Web of Wellness

Tips for finding reliable health information online

There is lots of great information on the internet to help you advocate for your health, if you know where to look. But not all websites are created equal, and there are no rules regulating the quality of the information. Some sites may contain false or misleading information. How can you tell the difference between good and bad health information, especially when there’s so much of it?

Here are some simple rules of thumb that will help you find trustworthy, credible health information online:

• Determine the purpose of the site. Is it to inform? To sell a product? To raise money? Be suspicious of sites that are trying to sell you something. A drug or supplement company (or a private treatment centre, for that matter) has a vested interest in skewing the information to suit their agenda. At least check the information on these sites against credible sites suggested below.
• Consider the source. Where does the information come from? An easy way to tell if the source is reliable is to look at the “suffix” of the website address. For example:
  
  .gov = U.S. government sites
  .gc.ca = government of Canada sites
  .on.ca = Ontario government sites
  .org = non-profit organizations, professional organizations
  .edu = educational institutions
  .com = commercial sites

You can also click on the "About Us" link to learn about the purpose of the organization behind the site and determine if it’s a trusted source.

• Check who is funding the site. Non-profits can be supported by pharmaceutical and insurance companies, but that support and sponsorship should be clearly stated.
• Make sure it’s up-to-date. How current is the information? Does it reflect the latest research and treatment options? If it isn’t clear how recently information has been updated or reviewed, move on to another source.
• Check attribution. Does the site attribute the information you’re reading to experts in the field or to medical studies, reports or articles? Be careful of sites that don’t say where the information originated from.
• Differentiate opinion from fact. Many discussion board and chat rooms are full of accounts of members’ personal experiences and opinions and should never be taken as fact. Opinion is also prevalent on many “.com” or commercial sites. Is the information reviewed by experts and/or specialists? Does the site have an editorial board or review process?
• Pause before giving personal information. If the site asks you to register, review the privacy policy to make sure the hosting organization will not share your information with third parties.
• Take claims with a grain of salt. Steer clear of sites that make health claims that sound too good to be true or promote “miracle” or “breakthrough” cures.
• Advertisements should be clearly separate from content. Advertisements should be labeled as such, or read “From our Sponsor.”

Common sense and good judgment can go a long way when evaluating health information online. Do not act impulsively on any health information you find on the web, and don’t count on any one website – check with several sources to confirm the accuracy of your research. And remember to talk with your doctor or health practitioner about your findings.

Online research can be a valuable resource to educate yourself and become a more informed partner when working with your healthcare provider(s). Never use information you find on the internet to make decisions about your medical care.

Credible Health Websites

Information on these sites is credible and reliable. These sites also contain links to other trustworthy sites.

Local

Collingwood General & Marine Hospital www.cgmh.on.ca

Grey Bruce Health Services (Owen Sound, Meaford, Markdale hospitals) www.gbhs.on.ca

Royal Victoria Hospital (Barrie) www.rvh.on.ca

Ontario

Ontario Ministry of Health & Long-term Care www.health.gov.on.ca

Ontario Hospital Association www.oha.com

Cancer Care Ontario www.cancercare.on.ca

ConnexOntario www.connexontario.ca

Ontario Mental Health Association www.ontario.cmha.ca

Central East Stroke Network www.cesnstroke.ca

Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy www.osteostrategy.on.ca

Community Care and Access Centre www.ccac-ont.ca

Canada

Canadian Medical Association www.cma.ca

Canadian Cancer Society www.cancer.ca

Health Canada www.hc-sc.gc.ca

Public Health Agency of Canada www.phac-aspc.gc.ca

Canadian Medical Association Journal www.cmaj.ca

Osteoporosis Canada www.osteoporosis.ca

U.S.

American Academy of Family Physicians familydoctor.org

National Institutes of Health www.nih.gov

National Cancer Institute www.cancer.gov

American Pain Foundation www.painfoundation.org

Mayo Clinic www.mayoclinic.com

Johns Hopkins Medical Center www.hopkinsmedicine.org

New England Journal of Medicine content.nejm.org

Journal of the American Medical Association jama.ama-assn.org