HEALTH INFORMATION SEEKING ON THE INTERNET: IMPLICATIONS FOR USERS (original) (raw)
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Internet uses for health information seeking
Rev Epidemiol Sante Publ, 2006
Background: With the widespread dissemination of the Internet throughout the world of health, it would be relevant to report on current knowledge about health information search on the Internet from the consumers' standpoint.
Internet uses for health information seeking: A literature review
Revue d Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique
Background: With the widespread dissemination of the Internet throughout the world of health, it would be relevant to report on current knowledge about health information search on the Internet from the consumers' standpoint.
Consumer use of the internet for health information:
An increasing number of patients use the internet to obtain information about health. Although some information is available about how health professionals use the internet, little is known about how patients utilize this information. Some patients may actively seek information to assume more responsibility for their health. However, others may feel obliged to do so because of failing confidence in health care provision. Health professionals have the potential to assist patients to make sense of health information from the internet; however, they may not necessarily welcome this role. This study aims to evaluate patients’ use of such information in a primary care setting. The sample consisted of adult patients ( n = 851) from two general practice populations at different levels of the socio-economic spectrum in South Wales (UK). Patients were surveyed by questionnaire about the health information they use, including the internet. The majority of patients preferred to use their general practitioner as the main source of health information. The internet was jointly the second preferred source for information about an illness (6%). Just over half (51%) of patients in this study had access to the internet, of which about half use it to access health information. Just under a quarter (24%, n = 55) of health internet users had discussed information accessed from the internet during a subsequent consultation with a health professional. Of these, three-quarters felt more prepared and able to participate in decision-making about treatments. This study provides a greater understanding of how patients are making use of health-related information from the internet. These findings can be used to help prepare health care professionals for dealing appropriately with internet-informed patients.
Patients’ use of health-related information from the Internet is increasing at an exponential rate. Although we have some information about how health professionals use the Internet (Roscoe, 1998; Wilson, 1999) we know little about how patients utilise this information. Some patients may actively seek information to assume more responsibility for their health. However, others may feel forced into doing so because of failing confidence in health care provision. Health professionals have the potential to assist patients to make sense of health information from the Internet; however, they may not necessarily welcome this role (Wilson, 1999; Eberhart-Phillips et al., 2000). This study aims to evaluate patient use of such information in primary care and to establish how this can be directed in the future. 851 adult patients from general practice were surveyed about the health information they use, including the Internet. 50 patients from the survey were then randomly selected for interview. Abstracts 242 International Journal of Consumer Studies, 27, 3, June 2003, pp218–251 © 2003 Blackwell Publishing Ltd 12 health care professionals were also interviewed about how patients use the Internet and the impact this has on consultations. The majority of patients (80%) prefer to use their GP as a source of health information. The remaining sources of information received significantly lower ratings. However, the Internet was the second most preferred source of information (7%). Of those using the Internet about two thirds felt more prepared and able to participate in decision-making about treatments. The majority of patients rely on their doctor for health information. However, many patients actively use the Internet as an information source. The use of Internet information during consultations is on the increase, and although patients are positive about such use, doctors do not necessarily welcome Internet informed patients. It is now necessary to identify the training needs of health care professionals for dealing appropriately with Internet informed patients.
Use of internet health information resources and information seeking behaviour a
Journal of medicine and health informatics , 2022
The study sought to find out the impact of the use of the internet on health-seeking behavior among undergraduate students of University of Education, Winneba. The study employed a descriptive survey design using the quantitative research approach. Samples of 515 undergraduate students were conveniently selected from the five faculties in the University of Education, Winneba. A questionnaire on the Impact of online Health Seeking Behavior among University Students was used to collect data for the study. Descriptive statistics were used to organize the data from the questionnaire into frequencies and the responses expressed in percentages. Analysis of the data proved that health information from the internet had a significant impact on the health seeking behaviour of university students. It is, therefore, recommended among other things that an exclusively medical online management information system be rolled out by doctors and nurses to guarantee accurate medical advice on health information services. This is expected to minimize the negative implications of internet health information on the health-seeking behaviour of students. It is also recommended that online websites providing health information are regulated and a disclaimer suggesting the non-conclusiveness of existing information on such sites be made available to protect the innocent unsuspecting online health seeker.
Background: The internet has become an established source of health information for many Egyptian internet users. Understanding users' attitudes toward the benefits and limitations of web-based health information will explain the influence of this information on users' health-related behavior and decisions. Objective: This qualitative study aims to understand the attitude of Egyptian internet users toward internet health information and to explore the impact of obtained health information on users' behavior and on their physician-patient relationship. Methods: For this qualitative study, semistructured interviews were conducted with a total of 49 participants (41/49, 84% Egyptian internet users and 8/49, 16% physicians) who participated in focus groups or individual interviews. We used a thematic analysis approach to explain and demonstrate participants' views, thoughts, and experiences in using web-based health information. Results: The internet has become an important source of health information in comparison with other health information sources and is the central theme that has emerged across the thematic analysis. The attitude toward the use of internet health was classified into three main themes: feeling toward web-based health information (with subthemes: favoring, disliking, neutral, or having ambivalence feelings), motivators to seek internet health information, and behavioral changes using internet health information (subthemes: confidence, satisfaction, and improved knowledge). Themes that emerged from physicians' interviews included the accessibility of the internet health information, good communication, and coordination of care between patients and their physicians, and the active engagement of patients with their management plan. Conclusions: The internet has become an essential source of health information for Egyptian adults. Internet health information can improve the patient-physician relationship, especially when users discuss the obtained health information with their physician. Internet health information provided seekers with social support and self-confidence when making health decisions.