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PubMed2002

Men who have met sex partners via the Internet: prevalence, predictors, and implications for HIV prevention.

This study examined the prevalence of Internet use for meeting sexual partners among men who have sex with men. The study also examined HIV risk behaviors among men who reported meeting a sexual partner via the Internet. A sample of 609 men was surveyed while attending a gay pride festival in Atlanta, GA. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing demographic information, Internet use, gay acculturation, AIDS knowledge, attitudes about condoms, global substance use, and sexual behavior. A substantial majority of men (75%) reported using the Internet to access gay-oriented web sites. One third of the sample (34%) reported having met a sexual partner via the Internet. Men meeting sex partners online reported higher rates of methamphetamine use. Men meeting sexual partners over the Internet reported having sex with more male partners in the previous 6 months (M = 8.38, SD = 19.39) compared with men not meeting partners in this manner (M = 3.13, SD = 4.99, p < .001). Men meeting partners via the Internet also reported higher rates of sexual risk behaviors including unprotected anal receptive intercourse (p < .05) and unprotected anal insertive intercourse (p < .01). The high prevalence of Internet use as a method of meeting sexual partners suggests that sexual networks may be forming over the Internet. The Internet therefore provides opportunities for new HIV primary prevention interventions.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2000

The Internet: a practical example of the use of new technology in the assessment of vancomycin use in pediatrics. The Pediatric Prevention Network.

BACKGROUND: The rapid emergence of both new infections and new technologies has revolutionized health care during the past 50 years. Increased use of the Internet has enabled health care professionals to educate, interact, and collaborate throughout the world in ways never before possible. Increased use of vancomycin has been associated with the emergence of organisms with decreased susceptibility to vancomycin, such as Enterococcus and staphylococcal species. The purpose of this article is to describe our experience using Internet technology to assess vancomycin use at children's hospitals in the United States. METHODS: A Web-based evaluation was developed and distributed on the Internet to 57 Pediatric Prevention Network hospitals. The evaluation was structured to collect summary statistics on vancomycin use and admissions data by service for 1997 and 1998. RESULTS: Twenty-four hospitals were able to provide archived vancomycin use and patient admissions data; completed evaluations were returned from 15 hospitals (62.5% response rate). Personnel at 6 (40%) hospitals completed the evaluation directly on the Internet. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, Internet technology facilitated a more efficient evaluation of vancomycin use, but fewer than half of the personnel at Pediatric Prevention Network hospitals completed the evaluation directly on the Internet. It is unclear whether personnel at these hospitals were limited in Internet access, support, or understanding. Efforts should be directed to educate health care personnel on the advantages of the Internet. Furthermore, many of the pharmacy databases used in our assessment were not standardized across hospitals nor systematically validated. Understanding that limitations still remain-within the source of the data studied, the health care system sampled, and the Internet tools available-is essential because the Internet offers health care professionals today a tool both to protect patients and to improve quality throughout the world.

Attitude to Computers↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Misrepresentation on the Internet and in real life about sex and HIV: a study of Latino men who have sex with men.

Experiences of men who have internet sex with men were studied to determine the level of misrepresentation in real life and on the Internet of physical, relationship, sexual interests, and HIV status. An internet-based questionnaire in English and Spanish ($20 compensation) recruited 1,026 Latino MISM over 3 weeks. Four 'fib' scales were created to measure misrepresentation by the respondent and to the respondent on the Internet and IRL. Overall, respondents rated being misrepresented to on the Internet significantly highest, followed by being misrepresented to IRL and misrepresenting themselves to others on the Internet, and misrepresenting themselves to others IRL lowest. For HIV status there were no differences between Internet and IRL misrepresentation by others and Internet and IRL misrepresentation by self, but a significant difference between HIV status misrepresentation by self and others. Misrepresenters were more likely to have had cybersex before meeting their last partner and to prefer cybersex, to be more sexually compulsive, and to speak and think more in Spanish. Social desirability considerations account for the higher misrepresentation on physical characteristics and sexual interests by others, and higher misrepresentation on the Internet. However, misrepresentation of HIV status was the lowest category and while it was misrepresented more often by others than self, there were no internet/IRL differences. Data suggest that HIV misrepresentation occurred for 20% of men and was lower than other forms of misrepresentation. Implications for HIV prevention are discussed, along with the concept of levels of accuracy in internet communications.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

The functions of internet use and their social and psychological consequences.

