Original Paper

Accessibility of Health Information on the Internet to the Visually Impaired User
Marc Lüchtenberg, Claudia Kuhli-Hattenbach, Yesim Sinangin, Christian Ohrloff, Rainer Schalnus

Department of Ophthalmology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Address of Corresponding Author

Ophthalmologica 2008;222:187-193 (DOI: 10.1159/000126082)

  Key Words

• Quality evaluation
• Quality assessment
• Internet, health information
• Visually impaired user
• Health portal accessibility
• Web Accessibility Initiative

  Abstract

Purpose: Web sites containing health information should be accessible to visually impaired persons. Methods: 139 web sites containing medical information addressing laymen or patients were evaluated with respect to their accessibility. A quantitative checklist which is based upon the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) was used. Results: Only 18% (15 sites) achieved WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative) level A or AA. WAI level AA was reached by only 1% (1 site) of the web sites. None of the web sites reached level AAA; 82% of the assessed web sites offering consumer health information are not fully accessible to visually impaired persons. Conclusion: The accessibility of web-based health content to visually impaired users should be improved. Health information on the web should at least meet the requirements of priority 1 (level A), preferably priority 2 (level AA) of the W3C guidelines.

Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Rainer Schalnus, MD
Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Department of Ophthalmology
Theodor-Stern-Kai 7
DE-60590 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)
Tel. +49 228 928 9690, Fax +49 228 928 9691, E-Mail schalnus@schalnus.com

  Article Information

Received: August 7, 2007
Accepted after revision: September 13, 2007
Published online: May 22, 2008
Number of Print Pages : 7
Number of Figures : 2, Number of Tables : 5, Number of References : 18