An Investigation of Google Searches for Knee Osteoarthritis and Stem Cell Therapy: What are Patients Searching Online?

Sullivan, B., et al.; HSS Journal: The Musculoskeletal Journal of Hospital for Special Surgery

The objectives of this study were (1) identify the most frequently asked questions on Google related to knee osteoarthritis (OA) and stem cell therapy, (2) assess the types of websites accessed through these searches, and (3) evaluate the transparency of these websites. The search terms “knee,” “osteoarthritis,” and “stem cell” were entered into Google; frequently asked questions suggested by Google, and their corresponding websites were extracted. Websites were classified by type, and JAMA benchmark criteria were used as a measure of website transparency. Results showed (1) the most frequent questions pertained to non-stem cell treatments, although questions related to stem cell efficacy were most common among the 10 most frequent questions, (2) the most common website types were medical publishers and nonacademic medical practices, and (3) Google searches on knee OA and stem cell therapies often directed the user to websites lacking transparency and verifiable information..

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• Eliciting Activity Goals With a Self-Administered Survey Among Patients With Hip or Knee Osteoarthritis

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• *The genetic contribution to hand osteoarthritis
• *Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management
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