Introduction
Judging from the viewpoint of a medical specialist, determining the validity of a source providing information on health topics as a patient is a challenging and sometimes even life-threatening activity. Generally, patients have basic knowledge or sensory experience about health problems that they or their friends, relatives, or loved ones are experiencing or are concerned about.
Discussion
Therefore, most cannot objectively assess the degree of credibility of observed data in the same manner that healthcare professionals or researchers do. For example, patients are unable to evaluate the actual relevance of digital information fully, or “for what audience or level is the information written.” (Determine Credibility (Evaluating), 2022, para. 3). Same with accuracy, or “that the information is or is not well researched or provides sufficient evidence” (Determine Credibility (Evaluating), 2022, para. 5). The true source’s purpose is hard to identify for an uninformed audience, even if it is written in the header clearly and genuinely.
Advice for Patients
I advise patients to evaluate the validity of their focus information on CRAAP (currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose) parameters such as currency and authority. The first is the most easily identifiable of the five criteria for a patient, especially those who are little informed (Determine Credibility (Evaluating), 2022). It indicates whether the health data is consistent with current public health theories, methodological paradigms, practices, and technologies. I think they should consider the authority of online article creators and editors. Their knowledge and qualifications and the formal status of the organizations responsible for the websites and digital data presented are usually easy to check and verify.
Conclusion
In conclusion, my credibility assessment methods include all five CRAAP criteria. I also look at what other topics the website deals with and discusses; the more their field of activity is specialized, the better. Moreover, I pay attention to the domain of the website,.org,.edu., and.gov are more reliable than others because these are public, and this is another tip for patients.
Reference
Determine credibility (Evaluating). (2022). Milner Library at Illinois State University. Web.