Alsulaimani Mahmoud, Alassaf Muath S, Hamadallah Hatem H, Aloufi Aseel M, Alturki Khalid N, Almghamsi Ahmed M, Eshky Rawah T
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Taibah University, Madina, SAU.
Dentistry, Taibah University, Madina, SAU.
Cureus. 2023 Oct 11;15(10):e46879. doi: 10.7759/cureus.46879. eCollection 2023 Oct.
Orthodontic treatments aim to enhance dental aesthetics, functionality, and long-term oral health. Clear aligners have gained popularity as an aesthetic and convenient option for patients seeking orthodontic correction. However, the quality and readability of online Arabic patient-centered information regarding clear aligners has not been studied yet. The aim of our study is to investigate the quality and readability of Arabic patient-centered information about clear aligners.
We conducted an extensive evaluation of Arabic web-based content pertaining to clear aligners using three prominent search engines. Eligible websites were categorized based on specialization, organizational affiliation, material type, and presentation style. We assessed website quality and reliability using the DISCERN instrument, Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, and Health on the Net (HON) code. In addition, we measured readability using the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL).
Out of 600 search results, 195 websites met the inclusion criteria. None of the websites were HON-code accredited. DISCERN assessments revealed low content quality, with none of the websites achieving high-quality status. The JAMA benchmarks showed limited compliance with the four items, with currency being the most frequently achieved. Readability assessments indicated generally high readability, with FKGL scores suggesting easy comprehension for the average readers.
While Arabic web-based information on clear aligners is highly readable, its credibility and quality require significant improvement. Websites should adhere to medical information standards, subject content to rigorous assessments, and seek accreditation to ensure reliability. Enhancing the accessibility and comprehensibility of health-related content will empower individuals to make informed health decisions. Addressing limitations, such as social media and video content evaluation, and conducting comparisons with English websites in future research will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the landscape of online orthodontic information.
正畸治疗旨在提升牙齿美观度、功能以及长期口腔健康。对于寻求正畸矫正的患者而言，透明矫治器作为一种美观且便捷的选择已越来越受欢迎。然而，目前尚未对以阿拉伯语呈现的、以患者为中心的关于透明矫治器的在线信息的质量和可读性进行研究。我们研究的目的是调查以阿拉伯语呈现的、关于透明矫治器的、以患者为中心的信息的质量和可读性。
我们使用三个著名的搜索引擎，对与透明矫治器相关的阿拉伯语网络内容进行了广泛评估。符合条件的网站根据专业领域、组织隶属关系、材料类型和呈现风格进行分类。我们使用DISCERN工具、美国医学会（JAMA）基准和健康网（HON）代码评估网站质量和可靠性。此外，我们使用弗莱什易读性评分（FRES）、简化的晦涩难懂度量表（SMOG）和弗莱什-金凯德年级水平（FKGL）来衡量可读性。
在600个搜索结果中，195个网站符合纳入标准。没有网站获得HON代码认证。DISCERN评估显示内容质量较低，没有网站达到高质量水平。JAMA基准显示对四项内容的遵守情况有限，时效性是最常达到的一项。可读性评估表明总体可读性较高，FKGL分数表明普通读者易于理解。
虽然关于透明矫治器的阿拉伯语网络信息可读性很高，但其可信度和质量需要大幅提高。网站应遵守医学信息标准，对内容进行严格评估，并寻求认证以确保可靠性。提高与健康相关内容的可及性和可理解性将使个人能够做出明智的健康决策。在未来的研究中解决诸如社交媒体和视频内容评估等局限性，并与英语网站进行比较，将能更全面地了解在线正畸信息的情况。
