Study of atopic dermatitis information on the internet in Korea

Background: The internet is an important and rapidly-evolving source of health-related information, and many patients with atopic dermatitis attempt to find information from the internet. Objective: This study was performed to investigate the current information available on atopic dermatitis on the internet in Korea. Methods: We chose two search engines and three community portal sites to analyze the information in which the topic of 'atopy' could be found. Results: Among the 595 web sites and 1,485 communities, 97% of the web sites and 73.7% of the communities were related products or service advertisements, and some of them provided incorrect or exaggerated information. There were only 10 web sites and 20 available communities with genuine information, and most of these also presented unattested treatment methods, including alternative therapies. Conclusion: It is quite understandable that patients with atopic dermatitis want to seek information related to their disease, and the internet has the potential to be a useful source of information. However, there are no regulations to control the accuracy and quality of information on the internet. We should take an active role in identifying the accuracy and evaluating the quality.