Introduction
Consumer health information is a critical tool for ensuring a high level of public education regarding disease spread and effects. However, not all sources sufficiently use evidence and recommendations and outline the impact of a particular disease on a population. By comparing two different sources from related websites, it is possible to establish which one uses a more suitable approach to explaining an illness. This essay will provide DISCERN and readability analysis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) consumer guidelines by Mayo Clinic and UpToDate websites.
DISCERN Analysis
The DISCERN Analysis of Mayo Clinic’s HIV Patient Information
The DISCERN Analysis of UpToDate’s HIV Patient Information
Assessment of Consumer Guidelines
First of all, it is apparent that the first source by Mayo Clinic has a significant advantage in terms of the fullness of its content, see Table 1. This article has all the required sections to pass the DISCERN test and includes both symptoms, treatment, and causes of HIV (“HIV/AIDS – Symptoms and causes,” 2022). Paragraphs are well-structured and do not go into specific medical details that are unnecessary for the audience. With approximately 14 words per sentence and an acceptable Automated Readability Index, this page is apparent in its user-friendly structure (“Tests document readability,” n.d.). Therefore, Mayo Clinic gives a brief yet adequate and relevant analysis of this illness. The HIV-focused eHealth Initiative shows that HIV prevention guidelines must be supplemented with the most recent evidence and protective behaviors, which Mayo Clinic fulfills (Li et al., 2019). Overall, this article has a solid foundation and shares sufficient data with customers who seek to learn more about HIV.
At the same time, UpToDate relies upon different pages where the majority of HIV-related treatment recommendations are placed, which creates an unnecessary cluster of links, see Table 2. While this source does contain a clear explanation of the adverse effects of HIV and uses viable references for its basis, UpToDate transfers treatment data to different web pages instead of outlining it (Sax, 2021). Readability may become more manageable for the users with a shorter amount of content, yet it suffers from the method of its delivery. The article’s high word-per-sentence count and related understandability indexes imply a complex text structure (“Tests document readability,” n.d.). Readers’ varying technological knowledge requires a guideline to be optimized for the lowest possible point of entry. The eHealth recommendations suggest that information must be easy to find and use, which UpToDate’s approach does not ensure (Li et al., 2019). While this page does include a clear overview of HIV and its impact, it significantly relies on readers’ technical abilities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both articles have their weaknesses and strengths, although it is apparent that UpToDate’s approach to providing the information is not ideal for users due to its lacking descriptions of critical disease processes. Mayo Clinic’s consumer health brochure is an in-depth overview of HIV/AIDS and highlights the critical points for all necessary aspects of this disease, while UpToDate fails to present this data in a suitable manner. The eHealth literacy assessment also reveals that end-user accessibility must be provided through clear visibility of all necessary information regarding the topic, which makes UpToDate’s strategy unfeasible.
References
The discern instrument. (1997). DISCERN. Web.
HIV/AIDS – Symptoms and causes. (2022). Mayo Clinic. Web.
Li, D. H., Brown, C. H., Gallo, C., Morgan, E., Sullivan, P. S., Young, S. D., & Mustanski, B. (2019). Design considerations for implementing eHealth behavioral interventions for HIV prevention in evolving sociotechnical landscapes. Current HIV/AIDS Reports, 16(4), 335–348.
Sax, P. E. (2021). Patient education: Symptoms of HIV. UpToDate. Web.
Tests document readability. (n.d.). Online Utility. Web.