Adolescents' perceptions of the internet as a health information source

2002 ◽  
Vol 10 (S1) ◽  
pp. R53-R53 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. J. Gray ◽  
J. D. Klein ◽  
J. A. Cantrill ◽  
P. R. Noyce
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Source ◽  
The Internet

scholarly journals Online Health Information Seeking Among US Adults: Measuring Progress Toward a Healthy People 2020 Objective

2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (6) ◽  
pp. 617-625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lila J. Finney Rutten ◽  
Kelly D. Blake ◽  
Alexandra J. Greenberg-Worisek ◽  
Summer V. Allen ◽  
Richard P. Moser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Healthy People ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Health Information ◽  
Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Annual Household Income ◽  
Healthy People 2020 ◽  
Race Ethnicity

Objective: During the past decade, the availability of health information online has increased dramatically. We assessed progress toward the Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) health communication and health information technology objective of increasing the proportion of health information seekers who easily access health information online. Methods: We used data from 4 administrations of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 2008-2017) (N = 18 103). We conducted multivariable logistic regression analysis to evaluate trends over time in experiences with accessing health information and to examine differences by sociodemographic variables (sex, age, race/ethnicity, education, income, metropolitan status) separately for those who used the internet (vs other information sources) during their most recent search for health information. Results: Among US adults who looked for health information and used the internet for their most recent search, the percentage who reported accessing health information without frustration was stable during the study period (from 37.2% in 2008 to 38.5% in 2017). Accessing information online without frustration was significantly and independently associated with age 35-49 (vs age 18-34) (odds ratio [OR] = 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03 -1.73), non-Hispanic black (vs non-Hispanic white) race/ethnicity (OR = 2.15; 95% CI, 1.55-2.97), and annual household income <$20 000 (vs >$75 000) (OR = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.47-0.93). The percentage of adults who used an information source other than the internet and reported accessing health information online without frustration ranged from 31.3% in 2008 to 42.7% in 2017. Survey year 2017 (vs 2008) (OR = 1.61; 95% CI, 1.09-2.35) and high school graduate education (vs college graduate) (OR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49-0.97) were significantly and independently associated with accessing health information without frustration from sources other than the internet. Conclusions: The percentage of online health information seekers reporting easily accessing health information did not meet the HP2020 objective. Continued efforts are needed to enable easy access to online health information among diverse populations.

scholarly journals Childhood immunisation timeliness and vaccine confidence by health information source, maternal, socioeconomic, and geographic characteristics in Albania

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Mayerová ◽  
Kaja Abbas
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Working Mothers ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Vaccine Safety ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Childhood Immunisation ◽  
Lower Odds ◽  
Vaccine Confidence

Abstract Background Albania is facing decreasing childhood immunisation coverage and delay in timeliness of vaccination despite a growing economy and universal health insurance. Our aim is to estimate childhood immunisation timeliness and vaccine confidence associated with health information source, maternal, socioeconomic, and geographic characteristics in Albania. Methods We used the 2017–2018 Albania Demographic and Health Survey to analyse childhood immunisation timeliness and vaccine confidence among 2113 and 1795 mothers of under-5-year-old children respectively using simple and multivariable logistic regression. Results Among mothers of under-5-year-old children in Albania, 78.1% [95% CI: 74.3, 81.5] never postponed or rejected childhood vaccines. Immunisation delay was reported by 21.3% [18.0, 25.1] of mothers, but a majority (67.0%) were caused by the infant’s sickness at the time of vaccination, while a minority (6.1%) due to mothers’ concerns about vaccine safety and side effects. Vaccine confidence was high among the mothers at 92.9% [91.0, 94.4] with similar geographical patterns to immunisation timeliness. Among 1.3% of mothers who ever refused vaccination of their children, the main concerns were about vaccine safety (47.8%) and side effects (23.1%). With respect to childhood immunisation timeliness, after controlling for other background characteristics, mothers whose main health information source was the Internet/social media had 34% (adjusted odds-ratio AOR = 0.66 [0.47, 0.94], p = 0.020) lower odds in comparison to other sources, working mothers had 35% (AOR = 0.65 [0.47, 0.91], p = 0.013) lower odds in comparison to non-working mothers, mothers with no education had 86% (AOR = 0.14 [0.03, 0.67], p = 0.014) lower odds compared to those who completed higher education, and mothers living in AL02-Qender and AL03-Jug regions had 62% (AOR = 0.38 [0.23, 0.63], p < 0.0001) and 64% (AOR = 0.36 [0.24, 0.53], p < 0.0001) lower odds respectively in comparison to those residing in AL01-Veri region (p < 0.0001).   With respect to vaccine confidence, mothers whose main health information source was the Internet/social media had 56% (AOR = 0.44 [0.27, 0.73], p = 0.002) lower odds in comparison to other sources, single mothers had 92% (AOR = 0.08 [0.01, 0.65], p = 0.019) lower odds compared to those married/living with a partner, mothers of specific ethnicites (like Roma) had 61% (AOR = 0.39 [0.15, 0.97], p = 0.042) lower odds in comparison to mothers of Albanian ethnicity, and mothers living in AL03-Jug region had 67% (AOR = 0.33 [0.19, 0.59], p ≤ 0.0001) lower odds compared to mothers residing in AL01-Veri region. Conclusions Reinforcement of scientific evidence-based online communication about childhood immunisation in combination with tracking and analysis of vaccine hesitancy sentiment and anti-vaccination movements on the Internet/social media would be beneficial in improving immunisation timeliness and vaccine confidence in Albania. Since parents tend to search online for information that would confirm their original beliefs, traditional ways of promoting vaccination by healthcare professionals who enjoy confidence as trusted sources of health information should be sustained and strengthened to target the inequities in childhood immunisation timelines and vaccine confidence in Albania.

