Study of the Quality of Self-Diagnosis by Headache Patients Getting Tailored Internet Information

Medical expert systems in combination with portal searching meta-search engines are exploited to provide reliable patient-tailored information. A prototype of a web-based information system has been developed and is to be evaluated. Its aim is to answer the decisive question whether expert system guided internet meta-search provides a better information supply for patients seeking health information online then this is possible by using ordinary search engines or health portals. The research does neither investigate the influence of ethical nor legal aspects of internet health information supply.