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The Mayo Clinic: A Healthcare Expert’s Take on ADHD

The Mayo Clinic is known as a leading authority on all things pertaining to healthcare, and the subject of Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is no exception. In an online search for information regarding this common yet widely misunderstood disorder, it is imperative to ascertain the quality of an ADHD website. Among the numerous websites dedicated to the subject, the ADHD webpage on the Mayo Clinic’s website stands apart on reputation alone. The Mayo Clinic’s webpage on ADHD justifies this non-profit’s reputation as a world leader in healthcare by providing a broad range of information that is accurate, relevant, and without bias.

Being a household name is not grounds to consider an organization’s website accurate and authoritative; if this were the case, then Wikipedia would be considered a scholarly source! In fact, there are a number of reasons the Mayo Clinic’s reputation is well-earned; primary among them being that many of the studies conducted on ADHD in recent years have had at minimum one Mayo Clinic expert overseeing the study. (Covey et. al, 2011, pp. 392-399); (Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, 2012). The Mayo Clinic’s ADHD webpage is no exception, as its facts and research conclusions are laid out in a clear, easy-to-read format. Notably, the different headings separating the ‘Basics’ from the ‘In-Depth’ sections on ADHD let the reader customize their fact-finding mission. The ‘Expert Answers’ link is an excellent use of ethos on the part of the webpage designers in these two simple words, and the reader gets to discover those expert answers by utilizing the website’s simple Q & A format after clicking on the link. Based on the clear authority demonstrated on this webpage, combined with the Mayo Clinic’s stellar reputation, there can be little dispute as to the accuracy of their reported facts and research findings.

Another criterion for evaluating a website in which the Mayo Clinic’s ADHD webpage shines is relevancy. (Olin & Uris Libraries, 2014). In the aforementioned ‘Basics’ section on the webpage, the reader can view a simplified list of facts about ADHD and generic information regarding treatment options. The Mayo Clinic does not share a number of random factoids about ADHD that a website may post in a misguided attempt to educate the reader; rather, the ADHD ‘Basics’ webpage constructed by the Mayo Clinic focuses primarily on the generalized causes, symptoms, and treatment options for people suffering from this disorder. The strategic use of this ‘Basics’ versus ‘In-Depth’ webpage design avoids the “over-sharing” of information; in this sense, the information contained on this site is extremely relevant to the reader.

Bias is an interesting subject when shone through the lens of ADHD; drug companies could be seen as having their own agenda when sharing information about ADHD. Drug companies are for-profit, and may present only information about ADHD that points to medication as the only ‘real’ treatment. The Mayo Clinic, however, is a not for profit organization, focused on the health of its patients and the public at large. “While treatment won't cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications and behavioral interventions.” (The Mayo Clinic, 2014). The hard yet simple truth within this statement lends itself to the theory that the Mayo Clinic is not trying to push any hidden agenda, but rather is sharing information from an unbiased point of view. Perhaps in an effort to avoid any type of bias or partiality, there is a notable lack of applicable photos on the Mayo Clinic’s ADHD webpages to help evoke an emotional response in the reader. Whatever the reason may be for the Mayo Clinic’s lack of visual aids, their absence does little to refute the objectivity of their ADHD site, even if their lack of pathos appeal leads readers to other, more hope-filled websites about the disorder.

There is an abundance of websites on the Internet regarding ADHD; of these sites, there are widely varying degrees of quality, authority, relevancy, and objectivity. To extract the most up-to-date, accurate, non-biased information regarding ADHD, one must be discerning as to which websites to obtain this information. The Mayo Clinic stands out as an excellent resource on ADHD; its website exemplifies its reputation as a top medical resource by effectively providing current, objective facts (not opinions) about this disorder.

References

Covey, L. S., Mei-Chen Hu, Green, C. A., Brigham, G., Hurt, R. D., Adler, L., & Winhusen, T. (2011). An exploration of site effects in a multisite trial of OROS-methylphenidate for smokers with attention Deficit/Hyperactivity disorder. American Journal of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, 37(5), 392-399. Retrieved July 23, 2014, from http://search.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s3h&AN=64459024&site=eds-live&scope=site

Keep your eye on... Mayo Clinic, partners create tools for youth MI identification. (2012). Brown University Child & Adolescent Behavior Letter, 28(1), 3-3. Retrieved July 23, 2014, from http://search.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=74075197&site=eds-live&scope=site

The Mayo Clinic. (2014). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Definition. Retrieved August 3, 2014, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adhd/basics/definition/con-2002364

Olin & Uris Libraries. (2014, April 29). Five criteria for evaluating Web pages. Retrieved July 23, 2014, from http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/webcrit.html