Promises and Pitfalls of the AAGL LISTSERV: A Descriptive Analysis

Abstract 

The objectives of this retrospective database review were to describe and quantify the information contained in the Issues in Endoscopy LISTSERV database and to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the LISTSERV search engine for common topics in minimally invasive gynecology. All LISTSERV entries from January 1 to December 31, 2008, were reviewed for 30 commonly discussed minimally invasive gynecology topics. Each entry was categorized by primary topic(s), and the database was used to search for terms related to total laparoscopic hysterectomy and endometrial ablation. The search engine sensitivity and specificity were calculated for both topics. In 2008, 812 entries were recorded from at least 27 countries. The most frequently discussed topics were hysterectomy and endometrial ablation. Approximately 10% of posts cited literature. The term “TLH” had 69.2% sensitivity and 97.2% specificity for identifying posts in which the subject was total laparoscopic hysterectomy. The addition of the term “total lap hysterectomy” increased the sensitivity to 90.4%. Additional terms led to minimal improvements in sensitivity. A second search using the term “endometrial ablation” yielded sensitivity and specificity of 68.1% and 96.7%, respectively. The addition of the search terms “NovaSure” and “ThermaChoice” changed the sensitivity to 90.4%, and specificity to 95.7%. Although the sensitivity and specificity of the search engine is reasonable for commonly used terms, the use of nontraditional medical terms and abbreviations limits the utility of the LISTSERV database for research. The presence of more than 800 posts in 2008 suggests that surgeons worldwide frequent the forum to discuss various topics. However, minor changes such as the addition of a topic selection menu for entry submission may improve the accuracy of the database search engine. Standardized post hoc filtering of the database at regular intervals may be preferable to substantially altering the current user-friendly entry format.

Keywords: Internet discussion group, LISTSERV, Search engine