bims-librar Biomed News
on Biomedical librarianship
Issue of 2022‒10‒02
sixteen papers selected by
Thomas Krichel
Open Library Society


  1. J Biomed Inform. 2022 Sep 21. pii: S1532-0464(22)00216-7. [Epub ahead of print]134 104211
      OBJECTIVE: A significant number of recent articles in PubMed have full text available in PubMed Central®, and the availability of full texts has been consistently growing. However, it is not currently possible for a user to simultaneously query the contents of both databases and receive a single integrated search result. In this study, we investigate how to score full text articles given a multitoken query and how to combine those full text article scores with scores originating from abstracts and achieve an overall improved retrieval performance.MATERIALS AND METHODS: For scoring full text articles, we propose a method to combine information coming from different sections by converting the traditionally used BM25 scores into log odds ratio scores which can be treated uniformly. We further propose a method that successfully combines scores from two heterogenous retrieval sources - full text articles and abstract only articles - by balancing the contributions of their respective scores through a probabilistic transformation. We use PubMed click data that consists of queries sampled from PubMed user logs along with a subset of retrieved and clicked documents to train the probabilistic functions and to evaluate retrieval effectiveness.
    RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Random ranking achieves 0.579 MAP score on our PubMed click data. BM25 ranking on PubMed abstracts improves the MAP by 10.6%. For full text documents, experiments confirm that BM25 section scores are of different value depending on the section type and are not directly comparable. Naïvely using the body text of articles along with abstract text degrades the overall quality of the search. The proposed log odds ratio scores normalize and combine the contributions of occurrences of query tokens in different sections. By including full text where available, we gain another 0.67%, or 7% relative improvement over abstract alone. We find an advantage in the more accurate estimate of the value of BM25 scores depending on the section from which they were produced. Taking the sum of top three section scores performs the best.
    Keywords:  Combining abstract with full text; Full text search; Information retrieval; PubMed search engine; Search relevance gold standard
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbi.2022.104211
  2. Journal of academic librarianship. 2022 Nov;48(6): 102603
      Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, students have trouble coping with the available health information regarding the coronavirus in their daily lives because of misinformation.Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate online health information seeking and digital health literacy among information and learning resources undergraduate students at Taibah University during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Methods: To investigate the primary goal, this study used a simultaneous exploratory mixed methods design. Seventeen students participated in phone interviews, and 306 were invited to complete an online survey.
    Analysis: The collected data was analyzed using both quantitative (SPSS) and qualitative (NVivo 10) methods.
    Results: Search engines, social media, and YouTube were most often used by the respondents as sources to search for COVID-19-related information. COVID-19 symptoms, restrictions, and the current spread of COVID-19 were the most searched topics by the respondents. Significant and relevant differences emerged for the digital health literacy subscales "information search" and "adding self-generated content". However, there were no significant differences in the digital health literacy subscale "determining relevance".
    Conclusion: Using the internet to provide health information tailored to the needs and interests of students to seek health information online and thereby improve their health literacy.
    Keywords:  COVID-19; Digital health literacy; Mixed methods; Online health information seeking; Students; Taibah University
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2022.102603
  3. J Migr Health. 2022 ;6 100131
      Background: Immigrant service provider organizations (SPOs) are often immigrants' first point of contact to Canadian systems, such as job, education, health and social care, and housing. Prior research emphasizes the health literacy potential of websites as information infrastructures that can reduce information poverty and improve health outcomes. Yet, whether health-wellness resources are present on immigrant SPOs' websites in a user-friendly manner remains unexplored.Methods: We identified the presence of health-wellness resources on SPOs' websites and analyzed those contents to understand their typology. We also ascertained the navigability, usability, and credibility of those websites regarding the health-wellness resources.
