Quality and Readability Analysis of Information on Cleft Lip and Palate: Sample of Online Resources in Turkish

Aim: Cleft lip and palate is one of the most common congenital craniofacial conditions with follow-up of many different professionals usually beginning at birth and continuing throughout life. Internet resources can influence people's decisions on health-related issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the information quality, verifiability, standard compliance, and readability of websites that offer information on cleft lip and palate. Method: The first 100 websites accessed through "http://www.google.com.tr/" using the keyword "cleft lip and palate (“dudak damak yarıkları” in Turkish)" were evaluated and 64 websites were included in the analysis. The information quality, conformity to standards, and verifiability of the websites were scored according to HONcode criteria (0=lowest; 16=highest); Ateşman (0–29=very difficult; 90–100=very easy) and Çetinkaya (0–34=disabled level; 51+=independent level) readability indices were applied. Results: The mean HONcode score of the websites was 4.79±2.07 (min=0; max=9). The average word length was 2.77±0.12 (min=2.44; max=3.13) and the average sentence length was 11.46±2.44 (min=5.4; max=19.1). The mean of Ateşman readability analysis was 57.57±8.92 (min=32.9; max=77.4) and the mean of Çetinkaya readability analysis was 57.93±3.27 (min=49.72; max=64.64). Conclusion: The results indicate that the web pages have limited standards compliance, verifiability, and information quality. The Ateşman index places readability at a medium difficulty level, while the Çetinkaya index places it at an independent level. It is emphasized that content producers should pay attention to quality standards while developing the reading material on websites related to cleft lip and palate and pay attention to readability features so that visitors can easily access information.