Wikipedia: Best Resource for Mental-health Related Topics

For mental health information, Wikipedia is the most highly rated website, reveals study.

Researchers from the University of Melbourne assessed a range of online and print material on mental health-related topics and found that in the majority of cases, Wikipedia was the most highly rated in most domains.

About Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by symptoms of thought, behavior and social problems.

Content about mental health was extracted from 14 frequently accessed websites, including Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica and a psychiatry textbook.

Text providing information about depression and schizophrenia was assessed, said a university statement.

The content was rated by experts according to: accuracy, how current the information is, breadth of coverage, referencing and readability. Ratings varied significantly between resources according to topic.

Quiz on Depression
The World Health Organization reports that depression is one of the main causes of disability affecting about 121 million people worldwide. More tragically, it claims around 850,000 lives every year. Hence, it is important that we understand this affliction to help ourselves or our loved ones to cope and, hopefully, resolve it. How well do you know the facts about depression? Take this quiz and find out.

Researcher Nicola Reavley and her colleagues from Melbourne discovered that the quality of information on depression and schizophrenia on Wikipedia was generally as good as, or better than that provided by centrally controlled websites or psychiatry textbooks.

"We know that people seeking information about mental disorders want real-time answers and assistance with accessing help. The internet is instant and Wikipedia is often the first stop for people looking for definitions, explanations and information about suggested treatments," said Reavley.

UK Student Diagnoses His Rare Heart Illness Through Wikipedia
A UK student has finally diagnosed his rare heart illness himself thanks to Wikipedia even after 10 docs fobbed him off.

"The internet provides extensive information about mental disorders that is accessed by consumers and carers. For some people in need, it is the first stop to the next stage of enquiring about services," she said.

"While there have been controversies about the accuracy of Wikipedia in the past and people are not always sure about trusting it -- this study suggests that people can trust it to a reasonable extent," added Reavley.

Cancer Info On Wikipedia Is Accurate, But Not Readable
Despite commonly held belief that the information found Wikipedia should not be trusted, researchers have found that cancer information found on a wiki was similar in accuracy and depth.

Reavley and her colleagues have constructed a website for young people interested in discussing and sharing their experiences of mental health conditions and treatments.

Source-IANS