    Results: Among the 1453 SPO websites identified, only 289 (35.9%) had health-wellness information in their web-contents. Of the websites with health-wellness contents, "lifestyle and wellness resources" were present on 86.5% and "healthcare system resources" were present on 80.6% of the websites. Regarding "navigability", zero to two mouse clicks were required to access health-wellness resources on 94.8% of the websites; however, more than one language option was very limited, available on less than a quarter of websites.
    Conclusions: As immigrants continue to seek information online, immigrant SPOs' websites hold value in increasing the health literacy and health-wellness of immigrants. This research assessed the current state of immigrant SPOs' websites as information infrastructures and reveals areas for improvement. We recommend SPOs add resources for obtaining healthcare card, accessing primary care, sexual and reproductive, parenting, senior's health, mental wellbeing, and women's health information to their websites. We also recommend websites accommodate ethnic language option to improve navigability for immigrants.
    Keywords:  Health and wellness information; Health-wellness; Immigrant service organization; Webpage contents
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2022.100131
  4. Pregnancy Hypertens. 2022 Sep 20. pii: S2210-7789(22)00097-6. [Epub ahead of print]30 110-112
      The purpose of this study was to determine the readability level of information on 100 unique websites with information on preeclampsia. Five different readability measures were used to measure each website's readability via an online readability calculator. All five readability measures determined that a vast majority of the sites sampled were written at unacceptable levels (89%+). Independent one-tailed t-tests (α = 0.05) determined that there was no statistical difference in the readability scores of.com vs the other websites on any of the 5 readability assessments. We recommend that efforts be made to simplify language in accordance with plain language recommendations for health information in the United States.
    Keywords:  Health seeking behavior; Online information; Preeclampsia; Readability
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.preghy.2022.09.004
  5. Facial Plast Surg. 2022 Sep 29.
      BACKGROUND: Patients considering rhytidectomy often search for information online prior to in-office consultation. This study identifies the most searched queries regarding rhytidectomy and evaluates sources to which patients are directed.METHODS: The search engine optimization tool Ahrefs was utilized to extract Google metadata on searches performed in the United States. Frequently asked questions were categorized by topic; websites were categorized by type. JAMA benchmark criteria enabled information quality assessment.
    RESULTS: A total of 565 questions for three search phrases were extracted (265 "facelift", 265 "face lift", 35 "rhytidectomy"). The majority of monthly searches in the facelift and face lift groups pertained to procedural cost, which was significantly higher than in the rhytidectomy group (52.9% and 50.7% vs 0.0%, ANOVA p<0.001). The mean JAMA score for private practice sources (1.2±0.42) was significantly lower than that of academic pages of (2.3±1.9, p=0.026) and commercial sources (3.0±0.82, p=0.008). The most popular destinations for rhytidectomy were California and Mexico (630 and 440 searches/month).
    CONCLUSION: Online searches for facelifts often revolve around the topic of cost and frequently direct patients to websites that provide inadequate information on authorship, attribution, disclosure, and currency.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1952-8569
  6. Cureus. 2022 Aug;14(8): e28321
      OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and assess the information about spine tuberculosis available on the internet to the general public for its quality, adequacy, and authenticity.INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis is a bacteriological disease that has been associated with humankind since early human civilization. Spinal tuberculosis is an affection of the spine by the tubercle bacilli and can cause major complications, such as neurological dysfunction and spine deformities. Since the revolution in information technology, information about the disease is widely available on the internet.
    MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 68 websites were selected on Google, Yahoo, and MSN search engines for the information available about the disease. Scientific journals, books, and any other research materials were excluded from this study. The information was documented and evaluated for its validity, sufficiency, and authorship.
    RESULTS: The public education websites (PEdWebs: Those websites which did not have direct involvement in patient care) were the major source of the information with 58.82% (40) of it coming from them. In all, there were 69% (47) physicians and 30.9% (21) non-physicians. Among the physicians, 89.4% reviewed the information through commercial websites. "Inadequate" information about spine tuberculosis was provided by 11.8% (8), "Moderate information" by 51.5% (35), and "Sufficient information" by 36.8 % (25) of the websites. Among the websites, 13.2% (9) did not mention any specific presentation of the disease. Sufficient information on that aspect was provided by only 45.58% (31) of the websites. Only 39% emphasized the importance of early diagnosis and subsequent disease management. The majority, i.e., 79.4% (54), did not mention the preventive measures.
