Specialized medical search‐engines are no better than general search‐engines in sourcing consumer information about androgen deficiency

BACKGROUND: The Internet provides consumers with access to online health information; however, identifying relevant and valid information can be problematic. Our objectives were firstly to investigate the efficiency of search‐engines, and then to assess the quality of online information pertaining to androgen deficiency in the ageing male (ADAM). METHODS: Keyword searches were performed on nine search‐engines (four general and five medical) to identify website information regarding ADAM. Search‐engine efficiency was compared by percentage of relevant websites obtained via each search‐engine. The quality of information published on each website was assessed using the DISCERN rating tool. RESULTS: Of 4927 websites searched, 47 (1.44%) and 10 (0.60%) relevant websites were identified by general and medical search‐engines respectively. The overall quality of online information on ADAM was poor. The quality of websites retrieved using medical search‐engines did not differ significantly from those retrieved by general search‐engines. CONCLUSION: Despite the poor quality of online information relating to ADAM, it is evident that medical search‐engines are no better than general search‐engines in sourcing consumer information relevant to ADAM.