Quality of online information about irritable bowel syndrome

Currently there are no studies evaluating web-based resources providing patient information about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a common condition with complex pathophysiology. Aims: to assess the reliance of patients on the internet for medical issues and the quality of commonly viewed websites about IBS. Methods: 198 patients were surveyed about using the internet for medical information and the most popular websites identified by their web searches for “irritable bowel syndrome” were evaluated for validity, readability, and content. Results: although a large portion of respondents rely on the internet for medical information, the majority of online resources for IBS are not easily readable. Four of 14 are written at an eighth grade reading level or below. Of these, only two have a Content Score of over 60 out of 93. This analysis supports clinicians in taking an active role to assist patients in finding online resources to improve their understanding.