    CONCLUSION: The internet has a lot of information regarding spine tuberculosis. The majority of this information comes from physicians. However, not every website has complete and essential information regarding the disease.
    Keywords:  bone tuberculosis; pott’s paraplegia; pott’s spine; spine tuberculosis; tb spine
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.28321
  7. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2022 Sep 29.
      The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the quality of information and guidance on dietary sodium reduction available on consumer-facing websites. Google Trends was used to identify the five most-used search terms related to dietary sodium reduction. For each term, websites on the first two pages were collected (n = 18-20). Of 93 websites collected, 24 were excluded due to defective links, duplicate websites, or not being consumer-focused. The remaining 69 websites were evaluated using a novel instrument, JHU-SALT, that includes 14 questions on topics related to salt reduction. The questions are grouped into three domains ("information," "guidance," and "accuracy"). For each question, websites were scored using a 3-step ordinal scale ("topic not addressed," "topic somewhat addressed," or "topic addressed adequately"). Only three of 14 JHU-SALT questions were addressed adequately by a majority of websites. Many websites provided information on the adverse health effects of a high sodium diet (74%, n = 51) or mentioned intake recommendations (64%, n = 44). Information on fundamental concepts was largely missing. The majority of websites (80%, n = 55) provided information on lifestyle strategies to reduce blood pressure, but most did not provide guidance to help implement those strategies. While missing information was common, misinformation was uncommon. The DISCERN questionnaire was utilized as well. Consumers seeking information and guidance on dietary sodium reduction will find that most available websites provide accurate but limited information, and insufficient guidance on how to lower sodium intake. Websites that provide both relevant information and guidance are needed to help consumers effectively reduce dietary sodium.
    Keywords:  Google trends; JHU-SALT; diet; health information seeking behavior; hypertension; lifestyle modification; nutrition; patient information; patient resources; sodium reduction
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/jch.14572
  8. Arch Plast Surg. 2022 Sep;49(5): 668-675
      Background  Educational resources on the internet are extensively used to obtain medical information. YouTube is the most accessed video platform containing information to enhance the learning experience of medical professionals. This study systematically analyzed the educational value of microsurgery-related videos on this platform. Methods  A systematic review was conducted on YouTube from April 18 to May 18, 2020, using the following terms: "microsurgery," "microsurgical," "microsurgical anastomosis," "free flap," and "free tissue transfer." The search was limited to the first 100 videos, and two independent reviewers screened for eligible entries and analyzed their educational value using validated scales, including a modified version of the DISCERN score (M-DISCERN), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMAS) benchmark criteria, and the Global Quality Score (GQS). Evaluation of video popularity was also assessed with the video power index (VPI). Results  Of 356 retrieved videos, 75 (21%) were considered eligible. The educational quality of videos was highly variable, and the mean global scores for the M-DISCERN, JAMAS, and GQS for our sample were consistent with medium to low quality. Conclusions  A limited number of videos on YouTube for microsurgical education have high-educational quality. The majority scored low on the utilized criteria. Peer-reviewed resources seem to be a more reliable resource. Although the potential of YouTube should not be disregarded, videos should be carefully appraised before being used as an educational resource.
    Keywords:  education; evaluation; microsurgery; training; video
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0042-1756349
  9. Turk J Orthod. 2022 Sep;35(3): 192-197
      OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to investigate the quality of the information available to patients on YouTube™ concerning orthodontic elastics.METHODS: A systematic search was carried out on YouTube™ using the keyword "elastics." The first 120 videos were viewed by 2 independent reviewers, and after the inclusion criteria were applied, 39 videos were excluded from the study. Demographic data of the videos were collected for the remaining 81 videos. For each video, its purpose, target audience, and source were also recorded. A 10-point content scale was used to evaluate the video content. The Global Quality Scale was also used to determine the quality of the videos. Statistical analyses were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests, and correlation coefficient analyses were performed using Spearman's rho.
