@Article{info:doi/10.2196/12225,
author="Lander, Jonas
and Drixler, Karin
and Dierks, Marie-Luise
and Bitzer, Eva Maria",
title="How Do Publicly Available Allergy-Specific Web-Based Training Programs Conform to the Established Criteria for the Reporting, Methods, and Content of Evidence-Based (Digital) Health Information and Education: Thematic Content Evaluation",
journal="Interact J Med Res",
year="2019",
month="Oct",
day="24",
volume="8",
number="4",
pages="e12225",
keywords="allergy; asthma; health communication; health education; health information systems; evidence-based practice",
abstract="Background: Allergic diseases, such as allergic asthma, rhinitis, and atopic eczema, are widespread, and they are a considerable burden on the health care system. For patients and health care professionals, Web-based training programs may be helpful to foster self-management and provide allergy-specific information, given, for instance, their good accessibility. Objective: This study aimed to assess an exploratory sample of publicly available allergy-specific Web-based training programs---that is, interactive, feedback-oriented Web-based training platforms promoting health behavior change and improvement of personal skills---with regard to (1) general characteristics, aims, and target groups and (2) the extent to which these tools meet established criteria for the reporting, methods, and content of evidence-based (digital) health information and education. Methods: Web-based training programs were identified via an initial Google search and a search of English and German language websites of medical and public health services, such as the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (German), Asthma UK, and Anaphylaxis Canada. We developed a checklist from (1) established guidelines for Web-based health information (eg, the Journal of the American Medical Association benchmarks, DISCERN criteria, and Health On the Net code) and (2) a database search of related studies. The checklist contained 44 items covering 11 domains in 3 areas: (1) content (completeness, transparency, and evidence), (2) structure (data safety and qualification of trainers and authors), and (3) impact (effectiveness, user perspective, and integration into health care). We rated the Web-based training programs as completely, partly, or not satisfying each checklist item and calculated overall and domain-specific scores for each Web-based training program using SPSS 23.0 (SPSS Inc). Results: The 15 identified Web-based training programs covered an average of 37{\%} of the items (score 33 out of 88). A total of 7 Web-based training programs covered more than 40{\%} (35/88; maximum: 49{\%}; 43/88). A total of 5 covered 30{\%} (26/88) to 40{\%} (35/88) of all rated items and the rest covered fewer (n=3; lowest score 24{\%}; 21/88). Items relating to intervention (58{\%}; 10/18), content (49{\%}; 9/18), and data safety (60{\%}; 1/2) were more often considered, as opposed to user safety (10{\%}; 0.4/4), qualification of staff (10{\%}; 0.8/8), effectiveness (16{\%}; 0.4/2), and user perspective (45{\%}; 5/12). In addition, in 13 of 15 Web-based training programs, a minimum of 3 domains were not covered at all. Regarding evidence-based content, 46{\%} of all Web-based training programs (7/15) scored on use of scientific research, 53{\%} on regular information update (8/15), and 33{\%} on provision of references (5/15). None of 15 provided details on the quality of references or the strength of evidence. Conclusions: English and German language allergy-specific Web-based training programs, addressing lay audiences and health care professionals, conform only partly to established criteria for the reporting, methods, and content of evidence-based (digital) health information and education. Particularly, well-conducted studies on their effectiveness are missing. ",
issn="1929-073X",
doi="10.2196/12225",
url="http://www.i-jmr.org/2019/4/e12225/",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/12225",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31651401"
}