Health-Related Internet Use by People With High Hypochondriasis Scores

Background As a result of demographic changes, the number of people aged 60 years and older has been increasing steadily. Therefore, older adults have become more important as a target group for health communication efforts. Various studies show that online health information sources have gained importance among younger adults, but we know little about the health-related internet use of senior citizens in general and in particular about the variables explaining their online health-related information–seeking behavior. Media use studies indicate that in addition to sociodemographic variables, lifestyle factors might play a role in this context. Objective The aim of this study was to examine older people’s health-related internet use. Our study focused on the explanatory potential of lifestyle types over and above sociodemographic variables to predict older adults’ internet use for health information. Methods A telephone survey was conducted with a random sample of German adults aged 60 years and older (n=701) that was quota-allocated by gender, age, educational status, and degree of urbanity of their place of residence. Results The results revealed that participants used the internet infrequently (mean 1.82 [SD 1.07]), and medical personnel (mean 2.89 [SD 1.11]), family and friends (mean 2.86 [SD 1.21]), and health brochures (mean 2.85 [SD 1.21]) were their main sources of health information. A hierarchical cluster analysis based on values, interests, and leisure time activities revealed three different lifestyle types for adults aged over 60 years: the Sociable Adventurer, the Average Family Person, and the Uninterested Inactive. After adding these types as second-step predictors in a hierarchical regression model with sociodemographic variables (step 1), the explained variance increased significantly (R2=.02, P=.001), indicating that the Average Family Person and the Sociable Adventurer use the internet more often for health information than the Uninterested Inactive, over and above their sociodemographic attributes. Conclusions Our findings indicate that the internet still plays only a minor role in the health information–seeking behavior of older German adults. Nevertheless, there are subgroups including younger, more active, down-to-earth and family-oriented males that may be reached with online health information. Our findings suggest that lifestyle types should be taken into account when predicting health-related internet use behavior.

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Conceptualizations of ‘cyberchondria’ and relations to the anxiety spectrum: A systematic review and meta-analyses (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.27835 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sandra Kathrin Schenkel ◽

Stefanie M. Jungmann ◽

Maria Gropalis ◽

Michael Witthoeft

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Internet Use ◽

Strong Association ◽

Health Anxiety ◽

Behavioral Model ◽

Cognitive Behavioral ◽

Safety Behavior ◽

Health Related ◽

Cognitive Behavioral Model ◽

Meta Analyses

BACKGROUND “Cyberchondria” describes detrimental effects of health-related Internet use. Current conceptualizations agree that cyberchondria is associated with anxiety-related pathologies and might best be conceptualized as a safety behavior, but little is known about its exact underlying mechanisms. OBJECTIVE The present systematic review and meta-analyses were conducted (a) to give an overview of conceptualizations of cyberchondria and its relation to anxiety-related pathologies, (b) to quantify the strength of association to health anxiety by using meta-analytic analyses, and (c) to highlight gaps in the literature, and (d) to outline a hypothetical integrative cognitive-behavioral model of cyberchondria based on the available empirical evidence. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycInfo electronic databases. N = 25 studies were included for the qualitative and n = 7 studies, comprising N = 3,069 individuals, for the quantitative synthesis. Meta-analyses revealed a strong association of cyberchondria (r = .63) and its subfacets (rs = .24 - .66) to health anxiety. RESULTS Results indicate that cyberchondria is a construct distinct, yet related to, health anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, intolerance of uncertainty, and anxiety sensitivity. Further studies should distinguish between state and trait markers of anxiety-related pathologies and use experimental and naturalistic longitudinal designs to differentiate among risk factors, triggers, and consequences related to cyberchondria. CONCLUSIONS Health-related Internet use in the context of health anxiety is best conceptualized as a health-related safety behavior maintained through intermittent reinforcement. We present a corresponding integrative cognitive-behavioral model.

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Effect of internet use on health-related behaviors and patient–physician relationship

Menoufia Medical Journal ◽

10.4103/mmj.mmj_218_18 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 33

Author(s):

MarwaA Akram Ali ◽

MahmoudE Abu Salem ◽

NagwaN Hegazy

Keyword(s):

Internet Use ◽

Health Related Behaviors ◽

Health Related ◽

Physician Relationship

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Internet use for search of health-related information by patients with chronic disease

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckv176.083 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 25 (suppl_3) ◽

Author(s):

M Duplaga

Keyword(s):

Chronic Disease ◽

Internet Use ◽

Related Information ◽

Health Related

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The association between Internet use and health outcomes in the population of older adults

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.443 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

K Szulc ◽

M Duplaga

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Status ◽

Health Services ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Internet Use ◽

Health Behaviours ◽

The Internet ◽

Internet Users ◽

Health Related ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background The Internet has become one of the primary sources of health-related information. Less is known about the impact of Internet access and use on health-related outcomes in the older population, which frequently suffer from a digital divide. The main objective of this study was the assessment of the associations between Internet use and variables reflecting health status, the use of health services and health behaviours in the population at least 50 years old. Methods The analysis was carried out on the data set from the telephone-based survey in a sample of 1000 respondents representative for targeted age strata of Polish society. The effects of Internet use were assessed with logistic regression models after adjusting for key socioeconomic variables. Results Mean age (standard deviation) of respondents was 64.2 (9.6). In the study group, 51.1% respondents were Internet users, 19.4% - persons with disabilities, 21.2% were hospitalised at least once, and 51.0% visited health care facilities at least six times in preceding 12 months. The respondents being Internet users less frequently reported chronic diseases (OR, 95%CI: 0.21, 0.16-0.30), disability status (0.52, 0.37-0.72) and higher self-assessed health status (1.64, 1.24-2.16). They also less often used health services in the preceding 12 months (0.77, 0.60-0.99. Internet use was not associated with hospital admission in the preceding year (1.04, 0.76-1.41) and most of the health behaviours (smoking: 1.06, 0.77-1.45, physical activity: 0.85, 0.63-1.15, the consumption of fruits and vegetables: 0.73, 0.50-1.07). Interestingly, Internet users drunk more alcohol (1.52, 1.14-2.02). Conclusions In the population of older adults, the use of the Internet is associated with variables reflecting health status and the utilisation of health services. Higher health status and lower prevalence of chronic conditions among Internet users were found after adjusting for age and other socioeconomic factors. Key messages It was shown that Internet use may be related with more favourable health outcomes. The reported association should trigger further research on the impact of Internet in elderly persons.

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