Abstract
Objectives: This study aims to gather patients’ perceptions regarding the accessibility of practice websites in Flanders.
Methods: This is a quantitative study with accessibility as dependent variable and age, readability, clarity, accessibility, actuality, interactivity and cultural sensitivity as independent variables. A patient questionnaire was designed for data collection.
Results: 83% (n = 417) found the website accessible; 96.40% (n = 417) found the site readable and 91.10% (380) well-organized. Only 40.30% (n = 417) found the site adapted to a multicultural society. Of those who rated the practice website as insufficiently accessible, there was a significantly larger proportion who found the site insufficiently adapted to a multicultural society (p = 0.000293), insufficiently well-organized (p = <0.00001;) or insufficiently readable (p = 0.00016).
Conclusion: Most respondents found the website accessible, readable and well-organized. There are notable shortcomings in cultural sensitivity, actuality and interactivity. Areas for improvement include incorporating symbols, language options, displaying update date and the use of paragraphs, bold or colored words.
Lay summary
In a study conducted in Flanders, most patients found healthcare websites easy to access, read, and navigate. However, the study highlighted significant gaps in cultural inclusivity, with only 40% of patients feeling the websites catered to a multicultural audience. Additionally, the websites lacked up-to-date content and interactive features. To enhance user experience, the study suggests adding multilingual options, clear update dates, and visually distinct text elements like symbols and colored words.