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Web-based online resources about adverse interactions or side effects associated with complementary and alternative medicine: a systematic review, summarization and quality assessment
- Source :
- BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, Vol 20, Iss 1, Pp 1-20 (2020), BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2020.
-
Abstract
- Background Given an increased global prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use, healthcare providers commonly seek CAM-related health information online. Numerous online resources containing CAM-specific information exist, many of which are readily available/accessible, containing information shareable with their patients. To the authors’ knowledge, no study has summarized nor assessed the quality of content contained within these online resources for at least a decade, specifically pertaining to information about adverse effects or interactions. Methods This study provides summaries of web-based online resources that provide safety information on potential interactions or adverse effects of CAM. Specifically, clinicians are the intended users of these online resources containing patient information which they can then disseminate to their patients. All online resources were assessed for content quality using the validated rating tool, DISCERN. Results Of 21 articles identified in our previously published scoping review, 23 online resources were eligible. DISCERN assessments suggests that online resources containing CAM-specific information vary in quality. Summed DISCERN scores had a mean of 56.13 (SD = 10.25) out of 75. Online resources with the highest total DISCERN scores across all questions included Micromedex (68.50), Merck Manual (67.50) and Drugs.com (66.50). Online resources with the lowest total scores included Drug Information (33.00), Caremark Drug Interactions (42.50) and HIV Drug Interactions (43.00). The DISCERN questions that received the highest mean score across all online resources referred to whether the risks were described for each treatment (4.66), whether the aims were clear (4.58), whether the source achieved those aims (4.58), and whether the website referred to areas of uncertainty (4.58). The DISCERN questions that received the lowest mean score across all online resources assessed whether there was discussion about no treatment being used (1.29) and how treatment choices would affect quality of life (2.00). Conclusion This study provides a comprehensive list of online resources containing CAM-specific information. Informed by the appraisal of these resources, this study provides a summarized list of high quality, evidence-based, online resources about CAM and CAM-related adverse effects. This list of recommended resources can thereby serve as a useful reference for clinicians, researchers, and patients.
- Subjects :
- Complementary Therapies
medicine.medical_specialty
Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
Quality Assurance, Health Care
020205 medical informatics
media_common.quotation_subject
Alternative medicine
Pilot Projects
Health Informatics
02 engineering and technology
lcsh:Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics
Health informatics
Access to Information
Herbal therapies
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Quality of life (healthcare)
0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering
eHealth
medicine
Humans
Web application
Drug Interactions
Quality (business)
030212 general & internal medicine
Side effects
Dissemination
media_common
Internet
Medical education
business.industry
Health Policy
Automatic summarization
Computer Science Applications
Complementary and alternative medicine
Adverse events
Quality of Life
Herb-drug interactions
lcsh:R858-859.7
Online resources
business
Psychology
Research Article
Quality assessment
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14726947
- Volume :
- 20
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....e1d5b722cd4543cfe9f6a8eaf7039928