Document Detail


Semantics and the medical web: a review of barriers and breakthroughs in effective healthcare query.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  15191602     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
This paper provides an overview of the research into current medical vocabularies and their impact on searching the Web for health information. The Web provides growing opportunities for laypersons to gain knowledge about specific health conditions, though research to date has been incomplete. Many studies have examined aspects of controlled medical vocabularies. Other studies have examined aspects of medical Web searching vocabularies. In this context, there is a growing need to examine more closely laypersons' Web queries using controlled medical vocabularies that were designed to serve the needs of medical professionals. It may be the case that the average consumer of Web health services is not able to use correct medical terminology, and may not be able to choose analogous or synonymous terms from a search result list. Our review suggests a growing need for studies to examine the current applicability of controlled medical vocabularies as well as alternatives to semantic query by Web search engine users.
Authors:
Daniel P Lorence; Amanda Spink
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Health information and libraries journal     Volume:  21     ISSN:  1471-1834     ISO Abbreviation:  Health Info Libr J     Publication Date:  2004 Jun 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2004-06-11     Completed Date:  2004-08-13     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  100970070     Medline TA:  Health Info Libr J     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  109-16     Citation Subset:  H    
Affiliation:
Department of Health Policy and Administration, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16801, USA. dpl1@psu.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Humans
Information Storage and Retrieval*
Information Systems
Internet*
Medical Informatics / organization & administration
Medical Informatics Applications
Semantics*
Vocabulary, Controlled

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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