DOI: 10.62425/jmefm.1901539 ISSN: 3023-7793

Evaluation of Turkish Websites Providing Information on Mastalgia According to JAMA Benchmark Criteria

Erhan Şimşek, Nurgül Balcı
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Objective: Mastalgia is a common complaint in primary care and can lead individuals to seek health information online before consulting a physician. This study aimed to evaluate Turkish-language websites providing information on mastalgia according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on March 28, 2025, using the Google Türkiye search engine. The Turkish keywords “mastalji” (mastalgia), “mastodini” (mastodynia), and “meme ağrısı” (breast pain) were searched separately, and the first 60 results for each keyword were screened. After applying the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 54 websites providing written information for the public were included. Websites were independently evaluated according to the four JAMA benchmark criteria: authorship, currency, attribution, and disclosure. Each criterion was scored as present (1) or absent (0), resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 4. Descriptive statistics are presented as frequencies and percentages, and Fisher's exact test was used for categorical comparisons.Results: Among the 54 websites analyzed, none fulfilled all four JAMA benchmark criteria. Most websites received a total score of 2 points (62.96%). Authorship and currency were present in 74.07% of the websites, whereas disclosure was present in 38.89% and attribution was present in only 12.96%. Attribution was the only criterion that differed significantly according to institution/organization type (P = .007).Conclusion: Turkish-language websites providing information on mastalgia frequently include authorship and update details; however, substantial deficiencies exist in terms of source citations and transparency. These findings suggest that patients may encounter online information that lacks adequate references when they are searching for mastalgia-related content. Improving the transparency and evidence base of web-based health information may support digital health literacy and help healthcare professionals guide patients toward reliable online resources.

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