Although the Internet has spawned significant changes in communication and interpersonal behavior, the data concerning the social and psychological effects of its use are equivocal. Drawing on the uses and gratifications model of communications media, it was hypothesized that the social and psychological effects of Internet use depend primarily on the user's reasons and goals for using the technology. That is, the Internet's social and psychological effects depend upon the functions it serves for users. A theoretical model involving the functions of Internet use, dimensions of social integration, and dimensions of psychological well-being was examined. In study 1, participants indicated the primary reasons for which they use the Internet. Principle components analyses indicated that these reasons fell under two empirically robust dimensions accounting for about half of the total variance in Internet use. These dimensions, or functions, were labeled Socio-Affective Regulation (SAR) and Goods-and-Information Acquisition (GIA); SAR may be conceptualized as a social or an affiliative orientation toward Internet use, whereas GIA may be conceptualized as a utilitarian or practical orientation toward Internet use. In study 2, structural equation modeling revealed that Internet use driven by SAR negatively influences psychological well-being by first reducing social integration. However, Internet use motivated principally by GIA appears to have a favorable effect on psychological well-being by first increasing social integration. Implications of these results and directions for future research are discussed.

Computer Communication Networks↗

PubMed2002

Shyness and anxiety as predictors of patterns of Internet usage.

The Internet has the potential to empower or isolate. Shyness and anxiety may potentially influence the extent to which people avail themselves of Internet services such as email, chat rooms, information searches, entertainment, and commerce. To understand how personality moderates Internet usage, 177 participants completed an Internet Use Survey, the Social Reticence Scale, and a Trait Anxiety Inventory. Shyness, anxiety, gender, and academic achievement were employed within separate multiple regressions to predict forms of Internet usage. The use of email and chat-rooms was not related to shyness or anxiety, suggesting that shyness or anxiety does not pose an obstacle to these Internet applications. Males were more likely to use the Internet for downloading entertainment. Shy males were more likely to use the Internet for recreation/leisure searches. Highly educated males were more likely to use the Internet for banking and paying bills. Although shyness or anxiety does not seem to modify the communicative functions of the Internet, it may influence people's use of other recreational applications.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Carers and the digital divide: factors affecting Internet use among carers in the UK.

This paper presents data from a cross-sectional survey of 3014 adult carers, examining use of the Internet and factors associated with it. Carers recruited from the databases of three local authorities and other carer organisations within their geographical boundaries and that of Carers UK, a national carers organisation, were sent a postal questionnaire (response rate: 40%). A comparison of our data with national data on carers suggests some under-representation of men and younger adult carers and some over-representation of those who had been caring for long periods and those with substantial caring responsibilities. Two measures of Internet use were used and are presented in this analysis: previous use (ever used vs never previously used) and frequency (less than once a week vs once a week or more). Bivariate analyses identified patterns of Internet use and socio-demographic and socio-economic factors and caring circumstances associated with them. Factors significantly associated with each measure of Internet use were entered into direct logistic regression analyses to identify factors significantly associated with each measure. Half (50%) of all carers had previously used the Internet. Of this group, 61% had used it once a week or more frequently. Factors significantly associated with having previously used the Internet were carer's age, employment status, housing tenure and number of hours per week they spent caring. Frequency of Internet use was significantly associated with carer's age, sex, employment status and number of hours spent caring. Our study suggests that a significant number of carers may not currently be Internet users and that age, gender, socio-economic status and caring responsibilities shape Internet use in particular ways. Given the targets set by government for the development of online services, it is important to address the digital divide among carers and to continue to develop other services and information systems to meet the needs of those who do not access the Internet.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms and internet addiction.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between attention deficit-hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms and Internet addiction. In total, 535 elementary school students (264 boys, 271 girls; mean age, 11.0 +/- 1.0 years) were recruited. The presence or severity of Internet addiction was assessed by the Young's Internet Addiction test. Parents and teachers of the children completed the DuPaul's attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rating scale (ARS; Korean version, K-ARS) and Child Behavior Checklists. Children with the highest and lowest quartiles in K-ARS scores were defined to be in ADHD and non-ADHD groups, respectively. Five children (0.9%) met criteria for a definite Internet addiction and 75 children (14.0%) met criteria for a probable Internet addiction. K-ARS scores had significant positive correlations with Young's Internet Addiction test scores. The Internet addiction group had higher total scores of K-ARS and ADHD-related subcategories in the Child Behavior Checklists than the non-addiction group. The ADHD group had higher Internet addiction scores compared with the non-ADHD group. Therefore, significant associations have been found between the level of ADHD symptoms and the severity of Internet addiction in children. In addition, current findings suggest that the presence of ADHD symptoms, both in inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity domains, may be one of the important risk factors for Internet addiction.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

PubMed2005

The use of the Internet to access oral health-related information by patients attending dental hygiene clinics.

