Evaluating the Quality of Persian Depression Websites Based On Webmedqual Scale

Nowadays, anyone with any knowledge of the Internet environment can act as producer and distributer of information. It differs from most traditional media of information transmission, lack of information control and lack of quality management to contents. This leads to quality of health information on the internet is doubtful. The objective of this study is guidance patients to select valid depression websites for identify and treat their depression and determine the quality of Persian depression websites.

This was survey and an applied study that the study population was all Persian depression websites. Sample of this study was 14 Persian depression website was created by individuals or organizations.Data collection was performed with the WebMedQual checklist. Web sites was assessed based on indicators as content standards, credit references, design, accessibility and usability, links, support, and privacy of user data (Maximum score for any website was 83, mean score 41.5 and minimum score was 0). Collected data analyzed by one sample T- test in SPSS 18.findings presented by Mean score and optimal score.

Persian websites of depression were weak in the content (mean 6.6), reliability of sources(mean 4.2), accessibility and usability (mean 2.1), links (mean 1.5), support (mean 3.9), and the privacy of user data(mean 2.5) and they were below average. Only design criteria (mean 9) were rated good and above average. Also there was no significant relationship between ownership type and rating website evaluation, finally provided a list of sites ranked on the basis of indicators.

Persian websites data on depression dont have essential reliability for users. It is better to use the ranked list websites or search on the internet by help information experts.