Consumer Health Information Website Analysis Paper
Consumer Health Information Website Analysis Paper
Consumer Health Information Website Analysis Paper
The world is in an information age as consumers seek more information to understand products, including health products. Concurrently, more information is available about health on multiple online sources, readily available to everyone with internet access. However, the credibility of the information varies because most people present as health experts on their websites, providing health information and advice without supporting evidence or authority (NIH, 2023). Most websites are for sale, and only a few provide authentic and evidence-based information for educational purposes. This paper addresses diabetes mellitus and analyzes a website offering information on diabetes mellitus, including its authority, credibility, and adequacy.
Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic illness that involves abnormally high glucose levels. It is a chronic disease occurring due to impaired insulin secretion, resistance to insulin peripheral actions, or both (Xu et al., 2018). Diabetes mellitus significantly impacts the quality of life and can damage other body organs and systems, making individuals disabled and living with multiple health complications like retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy (Liu et al., 2020). Diabetes increases the risk of macrovascular complications two to four times, making an individual more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases.
Diabetes mellitus is classified into type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is marked by autoimmune damage of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, resulting in insulin deficiency (Sapra & Bhandari, 2022). It can develop at any stage of life but is more common among children and adolescents. Type 2 diabetes mellitus accounts for 90% of all diabetes mellitus cases, and its etiology is linked to insulin resistance (Sapra & Bhandari, 2022). Type 2 diabetes mellitus is more common among adults, particularly those above 45 years old, although cases are increasing among children and young adults due to sedentary lifestyles and calorie-dense foods. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy due to hyperglycemia (Sapra & Bhandari, 2022). Risk factors include age, ethnicity, family history of diabetes, physical inactivity, obesity, and smoking.
Website Description and Analysis
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) website provides information, services, and support to ensure a life free of diabetes and associated burdens or consequences. The organization’s mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and enhance people’s lives (ADA, n.d.). The organization owning the website fund research towards diabetes prevention, cure, and management, delivers associated services to American communities, offers objective and credible information, and gives voice to those facing denied rights due to diabetes.
Overall, the web pages are well arranged with working buttons to navigate the website from one page to another. The pages are visible at the top of the websites, and the reader can easily go to the webpage they are interested in. It is easy to find information. The website provides previews for the various elements and a “Learn More” or “Get Started” button that directs the reader to more information about a particular topic. The website is not text-dense and easy to read. If the reader requires more information, they can click the “Learn More” or “Get Started” button. The colors contrast perfectly, and the fonts are large enough, making reading easy. The website looks professional. The only issue is the pop-ups about donating that come up every time the website is refreshed or opened again.
The American Diabetes Association sponsors the websites. It has memberships who donate to the websites, but anyone is open to donating. The website is updated annually, but it can be more frequent when new information, evidence, or regulatory changes are made, and it has to incorporate them (ADA, n.d.). The website was created in 1995. It was last updated as recently as December last year. The website does not state whether the content is medical advice or not. All Americans comprise the intended audience because it provides information to prevent, treat, cure, and manage diabetes. It also specifically targets medical professionals, community groups, and students with the latest diabetes research and treatment and general information to enhance awareness, knowledge, and attitudes regarding diabetes prevention, cure, and management (ADA, n.d.). The information presented is appropriate for the general public and people of all ages and ethnicities.
Information Credibility
Authority
Behind the American Diabetes Association, which sponsors the website, is a network of over 565,000 volunteers, including their families and caregivers and a professional society of over 12,000 healthcare professionals and 250 staff members (ADA, n.d.). Professionals working with ADA have the expertise and authority to publish information on the websites in various forms, including panel discussions and research. ADA network of professionals offers exclusive education, career development, engagement resources, and other information and education materials for the diverse audience of the general public and healthcare professionals (ADA, n.d.). The website publishes journals providing necessary research information related to diabetes. Readers can access multiple abstracts, which also include the authors’ information and the various institutions they are affiliated with. Many are affiliated with universities and medical institutions, and some are members of the ADA research community, giving them credibility to conduct research and publish information on the website. The website does not offer a place to contact the authors, but it has a center for information where readers can leave or post their inquiries.
Bias
The website’s authors are multiple, and most publications are new updates on diabetes and research journals. There are publications on general health information, including food and nutrition, weight loss criteria, health and wellness, and diabetes care products, without mentioned authors, only the date when they were last updated (ADA, n.d.). The website is professional and does not indicate any form of bias in the information published. The publications are not promoting any products but offer information to help people prevent, cure, and manage diabetes, including information on lifestyle choices that enhance the quality of life.
Supporting Evidence
ADA website is a professional one with various types of publications. Some publications provide general information on various topics without reference lists indicating supporting evidence. On the other hand, there are journals or research publications available as abstracts for the general public, but full articles can be accessed only by members (ADA, n.d.). The journals have a complete list of works cited, referencing credible and authoritative sources. The information presented as research publications is valid and supported by evidence. The website is committed to providing objective information, and its purpose is clear. The information posted on the website includes peer-reviewed and scholarly articles which are credible, reliable, and valid sources of information in terms of accuracy. The publications providing general information are consistent with the wide knowledge of diabetes. Readers can click on multiple links directing them to additional, valuable resources with minimum effort, although it is easier for members who can access full publications.
Adequacy
The website is educative, providing informative publications in different forms, including statistics, research publications, education guides on healthy living, and additional tools, products, and resources the audience can access to learn more about diabetes prevention, treatment, and management (ADA, n.d.). The educational information is adequate, and the audience does not have to go elsewhere to get answers about topics presented on the websites. The consumer can access general information on the various web pages and gain more information by accessing multiple research journals published on the website. The information targets every individual, and the level of information sophistication, especially on publications providing general information on diabetes, is elementary to ease understanding and provide uncomplicated data. More technical and advanced information is provided in the research journals. The website communicates its clear purpose through its mission and vision statements, and the information published on it corresponds with its purpose. The website is intended to educate the general public on diabetes.
References
American Diabetes Association (ADA). (n.d.). Diabetes. https://diabetes.org/
Liu, J., Ren, Z. H., Qiang, H., Wu, J., Shen, M., Zhang, L., & Lyu, J. (2020). Trends in the incidence of diabetes mellitus: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 and implications for diabetes mellitus prevention. BMC public health, 20(1), 1415. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09502-x
National Institute on Aging (NIH). (2023, January 12). How To Find Reliable Health Information Online. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/how-find-reliable-health-information-online
Sapra, A., & Bhandari, P. (2022). Diabetes mellitus. In: StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.
Xu, G., Liu, B., Sun, Y., Du, Y., Snetselaar, L. G., Hu, F. B., & Bao, W. (2018). Prevalence of diagnosed type 1 and type 2 diabetes among US adults in 2016 and 2017: population based study. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 362, k1497. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k1497
