Hysterectomy – What does the Web Tell our Patients?

Abstract

Background: Hysterectomy is a commongynaecological surgery, and relevant information can be found online on a significant number of websites. This study explores the content of these websites readily accessible for patients.

Objectives: To evaluate the quality and availability of hysterectomy information online.

Method: The 100 top English websites obtained from the search engine Google using keywords “hysterectomy information for patients†were evaluated according to predefined criteria including content and website features.

Results: Google search engine gave 4.5 million search results. The government websites and professional medical societies provided more comprehensive information of hysterectomy including indications and management. Eight websites were tabled among these 100 websites as they provided recommendable information that patients may benefit most from.

Discussion: The quality of the websites widely varies and some may be biased due to commercial sponsorship. The recommended list of websites would be of use to guide patients to find reliable information.