Scope, Completeness, and Accuracy of Drug Information in Wikipedia
Authors | Kevin A. Clauson Hyla H. Polen Maged N. Kamel Boulos Joan H. Dzenowagis |
|---|---|
Publication date | 2008 |
ISSN | 10600280 |
DOI | 10.1345/aph.1L474 |
Links |
Scope, Completeness, and Accuracy of Drug Information in Wikipedia - scientific work about Wikipedia quality published in 2008, written by Kevin A. Clauson, Hyla H. Polen, Maged N. Kamel Boulos and Joan H. Dzenowagis.
Overview
BACKGROUND: With the advent of Web 2.0 technologies, user-edited online resources such as Wikipedia are increasingly tapped for information. However, there is little research on the quality of health information found in Wikipedia. OBJECTIVE: To compare the scope, completeness, and accuracy of drug information in Wikipedia with that of a free, online, traditionally edited database (Medscape Drug Reference [MDR]). METHODS: Wikipedia and MDR were assessed on 8 categories of drug information. Questions were constructed and answers were verified with authoritative resources. Wikipedia and MDR were evaluated according to scope (breadth of coverage) and completeness. Accuracy was tracked by factual errors and errors of omission. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the components. Fisher's exact test was used to compare scope and paired Student's t-test was used to compare current results in Wikipedia with entries 90 days prior to the current access. RESULTS: Wikipedia was able to answer significantly fewer drug information questions (40.0%) compared with MDR (82.5%; p < 0.001). Wikipedia performed poorly regarding information on dosing, with a score of 0% versus the MDR score of 90.0%. Answers found in Wikipedia were 76.0% complete, while MDR provided answers that were 95.5% complete; overall, Wikipedia answers were less complete than those in Medscape (p < 0.001). No factual errors were found in Wikipedia, whereas 4 answers in Medscape conflicted with the answer key; errors of omission were higher in Wikipedia (n = 48) than in MDR (n = 14). There was a marked improvement in Wikipedia over time, as current entries were superior to those 90 days prior (p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Wikipedia has a more narrow scope, is less complete, and has more errors of omission than the comparator database. Wikipedia may be a useful point of engagement for consumers, but is not authoritative and should only be a supplemental source of drug information.
Embed
Wikipedia Quality
Clauson, Kevin A.; Polen, Hyla H.; Kamel Boulos, Maged N.; Dzenowagis, Joan H.. (2008). "[[Scope, Completeness, and Accuracy of Drug Information in Wikipedia]]". Annals of Pharmacotherapy Volume 42, Issue 12, December 2008, pp. 1814-1821. ISSN: 10600280. DOI: 10.1345/aph.1L474.
English Wikipedia
{{cite journal |last1=Clauson |first1=Kevin A. |last2=Polen |first2=Hyla H. |last3=Kamel Boulos |first3=Maged N. |last4=Dzenowagis |first4=Joan H. |title=Scope, Completeness, and Accuracy of Drug Information in Wikipedia |date=2008 |issn=10600280 |doi=10.1345/aph.1L474 |url=https://wikipediaquality.com/wiki/Scope,_Completeness,_and_Accuracy_of_Drug_Information_in_Wikipedia |journal=Annals of Pharmacotherapy Volume 42, Issue 12, December 2008, pp. 1814-1821}}
HTML
Clauson, Kevin A.; Polen, Hyla H.; Kamel Boulos, Maged N.; Dzenowagis, Joan H.. (2008). "<a href="https://wikipediaquality.com/wiki/Scope,_Completeness,_and_Accuracy_of_Drug_Information_in_Wikipedia">Scope, Completeness, and Accuracy of Drug Information in Wikipedia</a>". Annals of Pharmacotherapy Volume 42, Issue 12, December 2008, pp. 1814-1821. ISSN: 10600280. DOI: 10.1345/aph.1L474.