    RESULTS: In total, 36% of the included videos were uploaded by dentists and 22% by laypersons. In 77% of the videos, the purpose was to inform laypersons, and in 4%, the purpose was to inform professionals only. The content discussed the most (85.2%) was the instruction of orthodontic elastics use. The mean 10-point Content Scale score and Global Quality Scale score of the videos were 2.25 ± 1.99 (poor) and 2.60 ± 0.73 (moderate), respectively. There was a positive correlation between 10-point Content Scale and Global Quality Scale score (r = 0.258).
    CONCLUSION: The information available on YouTube™ regarding orthodontic elastics is quite poor and can be misleading for patients. Therefore, health professionals with evidence-based knowledge and clinical experience should improve the way they use YouTube™ to inform patients about the correct use of orthodontic elastics and to improve compliance with wearing orthodontic elastics.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5152/TurkJOrthod.2022.21132
  10. Heliyon. 2022 Sep;8(9): e10719
      Bangladesh is physically low-lying and prone to flooding, making floating agriculture an appropriate method for dealing with floods and assisting farmers in coping. This YouTube content study was conducted to investigate the quality of information found on YouTube regarding floating agriculture in Bengali language, as well as viewers' interactions to such videos. The inquiry began with a search on https://www.youtube.com for the keyword ", ভাসমান কৃষি (Floating Agriculture)," which obtained 302 results. Following that, a total of 245 contents were discarded due to their inability to fulfill the inclusion criteria. Data on likes, dislikes, views, duration, comments, publisher type, and publishing year were retrieved from videos. The quality of contents was measured by a grading methodology that took into account two aspects: i) Comprehensive aspect; and ii) Floating agriculture aspect. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to investigate multiple comparisons (P < 0.05 considered as statistically significant). Viewers' Sentiments, emotion, and intention towards the videos were analyzed from comments. A total of 26.32% contents were of high quality, with the majority of videos released by independent publishers and the quantity of videos on an upward trend. According to floating agriculture video demographics, mean view (70816.60 ± 177319.129), mean like (818.56 ± 1992.700), mean duration (07:47 ± 06:48 min), and mean comment (18.40 ± 38.537). The amount of views, likes, and duration varied statistically significantly in relation to different content quality categories. Comments analysis revealed that the majority of the viewers' possessed positive sentiments and happy responses, whereas most of the comment was for feedback purposes. In conclusion, despite the fact that the number of high-quality videos on YouTube regarding floating agriculture was limited, viewers seem to be satisfied with those videos. This is the first paper that critically assessed the quality of floating agriculture -related YouTube videos as well as identified viewers' interaction towards those videos. This report highlights the present scenario of YouTube content regarding floating agriculture which will help content creators to produce quality videos. Understanding the viewers' interaction would set new dimensions in policy implications regarding effective information dissemination.
    Keywords:  Content analysis; Information source; Sentiment analysis; Social media; YouTube videos
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10719
  11. Arch Ital Urol Androl. 2022 Sep 26. 94(3): 285-290
      OBJECTIVES: To assess YouTube™ videos' quality on prostate checks, especially on the digital rectal exam (DRE), and to investigate if they can inform patients correctly and eradicate their beliefs and myths.METHODS: A search using as keywords "digital rectal exam for prostate cancer" was performed on the YouTubeTM platform. We selected the first 100 videos. To assess video quality content, Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for audio-visual content (PEMAT A/V) and Misinformation tool were used.
