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Tinnitus information online – does it ring true?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2018

R M McKearney ,
R C MacKinnon ,
M Smith  and
R Baker
R M McKearney*
Affiliation:
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK Audiology Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK Audiology Department, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
R C MacKinnon
Affiliation:
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK Audiology Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK Department of Vision and Hearing Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
M Smith
Affiliation:
Audiology Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
R Baker
Affiliation:
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK
*
Author for correspondence: Mr Richard M McKearney, Audiology Department, Guy's Hospital, London, SE1 9RT, UK E-mail: richard.mckearney@nhs.net
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Abstract

Objective

To assess, using standardised tools, the quality and readability of online tinnitus information that patients are likely to access.

Methods

A standardised review was conducted of websites relating to tinnitus and its management. Each website was scored using the DISCERN instrument and the Flesch Reading Ease scale.

Results

Twenty-seven unique websites were evaluated. The mean DISCERN score of the websites was 34.5 out of 80 (standard deviation = 11.2). This would be considered ‘fair’ in quality. Variability in DISCERN score between websites was high (range, 15–57: ‘poor’ to ‘very good’). Website readability was poor, with a mean Flesch Reading Ease score of 52.6 (standard deviation = 7.7); this would be considered ‘difficult’ to read.

Conclusion

In general, the quality of tinnitus websites is fair and the readability is poor, with substantial variability in quality between websites. The Action on Hearing Loss and the British Tinnitus Association websites were identified as providing the highest quality information.

Keywords

InternetTinnitusHealth LiteracyInformation Dissemination
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 132 , Issue 11 , November 2018 , pp. 984 - 989
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited, 2018 

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Footnotes

Mr R M McKearney takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

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