ArticleJMIR human factors2016
The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal: Usability Evaluation of a Unique Evidence-Based Health Information Website.
Article in JMIR human factors, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed.
- Impact of a Knowledge Translation Intervention on Physical Activity and Mobility in Older Adults (the Move4Age Study): Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2020Trial
- Evaluation of an online knowledge translation intervention to promote cancer risk reduction behaviours: findings from a randomized controlled trial.BMC cancer · 2019Trial
- A Mobility-Focused Knowledge Translation Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve Physical Activity: Process Evaluation of the Move4Age Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2019Trial
- UnderstandingDelirium.ca: A Mixed-Methods Observational Evaluation of an Internet-Based Educational Intervention for the Public and Care Partners.Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Identification and Classification Features of Patient Portal, A Systematic Review.Health science reports · 2025Review
- Preferences and expectations of end-users from a mental health educational portal: A qualitative study.Health promotion perspectives · 2024Article
- The Teach-ABI Professional Development Module for Educators About Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury: Mixed Method Usability Study.JMIR human factors · 2023Article
- Web-Based System Navigation Database to Support Equitable Access to Assistive Technology: Usability Testing Study.JMIR formative research · 2022Article
- Evaluation of a Digital Health Initiative in Illicit Substance Use: Cross-sectional Survey Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Article
- A Tool That Assesses the Evidence, Transparency, and Usability of Online Health Information: Development and Reliability Assessment.JMIR aging · 2018Article
- McMaster Optimal Aging Portal: an evidence-based database for geriatrics-focused health professionals.BMC research notes · 2017Article
- Rare Diseases on the Internet: An Assessment of the Quality of Online Information.Journal of medical Internet research · 2017Article
- Patient web portals, disease management, and primary prevention.Risk management and healthcare policy · 2017Review
- Adopting Quality Criteria for Websites Providing Medical Information About Rare Diseases.Interactive journal of medical research · 2016Article
- User Experiences of the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal's Evidence Summaries and Blog Posts: Usability Study.JMIR human factors · 2016Article
- If You Build It, Who Will Come? A Description of User Characteristics and Experiences With the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal.Gerontology & geriatric medicineArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIncreasingly, older adults and their informal caregivers are using the Internet to search for health-related information. There is a proliferation of health information online, but the quality of this information varies, often based on exaggerated or dramatic findings, and not easily comprehended by consumers. The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (Portal) was developed to provide Internet users with high-quality evidence about aging and address some of these current limitations of health information posted online. The Portal includes content for health professionals coming from three best-in-class resources (MacPLUS, Health Evidence, and Health Systems Evidence) and four types of content specifically prepared for the general public (Evidence Summaries, Web Resource Ratings, Blog Posts, and Twitter messages).
objectiveOur objectives were to share the findings of the usability evaluation of the Portal with particular focus on the content features for the general public and to inform designers of health information websites and online resources for older adults about key usability themes.
methodsData analysis included task performance during usability testing and qualitative content analyses of both the usability sessions and interviews to identify core themes.
resultsA total of 37 participants took part in 33 usability testing sessions and 21 focused interviews. Qualitative analysis revealed common themes regarding the Portal's strengths and challenges to usability. The strengths of the website were related to credibility, applicability, browsing function, design, and accessibility. The usability challenges included reluctance to register, process of registering, searching, terminology, and technical features.
conclusionsThe study reinforced the importance of including end users during the development of this unique, dynamic, evidence-based health information website. The feedback was applied to iteratively improve website usability. Our findings can be applied by designers of health-related websites.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.