    RESULTS: Seventy-three videos were suitable for the analyses. The median PEMAT A/V Understandability score and PEMAT A/V Actionability score were 46.2% (interquartile range [IQR]: 30.8-76.9) and 50.0% (IQR: 25.0-75.0), respectively. The medi-an PEMAT A/V Understandability and Actionability scores were 69.2% (IQR: 46.2-88.5) vs 46.2% (IQR: 30.8-61.5) (p = 0.01) and 100.0% (IQR: 87.5-100.0) vs 25.0% (IQR: 25.0-68.8) (p < 0.001), for healthcare workers vs patients, respectively. According to the Misinformation tool, the median misinforma-tion score of the overall videos was 2.2 (IQR:1.7-2.8). According to the target audience, the misinformation score was 2.8 (IQR: 2.4-3.5) vs 2.0 (IQR: 1.5-2.8) (p = 0.02), for healthcare workers vs patients, respectively.
    CONCLUSIONS: Currently, based on our analyses, YouTubeTM videos' quality on DRE resulted unsatisfactory according to the PEMAT A/V score and the Misinformation tool. Videos targeted to healthcare workers got higher quality scores if compared to videos targeted to patients. Therefore, YouTubeTM videos' may not be considered a reliable source of information on DRE for patients.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.4081/aiua.2022.3.285
  12. Phys Sportsmed. 2022 Sep 29. 1-5
      OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the quality and reliability of YouTube videos, as a source of lateral epicondylitis (LE).METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 484 videos were analyzed by searching the YouTube platform with the keyword 'lateral epicondylitis.' Journal of the Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, modified DISCERN and Global Quality Scale (GQS) were used for quality and reliability assessments.
    RESULTS: A total of 298 videos were evaluated. High quality (GQS 4-5) was identified in 74 videos (24.8%), intermediate quality (GQS 3) in 84 videos (28.2%), and low quality (GQS 1-2) in 140 videos (47%). Of the videos, 57.7% (n = 41) uploaded by physician were of high quality. A significant difference was found between the low-intermediate-high-quality groups in terms of duration, number of views, number of likes, number of comments, likes per day, comments per day, video view ratio, JAMA score and modified DISCERN score (all p < 0.01). In videos uploaded by physicians; views, time since uploaded, JAMA score, modified DISCERN score, and GQS score were significantly higher than videos shared by trainers, health-related web sites, and independent users. The duration and viewing rates of the videos, the number of views, likes, comments, likes per day and comments per day were found to be significantly associated with JAMA, modified DISCERN, and GQS scores (p < 0.01).
    CONCLUSION: About half of YouTube videos for LE were low quality. Most of the high-quality videos have been shared by physicians and these videos have been longer, more viewed, more liked and commented, and more reliable. Healthcare professionals should provide high-quality, unbiased, accurate and instructive information that is accessible to everyone on the YouTube platform.
    Keywords:  Lateral epicondylitis; YouTube; quality; reliability
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2022.2129504
  13. J Med Internet Res. 2022 Sep 26. 24(9): e39360
      BACKGROUND: The incidence of Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), also known as the broken heart syndrome or stress cardiomyopathy, is increasing worldwide. The understanding of its prognosis has been progressively evolving and currently appears to be poorer than previously thought, which has attracted the attention of researchers. An attempt to recognize the awareness of this condition among the general population drove us to analyze the dissemination of this topic on TikTok, a popular short-video-based social media platform. We found a considerable number of videos on TTS on TikTok; however, the quality of the presented information remains unknown.OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the quality and audience engagement of TTS-related videos on TikTok.
    METHODS: Videos on the TikTok platform were explored on August 2, 2021 to identify those related to TTS by using 6 Chinese keywords. A total of 2549 videos were found, of which 80 met our inclusion criteria and were evaluated for their characteristics, content, quality, and reliability. The quality and reliability were rated using the DISCERN instrument and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) criteria by 2 reviewers independently, and a score was assigned. Descriptive statistics were generated, and the Kruskal-Wallis test was used for statistical analysis. Multiple linear regression was performed to evaluate the association between audience engagement and other factors such as video content, video quality, and author types.