BACKGROUND: The degree to which patients access the Internet for oral health-related information is unknown. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to determine if patients attending student dental hygiene clinics had: (1) accessed the Internet, (2) used the Internet as a source of information on both general health and oral health, (3) bought oral health care products on-line, and (4) were interested in being directed to appropriate on-line oral health resources by dental professionals. METHODS: A self-complete questionnaire was administered to a quota sample of 280 new and returning patients attending the student dental hygiene clinic at either the Cardiff Dental Hospital or a nearby Primary Dental Care Unit. RESULTS: A total of 269 (96%) patients consented to participate in the study. Of these, 147 (54.6%) had accessed the Internet, the majority (61.2%) from home. Internet use was significantly related to both patient age and level of education (P < 0.001). In total, 59 patients claimed accessing the Internet for information on general health topics. Only eight respondents had used the Internet for information on oral health/dental topics, with seven reporting that they found the information useful. On-line purchase of oral health products was reported by seven patients. However, 117 (43.5% of all respondents) patients indicated that they would be interested in the Internet as a future source of oral health information and 112 (41.6%) would appreciate being directed to appropriate sites by their dentist or dental hygienist. CONCLUSIONS: Patients attending student dental hygiene clinics make little use of the Internet for oral health information. However, reported interest in future access is such that dental professionals should develop and harness the potential of the Internet as an educational resource.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Use of the internet by parents of paediatric outpatients.

AIMS: (1) To establish how many parents of children seen in paediatric outpatient departments use the internet to find information about their child's medical condition. (2) To ascertain what information is sought and found, and what proportion of all parents had access to the internet at home or elsewhere. METHODS: Over a six week period in 2000, parents of children attending general paediatric outpatient clinics in the district general hospital in Bath and in the 10 associated community hospitals, were asked to complete a questionnaire survey. RESULTS: Of the 577 questionnaires distributed, 485 were returned, a response rate of 84%. A total of 332 (69%) families owned a computer and 248 (51%) had internet access; 107 (22%) had looked on the internet for information about the problem for which their child was being seen in clinic that day. Parents who knew their child's diagnosis were more likely to have used the internet than those who named their child's symptoms only. A health professional had suggested that parents seek information on the internet in 6% of cases. These parents were more likely to use the internet than parents to whom this had not been suggested (67% v 20%, p < 0.001). Eighty nine (84%) parents who had used the internet prior to this clinic appointment found it useful. Thirty six (34%) parents had discussed or were planning to discuss the information they had found with their doctors. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of parents have access to the internet and use it to find information about their child's medical condition. The parents who discuss what they find with the clinic doctor are in the minority. Doctors should be prepared to ask parents about their information needs and discuss use of the internet.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluating Internet end-to-end performance: overview of test methodology and results.

OBJECTIVE: An evaluation of Internet end-to-end performance was conducted for the purpose of better understanding the overall performance of Internet pathways typical of those used to access information in National Library of Medicine (NLM) databases and, by extension, other Internet-based biomedical information resources. DESIGN: The evaluation used a three-level test strategy: 1) user testing to collect empirical data on internet performance as perceived by users when accessing NLM Web-based databases, 2) technical testing to analyze the Internet paths between the NLM and the user's desktop computer terminal, and 3) technical testing between the NLM and the World Wide Web ("Web") server computer at the user's institution to help characterize the relative performance of Internet pathways. MEASUREMENTS: Time to download the front pages of NLM Web sites and conduct standardized searches of NLM databases, data transmission capacity between NLM and remote locations (known as the bulk transfer capacity [BTC]), "ping" round-trip time as an indication of the latency of the network pathways, and the network routing of the data transmissions (number and sequencing of hops). RESULTS: Based on 347 user tests spread over 16 locations, the median time per location to download the main NLM home page ranged from 2 to 59 seconds, and 1 to 24 seconds for the other NLM Web sites tested. The median time to conduct standardized searches and get search results ranged from 2 to 14 seconds for PubMed and 4 to 18 seconds for Internet Grateful Med. The overall problem rate was about 1 percent; that is, on the average, users experienced a problem once every 100 test measurements. The user terminal tests at five locations and Web host tests at 13 locations provided profiles of BTC, RTT, and network routing for both dial-up and fixed Internet connections. CONCLUSION: The evaluation framework provided a profile of typical Internet performance and insights into network performance and time-of-day/day-of-week variability. This profile should serve as a frame of reference to help identify and diagnose connectivity problems and should contribute to the evolving concept of Internet quality of service.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗

PubMed2004

Prevalence and correlates of internet cigarette purchasing among adult smokers in New Jersey.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and correlates of internet cigarette purchasing among adult smokers. DESIGN: Analysis of internet purchasing in data from a population based telephone survey of New Jersey households. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with internet cigarette purchasing, adjusting for year, demographic, and smoking behaviour variables. PARTICIPANTS: 3447 current cigarette smokers pooled from three cross sectional surveys conducted in 2000, 2001, and 2002. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ever purchasing tobacco and usually buying cigarettes via the internet. RESULTS: Among all current cigarette smokers, ever having purchased tobacco via the internet increased from 1.1% in 2000 to 6.7% in 2002 and usually buying cigarettes via the internet increased from 0.8% in 2000 to 3.1% in 2002. Among current cigarette smokers with internet access, ever having purchased tobacco via the internet was higher among those who reported smoking 31 or more cigarettes per day (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5 to 10.2) and those without a past year quit attempt (adjusted OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.0). Usually purchasing cigarettes via the internet was higher among those aged 45-64 years (adjusted OR 4.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 17.1) and who reported having their first cigarette < or = 30 minutes after waking (adjusted OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.2 to 9.2). CONCLUSIONS: Although higher prices are known to reduce the demand for cigarettes, internet cigarette purchasing is likely to weaken this effect, particularly among heavy, more dependent smokers who are less interested in quitting.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Seeking and managing hope: patients' experiences using the Internet for cancer care.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe the experiences of patients with cancer using the Internet for information and support to manage the self-care aspects of illness and treatment, including symptom management. RESEARCH APPROACH: Heideggerian hermeneutics branch of phenomenology. SETTING: The interviews took place in outpatient settings in the northeastern United States, including clinics, patients' homes, and the researchers' office. PARTICIPANTS: 20 patients self-identified as users of the Internet for cancer care. METHODOLOGIC APPROACH: Data were collected by informal interviews that provided the narrative stories for hermeneutic analysis. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Internet use for cancer care and patient-provider relationship. FINDINGS: Five related themes and one constitutive pattern described patients' experiences. The themes were retrieving and filtering Internet information according to personal situation by Internet-savvy people in patients' support networks, seeking hope from the newest treatment options while coping with fear in manageable "bytes," self-care for personal illness situations with meaningful information regarding symptom management, empowering patients as partners when Internet information served as a second opinion in decision making and validating treatment decisions, and Internet as providing peer support. The constitutive pattern was Internet use as assisting patients in discovering ways to live with cancer as a chronic illness instead of a death sentence. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with cancer are incorporating Internet use into their cancer care. They perceive changing provider-patient relationships when they participate in treatment decisions. INTERPRETATION: Computer-savvy patients and their personal support networks will avail themselves of Internet information, creating the need for new interaction patterns and relationships with providers.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

American oncologists' views of internet use by cancer patients: a mail survey of American Society of Clinical Oncology members.

