Table 2.
Modified Quality Evaluation Scoring Tool website quality criteria and scores. For categorical variables with items that were mutually exclusive, a single P value was obtained from chi-square test. P values for the Quality Evaluation Scoring Tool score were based on Wilcoxon rank-sum test.
| Criteria | All included websites | Nonmanufacturers or nonretailers | |||||
| Baidu (N=50), n (%) | Google (N=50), n (%) | P value | Baidu (N=17), n (%) | Google (N=35), n (%) | P value | ||
| Authorship |
|
|
.008 |
|
|
.13 | |
|
|
No indication of authorship | 44 (88) | 33 (66) |
|
12 (71) | 18 (51) |
|
|
|
All other indications of authorship | 6 (12) | 10 (20) |
|
5 (29) | 10 (29) |
|
|
|
Author/qualification clearly stated | 0 (0) | 7 (14) |
|
0 (0%) | 7 (20) |
|
| Attribution—a |
|
|
<.001 |
|
|
<.001 | |
|
|
No sources | 28 (56) | 9 (18) |
|
10 (59) | 0 (0) |
|
|
|
Mention of expert source and research findings, but insufficiently | 20 (40) | 14 (28) |
|
7 (41) | 12 (34) |
|
|
|
Reference to at least one identifiable scientific study | 2 (4) | 10 (20) |
|
0 (0) | 6 (17) |
|
|
|
Reference to mainly identifiable scientific studies | 0 (0) | 17 (34) |
|
0 (0) | 17 (49) |
|
| Attribution—b |
|
|
<.001 |
|
|
.001 | |
|
|
Not available; in vitro, animal, and editorials | 46 (92) | 23 (46) |
|
15 (88) | 14 (40) |
|
|
|
Single journal article | 3 (6) | 2 (4) |
|
2 (12) | 1 (3) |
|
|
|
Multiple journal articles | 1 (2) | 15 (30) |
|
0 (0) | 13 (37) |
|
|
|
Systematic reviews of studies | 0 (0) | 10 (20) |
|
0 (0) | 7 (20) |
|
| Conflicts of interest |
|
|
<.001 |
|
|
<.001 | |
|
|
High risk of conflict of interest | 27 (54) | 15 (30) |
|
5 (29) | 1 (3) |
|
|
|
Unclear risk of conflict of interest | 23 (46) | 15 (30) |
|
12 (71) | 14 (40) |
|
|
|
Unbiased information | 0 (0) | 20 (40) |
|
0 (0) | 20 (57) |
|
| Currency |
|
|
.001 |
|
|
.006 | |
|
|
No date present | 7 (14) | 25 (50) |
|
0 (0) | 12 (34) |
|
|
|
Dated but 1 year old or older | 7 (14) | 3 (6) |
|
0 (0) | 3 (9) |
|
|
|
Dated within the last 1 year | 36 (72) | 22 (44) |
|
17 (100) | 20 (57) |
|
| Tone of claims |
|
|
<.001 |
|
|
<.001 | |
|
|
Fully supported | 36 (72) | 12 (24) |
|
14 (82) | 3 (9) |
|
|
|
Mainly supported | 13 (26) | 17 (34) |
|
3 (18) | 12 (34) |
|
|
|
Balanced/cautious support | 1 (2) | 21 (42) |
|
0 (0) | 20 (57) |
|