Code	Criteria Description	Number	Percent (%)
1	Content relevance	1	5
1.1	Purpose/Mission/Scope: Does site state its purpose?	12	55
1.1.1	Does the mission statement convey purpose & scope of website?	3	14
1.1.2	Scope: Does the site state its scope?	1	5
1.1.3	Objective/Goals: Does the site state its objective?	4	18
1.1.4	Does the site indicate the title/subject of site?	1	5
1.2	Audience: Does the site state its intended audience?	12	55
1.3	Relevance: Can one tell easily if what's on site is relevant to search purpose	7	32
1.4	Breadth & depth, Coverage, Uniqueness	6	27
1.4.1	Is the information unique or can it be found elsewhere?	7	32
1.5	Site consists only of links (I.e. no substantive information)?	2	9
1.9	Content, NEC	0	0
2	Content accessibility	7	32
2.1	Comprehensibility: Is site prepared at a level useful to intended audience?	9	41
2.1.1	Is it comprehensible by average consumer?	0	0
2.2	Navigability, logical organization	13	59
2.2.1	Is the information needed to use the eval checklist easily accessible on site?	0	0
2.2.2	Is site content easily accessible?	8	36
2.2.3	Is the site easily navigable?	6	27
2.2.4	Does it contain a search engine?	5	23
2.2.5	Is website designed in a user-friendly manner?	4	18
2.2.6	Is there a site index, table of contents?	3	14
2.3	Does site organize information in a consumer-friendly way?	6	27
2.4	Readability: Is text, graphics, video etc consumer-friendly?	7	32
2.4.1	Does site contain (useful) images?	1	5
2.4.2	Is site available in text only mode?	3	14
2.4.3	If user can't access images, etc, is information still "complete" (useful)?	1	5
2.5	Downloadability	7	32
2.6	Are there conditions to accessing content?	3	14
2.6.1	Is there a fee to access content?	2	9
2.6.2	Does the user have to register?	0	0
2.6.3	Does accessing content require acceptance of cookies?	0	0
2.7	Presentation of website: Is it appealing?	5	23
2.9	Content accessibility, NEC	0	0
3	Content selection/editorial policy	2	9
3.1	Editorial policy, site evaluation process, peer review process	10	46
3.1.1	Was search strategy adequate to the site's purpose?	0	0
3.1.2	Was the selection method adequate to the site's purpose?	0	0
3.2	Conflict of interest, bias, disclosure of sponsorship, funding sources	14	64
3.2.1	Does the site provide a conflict of interest policy?	2	9
3.2.2	Does site report any relationship between authors of content & owner, etc	4	18
3.9	Content selection, NEC	2	9
4	Content validity	12	55
4.1	Does site differentiate between essays/commentaries/opinions/facts?	4	18
4.1.1	Is the information/content thorough and detailed?	1	5
4.1.2	Is the information accurate?	7	32
4.2	Does site give author's information for opinions/reports of facts?	9	41
4.2.1	Author's name	6	27
4.2.2	Author's credentials	12	55
4.3	Does site indicate the date the opinion was written/last updated?	1	5
4.4	For reports of facts does site give source of specific information?	12	55
4.4.1	Link to the source?	1	5
4.4.2	Authors of the source	9	41
4.4.3	Date source information was generated or date the report was published	8	36
4.4.4	Date information was posted on the site	4	18
4.4.5	Bibliography/resource list	3	14
4.4.6	Type of source	2	9
4.5	Does site indicate whether or not it has evaluated specific information?	7	32
4.5.1	If so, does the site describe how the specific information was evaluated?	2	9
4.5.2	Are the methods adequate to their purpose?	0	0
4.6	Does the site state the evidence grade of specific information?	9	41
4.6.1	If so, does the site describe how the evidence grade was assessed?	0	0
4.6.2	Are the methods adequate to their purpose?	0	0
4.7	Does site indicate limitations on applicability of specific information?	8	36
4.8	Does site state whether or not it carries advertising?	3	14
4.8.1	Does site distinguish between advertising and content?	3	14
4.8.2	Does it provide its advertising policy?	3	14
4.8.3	Is its advertising policy appropriate for consumers?	1	5
4.9	Content validity, NEC	1	5
5	Content interchange	2	9
5.1	Is there a way for consumers to request additional information?	6	27
5.2	Does site offer decision support technology?	1	5
5.2.1	If so, does site describe the expert system used for this purpose?	0	0
5.2.2	Are specific caveats given regarding the system's use?	0	0
5.2.3	Does site describe how the DST was developed and validated?	0	0
5.2.4	When was the DST last updated and/or validated?	0	0
5.3	If site offers exchange of information between consumers and health professionals, does the site describe their credentials?	1	5
5.3.1	Is it obvious to the consumers when they are interacting with a professional?	0	0
5.9	Content interchange, NEC	0	0
6	Site transparency/credibility	6	27
6.1	Does the site say who owns or pays for or created it?	17	77
6.1.1	Does it list a physical location, tel number, contact person etc?	1	5
6.2	Does the site say who runs it?	2	9
6.2.1	Does it list a physical location, tel number, contact person etc?	0	0
6.3	Does the site provide email address for the webmaster?	5	23
6.4	Does the site describe the sponsor's purpose or business?	1	5
6.5	Does the site disclose sources of financing of the sponsoring organization?	7	32
6.6	Currency	10	46
6.6.1	When was the site first created?	3	14
6.6.2	How frequently or often is the site/site content updated?	5	23
6.6.3	Does the site indicate when it was last updated?	13	59
6.6.4	Does the site indicate date until which the content/information is valid?	3	14
6.7	Is the site essential "complete"?	1	5
6.8	If site is moderated, is moderator's identity disclosed?	0	0
6.8.1	Are credentials, affiliations, etc of the moderator disclosed?	1	5
6.8.2	Is method used to select moderator disclosed?	1	5
6.9	Site transparency, NEC	2	9
7	Links	3	14
7.1	Does the site link to other sites as sources of health information?	10	46
7.2	Does the site indicate whether or not it has evaluated adequacy of sites?	6	27
7.2.1	If so, does the site describe the basis for such evaluation?	1	5
7.3	Does the site provide appropriate descriptions, disclosures etc about links?	2	9
7.4	Are consumers alerted when they leave the site?	3	14
7.5	Does the site report its policy for periodically checking integrity of links?	8	36
7.6	Does the website contain email links to the authors of the content?	2	9
7.9	Links, NEC	0	0
8	Quality assurance	0	0
8.1	Does the site describe any quality management or QA/QI process?	0	0
8.1.1	Does QA/QI include accessibility?	0	0
8.1.2	Relevance?	0	0
8.1.3	Content selection, validity, and/or interchange?	0	0
8.1.4	Transparency/credibility?	2	9
8.1.5	Links?	0	0
8.1.6	Safeguards?	0	0
8.2	If so, are QA/QI processes adequate to their purpose?	0	0
8.3	Does the site permit easy feedback from consumers?	7	32
8.9	QA/QI, NEC	0	0
9	Safeguards	0	0
9.1	Does site display terms & conditions of use of the website?	2	9
9.2	Does site display its privacy or confidentiality policy?	8	36
9.2.1	Is it adequate to the task of informing consumers of what info is captured etc?	5	23
9.3	Disclaimers, privacy policy, sponsorship, advertising policy	10	46
9.3.1	Are they adequate to the task of informing consumers on limitations?	1	5
9.9	Safeguards, NEC	0	0

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