Current Status of Atopic Dermatitis-Related Information Available on the Internet in South Korea

BACKGROUND: Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) often resort to the internet for disease-related information. We believe that dermatologists be informed about the current accessibility of information to patients and the potential for misleading patients into making poor treatment decisions. OBJECTIVE: The study was carried out in order to determine the nature of AD-related information available on the internet in Korea, and to identify any changes since our last survey in 2005. The quality of information offered and the involvement of medical doctors in certain websites were also investigated. METHODS: Taking into account the current search engine market share in Korea, we gathered all search results obtained from the three major search engines using the keyword 'atopy', and investigated the nature of the information retrieved. RESULTS: The search results showed less commercial sites than our previous study in 2005. There is a dramatic increase in the number of public bodies offering information about AD. In addition, the quality of information available online has improved since our last survey. CONCLUSION: The phenomenon of 'commercial overcrowding' seems to have stabilized. As AD becomes a more social phenomenon, patients are better informed than ever before. However, the information available on the internet still requires to be accompanied by consultation by dermatologists. We believe that self-regulation using a format such as the Health on the Net Foundation's code of conduct (HONcode) may improve the quality of online information accessible to patients with AD in Korea.