Categorizing health websites: E-knowledge, e-business and e-professional

Abstract

This article presents three types of health website categories (e-knowledge, e-business and e-professional) which are currently being used to disseminate health-related information, services and medical literature to the health consumer and professional. Moreover, criteria which have been used to establish a health website’s category is demonstrated throughout this article and specific screen captures are used to illustrate each. At present, literature surrounding the categorization and evaluation of health websites is limited; therefore, much of the criteria generated have been developed from an extensive review and critique of current health websites. The presented criteria checklist forms the guiding framework for this article and assists in giving understanding to the categorization and evaluation process. Furthermore, this article further presents how health consumers and professionals, through the application of such a checklist, may determine and evaluate a health website’s level of appropriateness for their specific needs (knowledge, business and professional). The criteria checklist assists the health consumer and professional to determine the levels of e-health literacy, evaluation tools and interactivity and usability components associated with each health website category.