Utilization of Evidence Strategies by Breast Cancer Websites Targeting Diverse Audiences.

Background: A growing numbers of individuals affected by breast cancer are turning to the web for information. The internet has unique capabilities for supplying health information, including the use of targeting specific populations and employing specific evidence strategies to create more effective messages. Objective: This research sought to address the presence of information targeting low literacy, racially diverse, non-English speaking, and age diverse audiences. In addition, this study documented the utilization of evidence strategies for these four audiences. Specifically, the likelihood that those websites which target one of these four audiences are to make use of statistical or storytelling evidence was compared to websites that do not target one of these four audiences. Method: This research examined these relationships on 157 breast cancer websites through content analysis. Results: Nearly half of the websites did not target the groups of interest here. Websites with multiple languages were found to be more likely to use statistical evidence and websites with low literacy sections were found to be less likely to do so, as compared to websites that did not target these groups. Websites with ethnic or racial diversity and age diversity sections were more likely to use first person storytelling about breast cancer, as compared to websites that did not target these groups. Conclusions: Current breast cancer websites demonstrate promising use of targeting specific audiences and employing evidence strategies prescribed as effective by past research. Future research examining these issues will benefit with direct input from website users. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]