Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the measurement properties and methodological quality of instruments developed to evaluate the quality of online health information. METHODS: In this study, a systematic search was conducted across a range of databases, including the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, China Science and Technology Journal (VIP), SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Scopus. The search period spanned from the inception of the databases to October 2023. Two researchers independently conducted the literature screening and data extraction. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) Risk of Bias checklist. The measurement properties were evaluated using the COSMIN criteria. The modified Grading, Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used to determine the quality grade. RESULTS: A total of 18 studies were included, and the measurement properties of 17 scales were assessed. Fifteen scales had content validity, three had structural validity, six had internal consistency, two had test-retest reliability, nine had interrater reliability, one had measurement error, six instruments had criterion validity, and three scales had hypotheses testing for construct validity; however, the evaluation of their methodological quality and measurement properties revealed deficiencies. Of these 17 scales, 15 were assigned a Level B recommendation, and two received a Level C recommendation. CONCLUSIONS: The Health Information Website Evaluation Tool (HIWET) can be temporarily used to evaluate the quality of health information on websites. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) can temporarily assess the quality of video-based health information. However, the effectiveness of both tools needs to be further verified.