A content analysis of online information about the benefits and harms of spine surgery.

ABSTRACT:

Background

It is unknown whether online information about the benefits and harms of surgery contains an accurate description of evidence.

Objective

To describe the proportion of webpages containing information about surgery for spinal pain (decompression and fusion) that accurately described the evidence on the benefits of surgery, described harms, and provided quantitative estimates of these harms.

Methods

We performed a content analysis of webpages containing information about spine surgery. Two reviewers identified webpages and extracted data. Primary outcomes were the proportion of webpages that accurately described the evidence on the benefits, described harms, and provided quantitative estimates of these harms.

Results

We included 117 webpages. Only 29 (2

SUBMITTER: Ferreira GE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8971836 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar-Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature