Grant: CIHR Café Scientifique Program

With the number of Canadians participating in social media, downloading applications, and sharing information via the internet steadily on the rise, it is no surprise that many people turn to the internet to pose health questions or research a newly diagnosed disease. The internet has facilitated information access that would have been out of reach just years ago, empowering the populace in an information-focused age. Unfortunately, when it comes to medical treatments, much of the information found online is unreliable, inaccurate or biased. Often, those using a Google search to answer health treatment questions are directed to unreliable information or are sent directly to commercial sites which do not necessarily offer unbiased opinions as to which health treatment option would most benefit a consumer. It is important to embrace the internet to provide Canadians with the information they require through the medium they prefer. The Cochrane Library does exactly this as it is an online library housing more than 5,000 reports about healthcare interventions. The Cochrane Library, produced by The Cochrane Collaboration (an international non-profit) provides research reviews (Cochrane Reviews) on health treatment options. Cochrane Reviews are internationally recognized as the highest standard in evidence-based healthcare. Cochrane Reviews address clearly formulated questions regarding healthcare interventions and investigate whether or not there is conclusive evidence about a specific treatment, such as: Can antibiotics help alleviate symptoms of a sore throat? Cochrane Reviews facilitate choices practitioners, consumers, policy-makers and others face in health care. This Café Scientifique is an opportunity to inform the public about a trusted online resource in which they can research health treatments. The audience will have an opportunity to give feedback regarding barriers to accessing this information as well as provide examples of the types of health questions the