Online Information on Gambling Addiction: Is It Readable? Is It Reliable?

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the readability and reliability of websites providing information about gambling. The study assessed 65 Turkish-language websites from Google. In this study, readability was assessed using the Ateşman Readability Index, which determines textual difficulty based on sentence and word length. Additionally, the reliability of the content was evaluated using the Journal of the American Medical Association benchmark, which assesses the trustworthiness of online information through four key criteria: authorship, attribution, disclosure, and currency. Journal of the American Medical Association score was 1.23 ± 0.93, and 64.6% of websites were rated as having "insufficient information/low reliability. The average Ateşman score was 51.63 ± 12.51, corresponding to an 11th-12th grade reading level, which is considered moderately difficult for general population. Despite 81.5% of the sites originating from health organizations, both readability and reliability were found to be inadequate. These findings highlight the need for more accessible and trustworthy digital resources on gambling addiction. Collaboration among content creators, health professionals, and policymakers is recommended to improve the readability and reliability of online health information.