Assessing Digital Accessibility of Arabic-Language Health Information Websites for Older Adults

Dalal Alsanie; Dari Alhuwail

doi:10.3233/SHTI251324

Assessing Digital Accessibility of Arabic-Language Health Information Websites for Older Adults

Dalal Alsanie
, Dari Alhuwail

Kuwait University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

Digital accessibility of websites ensures that websites are usable by people with different abilities, such as older adults. Due to the large number of Arabic speakers, assessing the digital accessibility of websites offering health information to promote inclusivity and allow Arabic speakers equal access to health information is crucial. This study aims to investigate whether websites offering health information for older adults in Arabic are digitally accessible. The WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool was used to evaluate the accessibility of five websites offering health information for older adults in the Arabic language. All five websites displayed findings of accessibility errors. Accessibility features were present on all websites as well. This study emphasizes the need for digital accessibility in Arabic health websites, for equal access to health information.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	MEDINFO 2025 - Healthcare Smart x Medicine Deep
Subtitle of host publication	Proceedings of the 20th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics
Editors	Mowafa S. Househ, Mowafa S. Househ, Zain Ul Abideen Tariq, Mahmood Al-Zubaidi, Uzair Shah, Elaine Huesing
Publisher	IOS Press BV
Pages	2010-2011
Number of pages	2
ISBN (Electronic)	9781643686080
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI251324
State	Published - 7 Aug 2025
Event	20th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics, MEDINFO 2025 - Taipei, Taiwan, Province of China Duration: 9 Aug 2025 → 13 Aug 2025

Publication series

Name	Studies in Health Technology and Informatics
Volume	329
ISSN (Print)	0926-9630
ISSN (Electronic)	1879-8365

Conference

Conference	20th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics, MEDINFO 2025
Country/Territory	Taiwan, Province of China
City	Taipei
Period	9/08/25 → 13/08/25

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Keywords

Arabic
Web accessibility
health information
older adults
websites

Funding Agency

Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences

Access to Document

10.3233/SHTI251324

Cite this

Alsanie, D., & Alhuwail, D. (2025). Assessing Digital Accessibility of Arabic-Language Health Information Websites for Older Adults. In M. S. Househ, M. S. Househ, Z. U. A. Tariq, M. Al-Zubaidi, U. Shah, & E. Huesing (Eds.), MEDINFO 2025 - Healthcare Smart x Medicine Deep: Proceedings of the 20th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics (pp. 2010-2011). (Studies in Health Technology and Informatics; Vol. 329). IOS Press BV. https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI251324

Alsanie, Dalal ; Alhuwail, Dari. / Assessing Digital Accessibility of Arabic-Language Health Information Websites for Older Adults. MEDINFO 2025 - Healthcare Smart x Medicine Deep: Proceedings of the 20th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics. editor / Mowafa S. Househ ; Mowafa S. Househ ; Zain Ul Abideen Tariq ; Mahmood Al-Zubaidi ; Uzair Shah ; Elaine Huesing. IOS Press BV, 2025. pp. 2010-2011 (Studies in Health Technology and Informatics).

@inproceedings{93052a9703a84947a4c78b19f7b24d53,

title = "Assessing Digital Accessibility of Arabic-Language Health Information Websites for Older Adults",

abstract = "Digital accessibility of websites ensures that websites are usable by people with different abilities, such as older adults. Due to the large number of Arabic speakers, assessing the digital accessibility of websites offering health information to promote inclusivity and allow Arabic speakers equal access to health information is crucial. This study aims to investigate whether websites offering health information for older adults in Arabic are digitally accessible. The WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool was used to evaluate the accessibility of five websites offering health information for older adults in the Arabic language. All five websites displayed findings of accessibility errors. Accessibility features were present on all websites as well. This study emphasizes the need for digital accessibility in Arabic health websites, for equal access to health information.",

keywords = "Arabic, Web accessibility, health information, older adults, websites",

author = "Dalal Alsanie and Dari Alhuwail",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors.; 20th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics, MEDINFO 2025 ; Conference date: 09-08-2025 Through 13-08-2025",

