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. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel
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. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel
Authors: Martin McKibbin; Mushtaq Ahmed; Matthew J Allsop; Louise Downey; Richard Gale; Hilary Louise Grant; Barbara Potrata; Thomas A Willis; Jenny Hewison Journal: Eur J Hum Genet Date: 2014-01-08 Impact factor: 4.246