Presentation on websites of possible benefits and harms from screening for breast cancer: cross sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate whether information on mammographic screening presented on websites by interest groups is balanced, is independent of source of funding, and reflects recent findings.

Design

Cross sectional study using a checklist with 17 information items.

Setting

27 websites in Scandinavian and English speaking countries.

Results

The 13 sites from advocacy groups and the 11 from governmental institutions all recommended mammographic screening, whereas the three from consumer organisations questioned screening (P = 0.0007). All the advocacy groups accepted industry funding, apparently without restrictions. In contrast the three consumer organisations acknowledged the risk of bias related to industry funding, and two of them did not accept such funding

SUBMITTER: Jorgensen KJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC314513 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature