Evaluating the Acceptance and Usability of an Independent, Noncommercial Search Engine for Medical Information: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study and User Behavior Tracking Analysis
User questionnaires and behavior tracking showed the platform was well received, particularly by older and less educated users, especially for its advertisement-free design and filtering system. While feedback highlighted areas for improvement in design and filter functionality, the search engine's focus on transparency, evidence-based content, and user privacy shows promise in addressing health literacy and navigational needs. Future updates and research will further refine its effectiveness and impact on promoting access to quality health information.
Authors
- Marina Schmölz
- Andy Maun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9213-6583)
- Christian Schlett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7237-3477)
- Raphael Scheible (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2067-5569)
- Fabian Thomczyk
- Nikolas Kampel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0629-0456)
- Martin Boeker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2972-2042)
- Katharina Wollmann
- Andrea C. Schöpf-Lazzarino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4705-2938)
- Sebastian Voigt-Radloff (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2745-3328)
- Erik Farin‐Glattacker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6867-0316)
- Lisa Specht (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9095-3400)
- Stefan Schulz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7222-3287)
- Constanze Wegner
Institutions
- University of Freiburg (DE)
- Forschungszentrum Jülich (DE)
- Medical University of Graz (AT)
- University Medical Center Freiburg (DE)
- TUM Klinikum (DE)
- Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences (CH)
- Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- JMIR Human Factors
- Published
- 2024-10-23
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.2196/56941
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Health Literacy and Information Accessibility
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.55