    RESULTS: The scores assigned to the selected video content were low with regard to the diagnosis (0.66/2) and management (0.34/2) of TTS. The evaluated videos were found to have an average score of 36.93 out of 80 on the DISCERN instrument and 1.51 out of 4 per the JAMA criteria. None of the evaluated videos met all the JAMA criteria. The quality of the relayed information varied by source (All P<.05). TTS-related videos made by health care professionals accounted for 28% (22/80) of all the evaluated videos and had the highest DISCERN scores with an average of 40.59 out of 80. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that author types that identified as health professionals (exponentiated regression coefficient 17.48, 95% CI 2.29-133.52; P=.006) and individual science communicators (exponentiated regression coefficient 13.38, 95% CI 1.83-97.88; P=.01) were significant and independent determinants of audience engagement (in terms of the number of likes). Other author types of videos, video content, and DISCERN document scores were not associated with higher likes.
    CONCLUSIONS: We found that the quality of videos regarding TTS for patient education on TikTok is poor. Patients should be cautious about health-related information on TikTok. The formulation of a measure for video quality review is necessary, especially when the purpose of the published content is to educate and increase awareness on a health-related topic.
    Keywords:  Takotsubo syndrome; TikTok; audience engagement; information quality; patient education; short video apps; social media
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/39360
  14. Explor Res Clin Soc Pharm. 2022 Dec;8 100179
      Background: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) requires marketing authorization holders to submit a PIL in both Arabic and English language. However, the readability of imprinted and disseminated Patient information leaflets (PILs) was not assessed extensively in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to assess the readability of PIL of antihypertensive drugs in both Arabic and English languages.Method: This study was a descriptive quantitative analysis conducted in Saudi Arabia in August 2021. PILs of all oral antihypertensive medications in Saudi Arabia were included in the study. The Arabic and English PILs were extracted from the Saudi Drugs Information System (SDI) and pharmaceutical companies' registration documents. The study used Flesch-Kincaid grade level to assess the readability of English and sentence length to assess the Arabic texts. Descriptive analyses were used to assess the readability scores and the mean differences.
    Results: It was found that almost 88% of English PILs were above recommended readability level compared to 79% of Arabic PILs. About 89% of English PILs of generic and 86% of brand-name medications were above the readability cutoff point compared with 83% of Arabic PILs of generic and 68% of brand-name medications. The means of grade level for readability of PILs for the widely used antihypertensive medications including angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), antiadrenergic, diuretics, Beta-blockers (BBs), calcium channel blockers (CCBs), and combination antihypertensive medications, and CCBs were higher than the recommended readability level (p < 0.05). The highest mean grade level for readability among English PILs was for combinations of antihypertensive agents (9.35 ± 1.38, p 0.01) and among Arabic PILs was for ARBs (6.15 ± 1.62, p < 0.01).
    Conclusions: The majority of PILs of antihypertensive medications were above the recommended readability level that can be understood by the majority of the public, especially among generic medications and the most widely used antihypertensive medications. The study findings highlight the need of implementing guidelines to improve the readability of information imprinted in PILs and adopt new regulations requiring readability assessment for manufactures before submitting the PILs to the SFDA.
    Keywords:  ACE, Angiotensin-converting enzyme; ARBs, Angiotensin II receptor blockers; Antihypertensive medications; BBs, Beta-blockers; CCBs, Calcium channel blocker; Consumer health information; EMA, European Medicine Agency; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; FKGL, Flesch-Kincaid grade level; FRE, Flesch Reading Ease; Literacy; MENA, Middle East and North Africa; PAH, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension; PILs, Patient Information Leaflets; Patient information leaflets; Readability; SDI, Drugs Information System; SFDA, Saudi Food and Drug Authority
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcsop.2022.100179
  15. J Med Internet Res. 2022 Sep 30. 24(9): e42949
      [This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/21642.].
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/42949