. The criteria ‎of flexibility (89%), technical features (81%), and aesthetics and visibility (77%) gained the ‎highest scores, respectively. However, the lowest scores belonged to the criteria of help and ‎documentation (36.9%) and responsiveness and interaction (35%). Conclusion: The websites’ user interfaces were in relatively desirable conditions. According to the ‎findings, the criteria of help and documentation and responsiveness and interaction require ‎more attention. It is suggested that these websites resolve the identified problems and ‎minimize the gap between them and the users, so that users can visit these websites more ‎frequently.

Keywords

• User Interface
• Health Literacy
• Websites