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NEUROLOGIST RANKS TOP 10 MIGRAINE WEB SITES
MONTREAL -- Separating the wheat from the chaff, a headache specialist has ranked the top 10 migraine consumer Web sites and will announce his list here today at the 42ndAnnual Scientific Meeting of the American Headache Society (AHS).
"There is a massive amount of good information out there, but for the consumer, it's like looking at cable TV with 100 stations but with no TV Guide," said Stephen J. Peroutka, M.D., Ph.D., a clinical migraine researcher, from Burlingame, Calif., who works closely with the World Headache Alliance to review Internet sites. "I reviewed more than 1,000 sites and narrowed them down to the 10 best, which should help migraine sufferers be more knowledgeable and prepared when they consult with their doctors about their headaches."
Dr. Peroutka evaluated the sites using a system of 100 possible points, assigning 0 to 20 points each for content, accuracy, references and design, and 0 to 5 points each for author, sponsor, date of last update and medical disclaimer.
"Obviously, it had to be somewhat subjective, but I approached it from the physician and consumer perspective, looking for what I would want my patients to see," said Dr. Peroutka.
"When you type 'migraine' into a typical search engine, what comes up first is not ranked by quality of the site, but how much traffic the site gets, how often it refers to other web sites and other factors," he said. "Of the 10 sites that most often popped up first, there were only two or three sites I thought were good."
Dr. Peroutka has set up direct links to the 10 migraine sites on his web site, http://www.hometown.aol.com/drperoutka/index.html.
The top 10 migraine Web sites as ranked by Dr. Peroutka are:
1. "JAMA Migraine Information Center" (85 points)
http://www.ama-assn.org/special/migraine/migraine.htm
Compiled by the Journal of the American Medical Association, this excellent overview of migraine combines news updates, general information and links to other relevant sites.
2. "Migraine Diagnosis" (85 points)
http://www.upstate.edu/haasd/hpmidx.htm
This Web site was created by David C. Haas, M.D., professor of neurology and a headache specialist at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. This is a good site for knowledgeable patients and provides outstanding visual effects of aura.
3. "AMA Health Insight: Migraine" (80 points)
http://www.ama-assn.org/insight/spec_con/migraine/migraine.htm
This is a well-organized medical overview of migraine, compiled by the American Medical Association.
4. "Ronda's Migraine Page" (80 points)
Compiled by Ronda Solberg, a woman who has had migraine headaches her entire life, this is an interesting and successful mix of information from a patient's perspective.
5. "Women's Health Interactive: Headache Center/Migraine Headache" (80 points)
http://www.womens-health.com/health_center/headache/migraine.html
Lisa K. Mannix, M.D., a neurologist with the Headache Wellness Center in Greensboro, N.C., provided the information for this site, which was compiled by Women's Health Interactive, an independent digital health information company. The majority of information on this site applies both to men and women, and includes an assessment questionnaire and a calendar-based headache diary.
6. "Migraine Awareness Group: A National Understanding for Migraineurs (M.A.G.N.U.M.)" (65 points)
Compiled by the National Migraine Association, this site is not strong on science, but is an excellent starting point for patients.
7. "Your Migraines. American Council for Headache Education (ACHE)" (60 points)
Compiled by ACHE, the patient-physician organization founded by the American Headache Association (AHS), this is an excellent site geared to patients interested in headache prevention and treatment. Although the section on migraine is not as accessible as it could be, it includes a headache diary and a variety of other patient-oriented information on the topic of headache.
8. "Migraines: You are Not Alone" (60 points)
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/7379/migraine.html
This patient web site, compiled by Karen Cohen, a long-time sufferer of migraine headaches, could be better organized, but offers an excellent, wide assortment of information and links for migraine patients.
9. "Discovery Health: Headaches" (55 points)
http://www.discoveryhealth.com/DH/ihtIH/WSDSC000/20707/9347/210168.html?d=dmtContent
Compiled by Discovery Health Media, the Discovery Channel folks, this excellent headache site features a subsection on migraine, and is best for people who already know their headache diagnosis.
10. "Migraine Action Association" (55 points)
Organized by a British non-profit association for migraine sufferers, this site is an excellent resource for people with migraine.
The American Headache Society (AHS), founded in 1959 as the American Association for the Study of Headache, is based in Mt. Royal, N.J. AHS is a professional organization for those interested in the study and management of headache and face pain. AHS has approximately 1,500 members. For more information, visit the AHS Web site at http://www.ahsnet.org. To fill the need for patient education, AHS established the American Council for Headache Education (ACHE), a non-profit patient-physician organization for the advancement of the treatment and management of headache and the encouragement of more constructive social attitudes towards the disease. Individuals who would like more information about headache, who would like a referral to a specialist who treats headache, or who would like information on support groups can call (800) 255-ACHE, write to ACHE at 19 Mantua Road, Mt. Royal, N.J. 08061, or visit the ACHE Web site at http://www.achenet.org.
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