My son is really into the Internet. He surfs all the time and shares more than anyone wants him to. My wife and I have the usual assortment of negative “health conditions” that seem to come with growing older, and he is always printing off information or advice about this or that. How does anyone know if the Internet information is accurate? Couldn’t I put up an Internet site of my own and just put a lot of misinformation out there?

You’ve made a good point. And, yes, you could produce and keep up a misinformation Web site if you chose to invest the time and money doing that. Health information is really popular on the Internet. You can find out something (right or wrong) about every disease or “condition” possible. By the way, I’m not sure that there are negative health conditions that come with growing older but that’s an article for another time.

In answer to your question, I read today about a great new tool for accessing the Internet’s health information. The SPRY Foundation (Setting Priorities for Retirement Years) has published a practical how-to guide. “Evaluating Health Information on the World Wide Web for Older Adults and Caregivers” is a 21-page booklet available at www.spry.org in both English and Spanish. Suggest to your son that he print a copy for himself and one for you as well.

It is organized into several helpful sections: “How Do You Find Reliable Health Web Sites?” “Evaluating the Content on Health Web Sites,” “An Evaluation Checklist” (see below), “Health Web Site Issues of Privacy and Fraud,” and “References and Contact Information.”

One of the most helpful elements is a checklist to use in evaluating a health Web site. Here are the questions:

Can you tell who created the content?

Are you given enough information to judge if the author is reliable?

Can you tell if content is current?

Do you have confidence that your privacy is protected?

Is the content copyrighted?

Is it clear who is funding the site?

Is there a clear disclaimer posted?

Does the site provide references for its content?

Is it clear who is the site’s intended audience?

If your answer to several of these questions is “no,” beware of taking too much stock in the information provided. Medical decisions should never be based on Internet self-diagnosis. Talk to your physician, your primary care provider. Check out any new ideas, self medication, or other self-care advice with him or her. Use the Internet as a research tool to supplement the care and recommendations of your physicians or pharmacist. Your doctor may even suggest a site to help you learn more about a particular subject.

The Internet poses both promise and challenges to all of us as we become more responsible for our own health concerns. The Internet is a valuable tool, but it must be used with understanding of its limitations.

If you have questions or comments for “Sense for Seniors,” write to Betty Gibb, Kansas Senior Press Service, 11875 S. Sunset, Suite 200, Olathe 66061. Call (913) 477-8103 or send e-mail to elizabeth.gibb@jocoks.com.