Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015 Jul 2;1(3):281-8.
doi: 10.1016/j.dadm.2015.03.004. eCollection 2015 Sep.

Scientific and ethical features of English-language online tests for Alzheimer's disease

Julie M Robillard  1 , Judy Illes  2 , Marcel Arcand  3 , B Lynn Beattie  4 , Sherri Hayden  5 , Peter Lawrence  6 , Joanna McGrenere  7 , Peter B Reiner  8 , Dana Wittenberg  9 , Claudia Jacova  10
Affiliations

Scientific and ethical features of English-language online tests for Alzheimer's disease

Julie M Robillard et al. Alzheimers Dement (Amst). .

Abstract

Introduction: Freely accessible online tests for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are widely available. The objective of this study was to evaluate these tests along three dimensions as follows: (1) scientific validity; (2) human-computer interaction (HCI) features; and (3) ethics features.

Methods: A sample of 16 online tests was identified through a keyword search. A rating grid for the tests was developed, and all tests were evaluated by two expert panels.

Results: Expert analysis revealed that (1) the validity of freely accessible online tests for AD is insufficient to provide useful diagnostic information; (2) HCI features of the tests are adequate for target users, and (3) the tests do not adhere to accepted ethical norms for medical interventions.

Discussion: The most urgent concerns raised center on the ethics of collecting and evaluating responses from users. Physicians and other professionals will benefit from a heightened awareness of these tools and their limitations today.

Keywords: Aging; Alzheimer's disease; Diagnosis; Ethics; Online health; Online tests; Self-assessment.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Rating grid. All items to be rated on Likert scale ranging from 1 (very poor) to 10 (excellent).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Della Mea V. What is e-Health (2): The death of telemedicine? J Med Internet Res. 2001;3:e22. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Fox S. 2013. Health Online 2013. Pew Res Cent Internet Am Life Proj.http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/01/15/health-online-2013/ Available at: Accessed August 19, 2014.
    1. Zickuhr K. 2012. Older adults and internet use. Pew Res Cent Internet Am Life Proj.http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/06/06/older-adults-and-internet-use/ Available at: Accessed August 19, 2014.
    1. Mead N., Varnam R., Rogers A., Roland M. What predicts patients' interest in the Internet as a health resource in primary care in England? J Health Serv Res Policy. 2003;8:33–39. - PubMed
    1. Corner L., Bond J. Being at risk of dementia: Fears and anxieties of older adults. J Aging Stud. 2004;18:143–155.