Evaluation of the joint information platform. Information offered by German urologists

Background. The Internet is an important source for health issues and especially professional associations should offer reliable information. Since 2001 the professional German urological associations (DGU and BDU) have hosted a joint platform to inform patients. Because a complete relaunch is currently ongoing, we evaluated the users' needs and wishes. Materials and methods. Using a pop-up on the website www.urologenportal.de, users were invited to complete a 26-item online survey. We used a validated questionnaire for evaluation of the website. Data acquisition was performed in an anonymised manner. Results. We received n = 200 complete responses from February through September 2015. Respondents' median age was 57 years (range 17-89 years); 79% were male. Users rated relevance and comprehensibility of information as very good and superior compared to layout and structure of the website. Of the users 73% were affected themselves, but only half of them reported to have consulted a urologist. At the time of the survey, 54% of the respondents had to make a health-related decision. The website helped 54% of these respondents in their decision-making and 20% reported to have changed their mind due to the information obtained. The three most frequently requested urological topics were circumcision/phimosis (33%), prostatic enlargement (19%), and erectile dysfunction (18%). Conclusions. Currently the Urologenportal as the joint information platform hosted by German urologists is perceived as a comprehensible source of relevant information. The ongoing relaunch should focus particularly on the website's structure and layout.