PURPOSE: Americans are turning more and more frequently to the Internet to obtain health information. The specific effects on patients, doctors, and the clinical encounter are not well known. METHODS: A brief mail survey was sent to a systematic sample of 5% of medical oncologists and hematologist/oncologists listed in the membership directory of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. RESULTS: Response rate to this mail survey was 46.2%. Oncologists' median estimate of the proportion of their patients using the Internet to obtain cancer information was 30%. Subjects responded that, on average, 10 minutes were added to each patient encounter in which Internet information was discussed. Responding oncologists reported that use of the Internet had the ability to simultaneously make patients more hopeful, confused, anxious, and knowledgeable. Forty-four percent of responding oncologists reported that they sometimes or rarely had difficulty discussing Internet information, and only 9% of subjects reported that they sometimes or always felt threatened when patients brought Internet information to discuss. In narrative responses, oncologists reported both positive and negative effects of Internet use by patients. CONCLUSION: In this brief mail survey to a systematic sample of American oncologists in academic and community practice, respondents reported that a significant proportion of their patients use the Internet to obtain cancer information. Oncologists viewed Internet information as having both positive and negative effects on the clinical encounter. Further research is needed on the effects of patients' use of the Internet to obtain cancer information involving both patients and oncologists.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

How do consumers search for and appraise information on medicines on the Internet? A qualitative study using focus groups.

BACKGROUND: Many consumers use the Internet to find information about their medicines. It is widely acknowledged that health information on the Internet is of variable quality and therefore the search and appraisal skills of consumers are important for selecting and assessing this information. The way consumers choose and evaluate information on medicines on the Internet is important because it has been shown that written information on medicines can influence consumer attitudes to and use of medicines. OBJECTIVE: To explore consumer experiences in searching for and appraising Internet-based information on medicines. METHODS: Six focus groups (N = 46 participants) were conducted in metropolitan Sydney, Australia from March to May 2003 with consumers who had used the Internet for information on medicines. Verbatim transcripts of the group discussions were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. RESULTS: All participants reported using a search engine to find information on medicines. Choice of search engine was determined by factors such as the workplace or educational environments, or suggestions by family or friends. Some participants found information solely by typing the medicine name (drug or brand name) into the search engine, while others searched using broader terms. Search skills ranged widely from more-advanced (using quotation marks and phrases) to less-than-optimal (such as typing in questions and full sentences). Many participants selected information from the first page of search results by looking for keywords and descriptions in the search results, and by looking for the source of the information as apparent in the URL. Opinions on credible sources of information on medicines varied with some participants regarding information by pharmaceutical companies as the "official" information on a medicine, and others preferring what they considered to be impartial sources such as governments, organizations, and educational institutions. It was clear that although most participants were skeptical of trusting information on the Internet, they had not paid conscious attention to how they selected information on medicines. Despite this, it was evident that participants viewed the Internet as an important source for information on medicines. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that there was a range of search and appraisal skills among participants, with many reporting a limited awareness of how they found and evaluated Internet-based information on medicines. Poor interpretation of written information on medicines has been shown to lead to anxiety and poor compliance to therapy. This issue is more important for Internet-based information since it is not subject to quality control and standardization as is written information on medicines. Therefore, there is a need for promoting consumer search and appraisal skills when using this information. Educating consumers in how to find and interpret Internet-based information on medicines may help them use their medicines in a safer and more-effective way.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Internet versus mailed questionnaires: a randomized comparison.

BACKGROUND: The use of Internet-based questionnaires for collection of data to evaluate patient education and other interventions has increased in recent years. Many self-report instruments have been validated using paper-and-pencil versions, but we cannot assume that the psychometric properties of an Internet-based version will be identical. OBJECTIVES: To look at similarities and differences between the Internet versions and the paper-and-pencil versions of 16 existing self-report instruments useful in evaluation of patient interventions. METHODS: Participants were recruited via the Internet and volunteered to participate (N=397), after which they were randomly assigned to fill out questionnaires online or via mailed paper-and-pencil versions. The self-report instruments measured were overall health, health distress, practice mental stress management, Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) disability, illness intrusiveness, activity limitations, visual numeric for pain, visual numeric for shortness of breath, visual numeric for fatigue, self-efficacy for managing disease, aerobic exercise, stretching and strengthening exercise, visits to MD, hospitalizations, hospital days, and emergency room visits. Means, ranges, and confidence intervals are given for each instrument within each type of questionnaire. The results from the two questionnaires were compared using both parametric and non-parametric tests. Reliability tests were given for multi-item instruments. A separate sample (N=30) filled out identical questionnaires over the Internet within a few days and correlations were used to assess test-retest reliability. RESULTS: Out of 16 instruments, none showed significant differences when the appropriate tests were used. Construct reliability was similar within each type of questionnaire, and Internet test-retest reliability was high. Internet questionnaires required less follow-up to achieve a slightly (non-significant) higher completion rate compared to mailed questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS: Among a convenience sample recruited via the Internet, results from those randomly assigned to Internet participation were at least as good as, if not better than, among those assigned mailed questionnaires, with less recruitment effort required. The instruments administered via the Internet appear to be reliable, and to be answered similarly to the way they are answered when they are administered via traditional mailed paper questionnaires.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Use of the Internet by medical doctors in Switzerland.

QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY: To investigate the utilisation of the Internet by primary care physicians for medical purposes during their daily practice, and to clarify the reasons for use or non-use of this technology. METHODS: Cross-sectional postal survey in German-speaking Switzerland employing a purpose-designed pre-validated 69-item questionnaire. A random sample of 2009 primary care physicians participated in the investigation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of primary care physicians with access to the Internet; reasons for using the Internet during consultations; sources of information in solving medical problems arising from concurrent patient care. RESULTS: 55% of the physicians returned the completed questionnaire. 75% of respondents reported access to the Internet. Only 7% use the Internet during patient consultations. The main reasons for not using the Internet were time pressure and concerns about potential negative interaction with physician-patient communication. To solve patient-specific problems arising during daily practice, 59% of the practitioners consult text-books or colleagues. Only 14% of respondents report regularly finding useful information on the Internet. Internet users assess information quality by checking on authorship, institution, publishing company, or whether the information is sponsored by a third party with a potential conflict of interest. CONCLUSIONS: Access to the Internet is widespread amongst German-speaking Swiss primary care physicians. Only a small minority use the Internet for information retrieval during consultation hours. Electronic information systems need to be tailored to the needs of primary care physicians.

Communication↗

PubMed2004

Patient use of the Internet for health care information in Switzerland.

STUDY AIMS: The aim of this study was to examine for the first time the frequency of Internet use for medical purposes by patients in Switzerland. METHODS: In 2001 over a period of one month, 1604 patients at 8 medical practices in Switzerland completed a self-administered questionnaire on their access to the Internet and any search for medical information using this media. The attending physician supplied the patient's diagnosis and information on the severity of the disorder motivating the visit using a separate questionnaire. RESULTS: 46% of the patients included in the study had a personal computer, 33% had an Internet connection and 10% used the Internet to find medical information. Age was inversely associated with the probability of having an Internet access, whereas educational level and command of the English language were factors directly associated with this. Among those patients with access to the Internet, young adults (25 to 44 years) and those with knowledge of the English language searched for medical information significantly more frequently. Furthermore, patients attending urban medical practices and those with a more severe level of disease more often sought health care information on the Internet. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of patients in Switzerland who search for medical information on the Internet is similar to the rates observed in European English-speaking countries. The Internet allows patients to actively search for information concerning their own health problems but is not currently the most common source of information used by patients. Since health professionals generate, directly or indirectly, most of the medical information published on the Internet, additional research is needed to better understand patients' needs and expectations concerning medical information using this media.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

An office-based Internet patient education system: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Patients' use of the Internet to find medical information is increasing, and physicians are exploring ways to incorporate the Internet into patient education programs and physician-patient encounters. We performed a pilot study of an Internet patient education system to obtain information on the usefulness of, feasibility of, and patient satisfaction with this type of information. METHODS: We developed a hypertext Web page directory to patient education sites on the Internet and made it available to patients in a community-based family practice residency clinic during their office visit. During a 1-month period, a medical student assisted patients with using the Internet, answered questions, interviewed patients, and collected data. Information was collected on sites visited, level of assistance required, amount of time spent "surfing" on-line versus intense reading on-line, quality of the experience, perceived usefulness of the educational materials, and patients' satisfaction with the materials. RESULTS: Fifty patients participated in the study. Forty-seven patients (94%) found the Internet information helpful. Most patients spent their time on-line intensely reading, and men spent significantly more time on-line (P = .007). Thirty-seven patients (77%) stated they would change a health behavior because of information they had read on the Internet; 45 (90%) were more satisfied with their visit than usual, and 46 (92%) would use the Internet center at the clinic again. CONCLUSIONS: Patients can obtain useful information from moderated Internet patient education systems and may plan to change health behaviors on the basis of that information. Internet patient information in the physician's office can improve patient satisfaction with clinic visits.

Adolescent↗