Evaluating the Quality, Accuracy, and Readability of Online Resources Pertaining to Hallux Valgus

Background. The Internet is one of the most widely utilized resources for health-related information. Evaluation of the medical literature suggests that the quality and accuracy of these resources are poor and written at inappropriately high reading levels. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the quality, accuracy, and readability of online resources pertaining to hallux valgus. Methods. Two search terms (“hallux valgus” and “bunion”) were entered into Google, Yahoo, and Bing. With the use of scoring criteria specific to hallux valgus, the quality and accuracy of online information related to hallux valgus was evaluated by 3 reviewers. The Flesch–Kincaid score was used to determine readability. Statistical analysis was performed with t tests and significance was determined by P values Levels of Evidence: Level IV