year = "2025",

month = aug,

day = "7",

doi = "10.3233/SHTI251324",

language = "English",

series = "Studies in Health Technology and Informatics",

publisher = "IOS Press BV",

pages = "2010--2011",

editor = "Househ, \{Mowafa S.\} and Househ, \{Mowafa S.\} and Tariq, \{Zain Ul Abideen\} and Mahmood Al-Zubaidi and Uzair Shah and Elaine Huesing",

booktitle = "MEDINFO 2025 - Healthcare Smart x Medicine Deep",

}

Alsanie, D & Alhuwail, D 2025, Assessing Digital Accessibility of Arabic-Language Health Information Websites for Older Adults. in MS Househ, MS Househ, ZUA Tariq, M Al-Zubaidi, U Shah & E Huesing (eds), MEDINFO 2025 - Healthcare Smart x Medicine Deep: Proceedings of the 20th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, vol. 329, IOS Press BV, pp. 2010-2011, 20th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics, MEDINFO 2025, Taipei, Taiwan, Province of China, 9/08/25. https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI251324

Assessing Digital Accessibility of Arabic-Language Health Information Websites for Older Adults. / Alsanie, Dalal; Alhuwail, Dari.
MEDINFO 2025 - Healthcare Smart x Medicine Deep: Proceedings of the 20th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics. ed. / Mowafa S. Househ; Mowafa S. Househ; Zain Ul Abideen Tariq; Mahmood Al-Zubaidi; Uzair Shah; Elaine Huesing. IOS Press BV, 2025. p. 2010-2011 (Studies in Health Technology and Informatics; Vol. 329).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Assessing Digital Accessibility of Arabic-Language Health Information Websites for Older Adults

AU - Alsanie, Dalal

AU - Alhuwail, Dari

PY - 2025/8/7

Y1 - 2025/8/7

N2 - Digital accessibility of websites ensures that websites are usable by people with different abilities, such as older adults. Due to the large number of Arabic speakers, assessing the digital accessibility of websites offering health information to promote inclusivity and allow Arabic speakers equal access to health information is crucial. This study aims to investigate whether websites offering health information for older adults in Arabic are digitally accessible. The WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool was used to evaluate the accessibility of five websites offering health information for older adults in the Arabic language. All five websites displayed findings of accessibility errors. Accessibility features were present on all websites as well. This study emphasizes the need for digital accessibility in Arabic health websites, for equal access to health information.

AB - Digital accessibility of websites ensures that websites are usable by people with different abilities, such as older adults. Due to the large number of Arabic speakers, assessing the digital accessibility of websites offering health information to promote inclusivity and allow Arabic speakers equal access to health information is crucial. This study aims to investigate whether websites offering health information for older adults in Arabic are digitally accessible. The WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool was used to evaluate the accessibility of five websites offering health information for older adults in the Arabic language. All five websites displayed findings of accessibility errors. Accessibility features were present on all websites as well. This study emphasizes the need for digital accessibility in Arabic health websites, for equal access to health information.

KW - Arabic

KW - Web accessibility

KW - health information

KW - older adults

KW - websites

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105013202206

U2 - 10.3233/SHTI251324

DO - 10.3233/SHTI251324

M3 - Conference contribution

C2 - 40776341

AN - SCOPUS:105013202206

T3 - Studies in Health Technology and Informatics

SP - 2010

EP - 2011

BT - MEDINFO 2025 - Healthcare Smart x Medicine Deep

A2 - Househ, Mowafa S.

A2 - Tariq, Zain Ul Abideen

A2 - Al-Zubaidi, Mahmood

A2 - Shah, Uzair

A2 - Huesing, Elaine

PB - IOS Press BV

T2 - 20th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics, MEDINFO 2025

Y2 - 9 August 2025 through 13 August 2025

ER -

Alsanie D, Alhuwail D. Assessing Digital Accessibility of Arabic-Language Health Information Websites for Older Adults. In Househ MS, Househ MS, Tariq ZUA, Al-Zubaidi M, Shah U, Huesing E, editors, MEDINFO 2025 - Healthcare Smart x Medicine Deep: Proceedings of the 20th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics. IOS Press BV. 2025. p. 2010-2011. (Studies in Health Technology and Informatics). doi: 10.3233/SHTI251324

Assessing Digital Accessibility of Arabic-Language Health Information Websites for Older Adults

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

Funding Agency

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this