Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27225898›Full record

SynthesisNPJ primary care respiratory medicine2016

Content and quality of websites supporting self-management of chronic breathlessness in advanced illness: a systematic review.

Tim Luckett, Rebecca Disler, Annmarie Hosie, Miriam Johnson, Patricia Davidson, David Currow, Anthony Sumah, Jane Phillips

Open access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in NPJ primary care respiratory medicine, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
5.1field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Tim LuckettFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Rebecca DislerFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Annmarie HosieFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-1674-2124
Miriam JohnsonHull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, East Yorkshire, UK.
Patricia DavidsonFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia.
David CurrowPalliative and Supportive Services, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Anthony SumahFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Jane PhillipsFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia.
University of Technology Sydney · AUFlinders University · AUUniversity of Hull · GB

Funding

Department of Health PB-PG-0609-19066
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Chronic breathlessness is a common, burdensome and distressing symptom in many advanced chronic illnesses. Self-management strategies are essential to optimise treatment, daily functioning and emotional coping. People with chronic illness commonly search the internet for advice on self-management. A review was undertaken in June 2015 to describe the content and quality of online advice on breathlessness self-management, to highlight under-served areas and to identify any unsafe content. Google was searched from Sydney, Australia, using the five most common search terms for breathlessness identified by Google Trends. We also hand-searched the websites of national associations. Websites were included if they were freely available in English and provided practical advice on self-management. Website quality was assessed using the American Medical Association Benchmarks. Readability was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid grades, with grade 8 considered the maximum acceptable for enabling access. Ninety-one web pages from 44 websites met the inclusion criteria, including 14 national association websites not returned by Google searches. Most websites were generated in the USA (n=28, 64%) and focused on breathing techniques (n=38, 86%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n=27, 61%). No websites were found to offer unsafe advice. Adherence to quality benchmarks ranged from 9% for disclosure to 77% for currency. Fifteen (54%) of 28 written websites required grade ⩾9 reading level. Future development should focus on advice and tools to support goal setting, problem solving and monitoring of breathlessness. National associations are encouraged to improve website visibility and comply with standards for quality and readability.

Indexed as

Self-ManagementChronic DiseaseDyspneaHumansInternetPatient Education as Topic

Identifiers

PMID27225898
PMCPMC4881311
OpenAlexW2402496044

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.