The usability of medical web sites

The+usability+of+medical+web+sites%0d%0a%0d%0aSari+Walld%c3%a9n%0d%0a%0d%0aHypermedia+Laboratory%0d%0aSari.Wallden%40uta.fi+http%3a%2f%2fwww.uta.fi%2f%7ekasawa%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cCONTENT%0d%0a1.+INTRODUCTION%3a+Medical+web+sites+2.+THE+AIMS+OF+THE+RESEARCH+3.+RESEARCH+METHODS+4.+PROGRESS+IN+2002+5.+PLANS+FOR+THIS+YEAR%0d%0a%0d%0a%0c1.+INTRODUCTION%3a+Medical+web+sites+1%2f3%0d%0a%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Medical+web+sites+have+existed+since+the+very+beginning+of+the+Internet.+Nowadays%2c+there+are+thousands+of+medical+sites.%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Health+and+medical+information+are+among+the+five+most+common+search+topics+in+the+Internet.+(Over+50+%25+of+the+users+of+search+robots+are+looking+also+for+medical+information.)+%e2%80%a2+The+presentation+of+medical+information+is+important+and+sometimes+problematic%2c+because+misunderstandings+can+be+life+dangerous+to+users.%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cINTRODUCTION%3a+Medical+web+sites+2%2f3+%e2%80%a2+In+medical+web+sites+the+content+and+the+service+are+combined+(or+should+be+combined)+to+a+single+smooth+entirety+with+articles%2c+hints%2c+discussion+groups%2c+and+possibilities+to+pose+questions+to+doctors.+%ef%83%a0+1)+It+is+important+that+a+user+proceeds+phases+of+a+service+step+by+step+in+the+correct+order.+%ef%83%a0+2)+When+browsing+content%2c+it+is+equally+important+that+the+user+understands+the+entirety+as+soon+as+possible+and+that+content+offers+visual+clues+and%2c+at+the+same+time%2c+gives+easy+access+to+all+parts+of+the+content.%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cINTRODUCTION%3a+Medical+web+sites+3%2f3%0d%0aI+have+preliminary+divided+the+sites+into+presentative%2c+interactive%2c+social%2c+and+PIS-sites+(next+category%3a+%e2%80%9dinteractive+medical+book%e2%80%9d).+%e2%80%a2+In+presentative+sites+the+information+is+given+in+the+same+form+to+all+users%2c+and+the+user+has+no+direct+connection+to+health+professionals.+%e2%80%a2+Interactive+sites+usually+contain+a+presentative+part%2c+but+the+characteristic+feature+is+the+possibility+to+pose+questions+to+health+professionals.+%e2%80%a2+Social+sites+are+discussion+groups+participated+by+patients+and+their+relatives+and+friends.+%e2%80%a2+PIS+sites+contain+all+the+previously+mentioned+properties.%0d%0a%0d%0a%0c2.+THE+AIMS+OF+THE+RESEARCH+%e2%80%a2+The+main+aim+is+to+give+suggestions+concerning+user+interfaces+in+order+to+improve+medical+web+sites%e2%80%99+usability+as+self-learning+material.%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+In+practice+this+raises+a+need+for+profiling+interfaces+for+different+user+groups.+%e2%80%a2+The+results+can+be+at+least+partly+generalized+for+other+kinds+of+informative+web+sites%2c+because+information+content+is+only+a+minority+factor+when+profiling+user+interfaces.+The+main+factor+is+the+general+quality+of+user+interfaces.%0d%0a%0d%0a%0c3.+RESEARCH+METHODS%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Survey+(use+study)%3a+log+analysis+and+e-questionnaire.+%e2%80%a2+Heuristic+evaluation+(with+a+new+usability+factor+of+understandability).+%e2%80%a2+User+tests.+%e2%80%a2+Tests+of+my+new+user+interface+solutions.%0d%0a%0d%0a%0c4.+PROGRESS+IN+2002+%e2%80%a2+Further+specified+my+topic+and+aims.+%e2%80%a2+Gained+information+about+self-learning+and+self-learning+material.+%e2%80%a2+Published+the+article+%e2%80%9cOvatko+l%c3%a4%c3%a4ketieteelliset+www-sivustot+k%c3%a4ytett%c3%a4vyydelt%c3%a4%c3%a4n+riitt%c3%a4v%c3%a4n+hyvi%c3%a4%3f%e2%80%9d+Kansanterveys+9%2f2002.+%e2%80%a2+Established+contacts+to+various+persons+and+firms+in+the+field.%0d%0a%0d%0a%0c5.+PLANS+FOR+THIS+YEAR+%e2%80%a2+Survey+(use+study)+at+least+on+Verkkoklinikka+(http%3a%2f%2fwww.verkkoklinikka.fi).%0d%0a%0d%0a%ef%82%a7+log+analysis+and+e-questionnaire%0d%0a%ef%83%a0+an+article+%e2%80%a2+Development+of+my+heuristic+evaluation+method.+%e2%80%a2+Studies%3a+hopefully+receive+my+licenciate+degree.%0d%0a%0d%0a%0c