Comparing Google With A Focused Diabetes Search Engine

Abstract Diabetes behavior can be influenced by patients exploring diabetes topics that may
lack scientific credibility. The question this study examines is whether a Google or Health
on the Net (HON) internet search, presents websites that would incline a more or less likely
recommendation to patients ? A preliminary trial suggests that referrers recommend websites
based on rules that may prioritize website source over content. This study will qualitatively
assess the rules that participants use in deciding which websites are more suitable than
others.

Method The investigators will inject a diabetes related search term into a HON and a Google
search engine. The top 5 mutually exclusive websites from each search engine will be
presented to 5 people from three groups stratified across endocrinologists, informaticians
and PCPs. Participants will rank the websites and then identify the rules that they applied
to reach their decision.