Perceived Quality of Health Information on Wikipedia: A Sociodemographic Perspective

Abstract While Wikipedia is a widely used source for medical and health information, few studies have examined disparities in perceived information quality based on gender, race, and age. This study investigates how Wikipedia users evaluate the quality of health-related content and whether perceptions differ across these sociodemographic groups. A total of 321 adult Wikipedia readers and contributors participated in a survey assessing five dimensions of information quality: presentation, trustworthiness, reliability, currency, and topic coverage. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were used to evaluate perceived quality and identify group differences. Overall, both genders viewed the quality of Wikipedia’s health information positively. However, statistically significant gender differences were identified across the five quality factors, with males reporting higher ratings than females. Significant differences between White and non-White participants were also found in four of the five dimensions, excluding currency, with non-White participants reporting lower perceptions of quality. No significant age-based differences were identified. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how different demographic groups assess health content on Wikipedia. By highlighting disparities in perceptions, this study provides valuable insights for improving Wikipedia’s inclusivity and trustworthiness in health communication.