METHODS: Twenty-one websites of orthodontic appliance and adjunct (product) providers were identified. The website content was assessed via two validated quality-of-information instruments (DISCERN and the Journal of the American Medical Association [JAMA] benchmarks) and an accuracy-of-information instrument. Website content was qualitatively analyzed for themes and subthemes.
RESULTS: More than half (n = 11; 52.3%) of the assessed websites contained clinician testimonials. The mean (SD) DISCERN score was 33.14 (5.44). No website recorded the minimum of three JAMA benchmarks required to indicate reliability. The most common content themes related to quality-of-life impact and treatment duration. Just 8% of the statements within the websites were objectively true. The Pearson correlation coefficient indicated that the DISCERN scores were correlated with the accuracy-of-information scores (r = .83; P < .001).
CONCLUSIONS: The quality and accuracy of information contained within the websites of the providers of marketed orthodontic products was poor. The combined use of DISCERN and the accuracy-of-information instrument may help overcome the shortcomings of each. Clinicians should check the accuracy of information on orthodontic product provider websites before adding links to those websites on their own sites.
方法:确定了21个正畸矫治器和辅助(产品)提供商的网站。网站内容通过两种经过验证的信息质量工具(DISCERN和《美国医学会杂志》[JAMA]基准)和一种信息准确性工具进行评估。对网站内容进行了主题和子主题的定性分析。
结果:超过一半(n=11;52.3%)的评估网站包含临床医生的证词。平均(SD)DISCERN评分为33.14(5.44)。没有网站记录表明可靠性所需的至少三个JAMA基准。最常见的内容主题与生活质量影响和治疗持续时间有关。网站内只有8%的陈述是客观真实的。Pearson相关系数表明DISCERN评分与信息准确度评分相关(r=.83;P<.001)。
结论:市售正畸产品提供商网站中包含的信息质量和准确性较差。DISCERN和信息准确性工具的结合使用可能有助于克服各自的缺点。临床医生在自己的网站上添加链接到这些网站之前,应检查正畸产品提供商网站上信息的准确性。