Is safe infant sleep information accurate on the internet?

By Jennifer Goldbronn

With 59% of the population using the internet to search for health information it’s important that accurate information is available. A recently published study evaluated the accuracy of safe infant sleep information on the Web. The researchers wanted to see if a particular set of search terms led to accurate information defined as consistent with the AAP safe sleep recommendations.  A total of 1300 Web sites were reviewed using 13 key search terms about safe infant sleep.  (Chung 2012)

What did they find?

Results showed that less than half (43.5%) of the Web sites provided accurate information, 28.1% provided inaccurate information, and 28.4% were not relevant. Accuracy was the highest among government Web sites and organizational Web sites (Web sites ending in “.org”). About 80% of governmental Web sites were accurate and nearly half of all educational websites (those ending in “.edu”) were categorized as accurate. Web sites with the least accurate information were retail product review Web sites, blogs, and individual Web sites. These sites often promoted products not endorsed by the AAP.

The right information

When you’re looking for sound information on the Web, the key is to consider the source:  

• When possible use government and organization Web sites.
• Look for the Web site’s sources. Do they provide references or indicate where the information came from? Is it a source you trust? 
• Check to see when the site was last updated. Is it recent information?
• Discuss your questions/concerns with a healthcare professional, such as your baby’s pediatrician.
• As always, be skeptical. There is a lot of advice out there and you should never do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. 

We will always try to bring you the latest information about infant sleep! For links to past posts about safe infant sleep, click here.

http://www.secretsofbabybehavior.com/2012/01/aap-recommendations-to-reduce-risk-of.html

To view the full AAP report: SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Expansion of Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment, click here.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/10/12/peds.2011-2284.full.pdf+html

Other trustworthy Web sites noted in this article include:

• Healthfinder (healthfinder.gov)
• Medline Plus (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus)
• Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch/HONcode) 

References

Chung M, Oden RP, Joyner BL, Sims A, Moon RY. Safe Infant Sleep Recommendations on the Internet: Let's Google It. J Pediatr. 2012 Aug 3. [Epub ahead of print]

The full AAP report: SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Expansion of Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment, click here.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/10/12/peds.2011-2284.full.pdf+html