Quality of health information for women with epilepsy from preconception to postpartum: an evaluation of online resources

Parnell, Jade; Daly, Déirdre; Duffy, Julia; Walsh, Aisling

Quality of health information for women with epilepsy from preconception to postpartum: an evaluation of online resources

journal contribution

posted on 2025-10-09, 14:04 authored by Jade ParnellJade Parnell, Déirdre Daly, Julia Duffy, Aisling WalshAisling Walsh

Background: Many women with epilepsy (WWE) navigate complex decisions regarding their reproductive health. The internet can provide specific educational resources for WWE from preconception to postpartum. This study reviewed the type and quality of online resources targeting WWE from preconception to postpartum.Methods: A systematic search of Google, YouTube, GooglePlay Store, and Spotify was conducted online using four search terms: "women and epilepsy," "epilepsy in women," "preconception to postpartum and women with epilepsy," and "epilepsy and pregnancy." The HONcode and DISCERN tools were used to measure the reliability and overall quality of the resources. Additional study-specific questions were included to assess each resource's audience relevancy.Results: A total of 240 initial search results were identified. Of these, 43 resources were included for quality assessment. These resources comprised of 26 websites (22 %), 13 videos (33 %), 4 podcasts (10 %), and no Applications. The average quality score for these 43 resources was 47.97 (SD = 13.67), out of a maximum of 75, which is rated as 'fair.' Out of the 26 websites, 12 % were HONCode certified. The average readability/listenability, language, sensitivity, accessibility, value, and consistency of information was high (from a scale of 1 to 5, the scores ranged from M = 3.90, SD = 1.13 to M = 4.27, SD = 0.930).Conclusion: Online resources for WWE are deemed usable, however improvements could be made to enhance their overall quality. This paper provides a list of reviewed resources to support in the delivery of reliable information for women with epilepsy.

Funding

Health Research Board (APA-2022-014)

Epilepsy Ireland

Health Service Executives (HSE) National Women and Infants Health Programme's (NWIHP)

History

Related Materials

1.
URL - References https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40885028/

Department/Unit

Public Health and Epidemiology
School of Population Health

Research Area

Population Health

Comments

This table provides a list of available resources and their overall quality for women with epilepsy from preconception (before birth) to postpartum (after birth). The results in this table are developed from a study which reviewed systematically the type and quality of these resources. For more information on the scientific research which led to the development of this table, please follow the link https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110656 These study results are part of the EpiKNOW Project, which is funded by the Health Research Board, Epilepsy Ireland and the HSE’s National Women and Infants Health Programme. We would like to thank our fellow EpiKNOW project team members, including: Anne Matthews, Claire Daly, Fergal O'Shaughnessy, Kathleen Bennett, Kilian McGrane, Peter Murphy, Sinéad Murphy, Veronica Lambert and Yvonne Owens, as well as the project’s public involvement panel: Claire Mulcahy, Lisa Whelan and Nicola O’Sullivan. The original article is available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/

Published Citation

Parnell J, Daly D, Duff J, Walsh A. Quality of health information for women with epilepsy from preconception to postpartum: an evaluation of online resources. Epilepsy Behav. 2025;172:110656.