Quality evaluation of brazilian websites that provide information on emergency contraception

Abstract

One of the main sources of information about emergency contraception is the Internet. Little is known about the quality of the websites that convey this information. This study evaluated the quality of Brazilian websites that provide information on emergency contraception. This is an infodemiological, descriptive and cross-sectional study. The sites were searched on Google, on May 19, 2022, using the search engine “morning-after pill”. Among the first 100 websites that appeared in response to the search, those that aimed to provide information on emergency contraception were included. The evaluation of the websites was carried out independently, by two researchers. The websites were evaluated according to the following dimensions: “information about the medicine”, “content accuracy”, “technical aspects of the website” and “website design”. Readability was assessed using the Flesch Index. After evaluating the inclusion criteria, 34 websites were included in the study. As for the “information about the medicine” dimension, drug interactions, the main risks and lack of protection against sexually transmitted infections were the least competitive content. It was observed that, in the content accuracy dimension, there was no scientific basis in most websites. Website creation and update data and certification, which integrate the domain’s technical aspects, were barely present on the websites. The websites were adequate in terms of design criteria. The readability level was considered “difficult”. The results show that the quality of the websites is worrying and there is a need for validation by a regulatory body, in order to guarantee the quality of the information and the safety of its users.