Credibility, readability and content analysis of treatment recommendations for adolescents with nonspecific back pain published on consumer websites

IF 3.5 2区医学 Q1 ANESTHESIOLOGY European Journal of Pain Pub Date : 2024-05-16 DOI:10.1002/ejp.2282

S. D. Hauber, K. Robinson, R. Fechner, J. W. Pate, K. O'Sullivan

{"title":"Credibility, readability and content analysis of treatment recommendations for adolescents with nonspecific back pain published on consumer websites","authors":"S. D. Hauber, K. Robinson, R. Fechner, J. W. Pate, K. O'Sullivan","doi":"10.1002/ejp.2282","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Background</h3>\n \n <p>Parents may seek out health information online when their adolescent has nonspecific back pain to better understand treatment options. Such information directed towards consumers has not been previously analysed.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Methods</h3>\n \n <p>A descriptive cross-sectional content analysis was performed to describe the treatments recommended on consumer websites for nonspecific back pain in adolescents. The credibility and readability of the websites were also assessed. Systematic Google searches were completed in five countries, and relevant content from eligible web pages was analysed. An a priori codebook with 34 treatment-related codes was developed. Nine additional codes were inductively created during analysis. Credibility was assessed using the JAMA benchmark. Readability was assessed via the Flesch Kincaid Grade Level.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Results</h3>\n \n <p>Of 245 web pages, 48 were deemed eligible and analysed. Of 43 treatment codes, 37 were present in at least one web page. The five most frequently identified codes were See the doctor/get a diagnosis (found on 85% of web pages), Ergonomics/posture/biomechanics (52%), Reassurance (48%), Physiotherapy (48%) and Non-prescription pharmaceuticals/supplements (46%). Only 21% of the web pages met all four JAMA benchmark criteria, and 15% cited at least one recent or high-quality source. The median Flesch Kincaid Grade Level score was 9.0 (range 3.5–12.9).</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Conclusions</h3>\n \n <p>Parents of adolescents with nonspecific back pain may find that treatment recommendations published online are numerous and varied, with visits to the doctor encouraged. The credibility scores of these web pages are generally low, while the median reading level may be too high for the general population.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Significance Statement</h3>\n \n <p>This analysis reveals that public-facing websites with recommendations for treating adolescent nonspecific back pain do not cite the most recent, high-quality research. Although web pages correctly encourage physical activity and exercise over surgery and prescription medications, they do not reflect the psychologically informed or interdisciplinary care emphasized in recently published treatment recommendations. Clinicians must be aware that caregivers of their adolescent patients with nonspecific back pain may be exposed to online messages that encourage them to keep seeking a diagnosis.</p>\n </section>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":12021,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pain","volume":"28 9","pages":"1571-1584"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejp.2282","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"European Journal of Pain","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejp.2282","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ANESTHESIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Parents may seek out health information online when their adolescent has nonspecific back pain to better understand treatment options. Such information directed towards consumers has not been previously analysed.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional content analysis was performed to describe the treatments recommended on consumer websites for nonspecific back pain in adolescents. The credibility and readability of the websites were also assessed. Systematic Google searches were completed in five countries, and relevant content from eligible web pages was analysed. An a priori codebook with 34 treatment-related codes was developed. Nine additional codes were inductively created during analysis. Credibility was assessed using the JAMA benchmark. Readability was assessed via the Flesch Kincaid Grade Level.

Results

Of 245 web pages, 48 were deemed eligible and analysed. Of 43 treatment codes, 37 were present in at least one web page. The five most frequently identified codes were See the doctor/get a diagnosis (found on 85% of web pages), Ergonomics/posture/biomechanics (52%), Reassurance (48%), Physiotherapy (48%) and Non-prescription pharmaceuticals/supplements (46%). Only 21% of the web pages met all four JAMA benchmark criteria, and 15% cited at least one recent or high-quality source. The median Flesch Kincaid Grade Level score was 9.0 (range 3.5–12.9).

Conclusions

Parents of adolescents with nonspecific back pain may find that treatment recommendations published online are numerous and varied, with visits to the doctor encouraged. The credibility scores of these web pages are generally low, while the median reading level may be too high for the general population.

Significance Statement

This analysis reveals that public-facing websites with recommendations for treating adolescent nonspecific back pain do not cite the most recent, high-quality research. Although web pages correctly encourage physical activity and exercise over surgery and prescription medications, they do not reflect the psychologically informed or interdisciplinary care emphasized in recently published treatment recommendations. Clinicians must be aware that caregivers of their adolescent patients with nonspecific back pain may be exposed to online messages that encourage them to keep seeking a diagnosis.

查看原文

微信好友朋友圈 QQ好友复制链接

本刊更多论文

消费者网站上发布的青少年非特异性背痛治疗建议的可信度、可读性和内容分析。

背景：当青少年出现非特异性背痛时，家长可能会在网上寻求健康信息，以便更好地了解治疗方案。以前从未对这些针对消费者的信息进行过分析：方法：对消费者网站上推荐的治疗青少年非特异性背痛的方法进行了描述性横截面内容分析。此外，还对网站的可信度和可读性进行了评估。在五个国家进行了系统的谷歌搜索，并对符合条件的网页中的相关内容进行了分析。先验编码手册包含 34 个与治疗相关的编码。在分析过程中又归纳出 9 个代码。可信度采用 JAMA 基准进行评估。可读性通过 Flesch Kincaid 分级进行评估：在 245 个网页中，有 48 个被认为符合条件并进行了分析。在 43 个治疗代码中，37 个至少出现在一个网页中。最常出现的五个代码分别是：看医生/获得诊断（85%的网页上都有）、人体工程学/姿势/生物力学（52%）、保证（48%）、物理治疗（48%）和非处方药物/补充剂（46%）。只有 21% 的网页符合《美国医学会杂志》的所有四项基准标准，15% 的网页至少引用了一个最新或高质量的资料来源。弗莱什-金凯德等级评分的中位数为 9.0（范围为 3.5-12.9）：结论：患有非特异性背痛的青少年的家长可能会发现，网上发布的治疗建议既多又杂，因此鼓励他们去看医生。这些网页的可信度得分普遍较低，而阅读水平的中位数对于普通人群来说可能过高：这项分析表明，面向公众的网站对青少年非特异性背痛的治疗建议并未引用最新的高质量研究成果。虽然网页正确地鼓励体育锻炼和运动，而不是手术和处方药，但它们并没有反映出最近发表的治疗建议中所强调的心理知情或跨学科护理。临床医生必须意识到，青少年非特异性背痛患者的照顾者可能会接触到鼓励他们继续寻求诊断的网络信息。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文去求助

来源期刊

European Journal of Pain 医学-临床神经学

CiteScore

7.50

自引率

5.60%

发文量

163

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： European Journal of Pain (EJP) publishes clinical and basic science research papers relevant to all aspects of pain and its management, including specialties such as anaesthesia, dentistry, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, palliative care, pharmacology, physiology, psychiatry, psychology and rehabilitation; socio-economic aspects of pain are also covered. Regular sections in the journal are as follows: • Editorials and Commentaries • Position Papers and Guidelines • Reviews • Original Articles • Letters • Bookshelf The journal particularly welcomes clinical trials, which are published on an occasional basis. Research articles are published under the following subject headings: • Neurobiology • Neurology • Experimental Pharmacology • Clinical Pharmacology • Psychology • Behavioural Therapy • Epidemiology • Cancer Pain • Acute Pain • Clinical Trials.