High-quality messages are crucial for vaccine acceptance, but little is known about the online information quality concerning the HPV vaccine in China. “HPV vaccine” and “cervical cancer vaccine” in the form of Chinese were used as keywords through search engines from the PC, PMD, and WeChat Public Accounts in 2019. Readability, information content, as well as DISCERN scores, were evaluated for each message included. Researchers also analyzed characteristics associated with quality indicators of the letters. A total of 294 messages from PC engines, PMD engines, and WeChat were assessed. Most statements required at least an undergraduate readability level. The most frequently reported theme was the HPV vaccine and its function, while the least was information regarding quality, safety, and side effects. The frequency of messages with at least one error was 132. The median of sum DISCERN scores was 42, and only one note showed good DISCERN quality. Messages retrieved from PC engines and those with pictures were of better overall quality. The overall quality of HPV vaccine-related online statements on Chinese websites was not optimal. Government and health professionals should promote information quality construction to improve the status of HPV vaccination messages online.
Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21645515.2020.1814095
