Evaluating Health Information
Health Information: Investigate the Source
What kind of source do you have? Whether it is a publication (like a journal article), a website, or an online post, it’s a good idea to investigate a source that is providing health information.
Who is responsible for the information?
- Who is the author or organization?
- Is there an editor or expert reviewer?
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Look at what the author or organization says about itself
- Check the bio, About page, or other description from the source.
- Look at what they say about themselves, but don’t spend a lot of time on this since other people might not have verified this information.
Find out what others say about the author or organization
- Try the name in a search engine such as DuckDuckGo.
What credentials or experience does the author or source have related to the topic?
- Researcher or health care provider.
- Peer reviewed journal.
- Government health agency.
- Professional journalist or science educator who specializes in communicating health science news.
- A member of the general public describing their own experience with an exercise, medication, or health condition.
Don’t assume that authority = content accuracy
- Experts sometimes disagree and make mistakes.
- Asking someone else about their experience can be reassuring, but your experience might not match theirs.
- A peer reviewed medical article can include a lot of information based on many peoples’ experiences, but it can be difficult to determine whether the information applies to you.
For health advice, see a licensed health care provider. This page describes some specialties.
Here’s more information:
Quick Check:
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