Potential validity of conducting research on headache in Internet populations
Potential validity of conducting research on headache in Internet populations
复制标题
DOI：
10.1046/j.1526-4610.2002.02052.x
复制
发表时间：
2002-03-01
期刊：
影响因子：
5
通讯作者：
Jackson, CM
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Lenert, LA;Looman, T;Jackson, CM
目标。-虽然在互联网上进行偏头痛研究在技术上是可行的，但人们能确定参与研究的受试者确实患有这种疾病吗？我们在一项偏头痛症状的互联网研究中对109名连续受试者进行了调查。-美国人口对互联网使用的增加为在临床研究中使用这一媒介提供了机会，但是，为了有用，这些研究的结果必须是有效的和可推广的。-利用互联网上偏头痛患者新闻组的帖子，我们招募了偏头痛研究网站的研究对象。我们通过比较国际头痛协会的偏头痛诊断标准和神经科医生的主观评价来检查报告的症状。我们也试图联系受试者的初级保健医生以确认他们的诊断。结果。我们发现了相当多的证据来证明参与者自我报告的诊断的有效性。大多数自称患有偏头痛的受试者报告的疼痛质量（97%）和相关症状（92%）与诊断一致，神经学家对他们的症状和问卷调查结果的回顾表明，几乎所有受试者（97%）都患有偏头痛。私人医生证实90%的同意受试者（n = 49）患有偏头痛。-自我报告偏头痛诊断的有效性似乎不会成为在互联网上对受试者人群进行研究的障碍。
Objective.-While it is technically feasible to conduct migraine research on the Internet, can one be sure that the subjects who participate actually have the disorder? We examined this issue in 109 sequential subjects in an Internet study of migraineurs' symptoms.Background.-The increasing use of the Internet by the US population provides an opportunity for using this medium in clinical research, but, to be useful, the results of such research must be valid and generalizable.Methods.-Using postings to Internet newsgroups of migraineurs, we recruited subjects to a migraine research site. We examined reported symptoms by comparing them with the International Headache Society's criteria for diagnosis of migraine and by subjective review by a neurologist. We also attempted to contact the subject's primary care physicians to confirm their diagnosis. Results.-We found considerable evidence for the validity of the participants' self-reported diagnoses. Most subjects with professed migraine reported quality of pain (97%) and associated symptoms (92%) consistent with that diagnosis, and review of their symptoms and questionnaire responses by the neurologist suggested that almost all subjects (97%) had migraine. Personal physicians coin firmed a diagnosis of migraine in 90% of consenting subjects (n = 49).Conclusions.-The validity of self-reported diagnosis of migraine does not appear to be an obstacle to conducting research in subject populations on the Internet.