scholarly journals A mixed methods systematic review of the effects of patient online self-diagnosing in the 'smart-phone society' on the healthcare professional-patient relationship and medical authority

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annabel Farnood ◽  
Bridget Johnston ◽  
Frances S Mair
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Healthcare Professional ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Information Source ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Professional Relationship

Abstract Background: As technology continues to advance, the internet is becoming increasingly popular. Self-diagnosis and health information seeking online is growing more common and it will be important to understand the influence this may have on the patient-healthcare professional relationship. Methods: A mixed-method systematic review of quantitative, qualitative and mixed method studies concerning the public and healthcare professionals’ perceptions of online self-diagnosis and health information seeking and how this can impact the patient-healthcare professional relationship. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ACM & SCOPUS between 2007 and 2018. Relevant data were extracted, and a thematic analysis was conducted and conceptualised using the Normalisation Process Theory framework. Results: Of 6107 records identified, 25 articles met the review eligibility criteria which included 16 qualitative, 8 quantitative and 1 mixed method study. The findings indicated that patients found the internet as a complementary information source alongside healthcare professionals. Health care professionals were perceived to be the most reliable and valued information source. People feel responsible for their own health and find the internet to be a source that provides information rapidly with accessibility at their convenience. Most healthcare professionals agreed on the importance of collaboration with patients and the need to develop a partnership and shared decision-making process but struggled to find time in the consultation to do so efficiently. Some healthcare professionals felt that the internet was advantageous for patients looking after their own health, while others felt it was due to a lack of trust in their expertise. Patients tended to present information to the healthcare professional to support the therapeutic relationship rather than to challenge it and to become more involved in the decision-making process of their healthcare. Conclusion: The results of this review suggests that patients value healthcare professionals as a source of medical advice more than the internet. While health professionals views were mixed our findings indicate that online health information seeking can potentially improve the patient-healthcare professional relationship as patients reported they usually conducted an online search to form a partnership with the healthcare professional as opposed to trying to prove them wrong. Systematic review registration: CRD42018084230

scholarly journals A mixed methods systematic review of the effects of patient online self-diagnosing in the ‘smart-phone society’ on the healthcare professional-patient relationship and medical authority

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annabel Farnood ◽  
Bridget Johnston ◽  
Frances S. Mair
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Professional ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Information Source ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Professional Relationship

Abstract Background As technology continues to advance, the internet is becoming increasingly popular. Self-diagnosis and health information seeking online is growing more common and it will be important to understand the influence this may have on the patient-healthcare professional relationship. Methods A mixed-method systematic review of quantitative, qualitative and mixed method studies concerning the public and healthcare professionals’ perceptions of online self-diagnosis and health information seeking and how this can impact the patient-healthcare professional relationship. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ACM & SCOPUS between 2007 and 2018. Relevant data were extracted, and a thematic analysis was conducted and conceptualised using the Normalisation Process Theory framework. Results Of 6107 records identified, 25 articles met the review eligibility criteria which included 16 qualitative, 8 quantitative and 1 mixed method study. The findings indicated that patients found the internet as a complementary information source alongside healthcare professionals. Health care professionals were perceived to be the most reliable and valued information source. People feel responsible for their own health and find the internet to be a source that provides information rapidly with accessibility at their convenience. Most healthcare professionals agreed on the importance of collaboration with patients and the need to develop a partnership and shared decision-making process but struggled to find time in the consultation to do so efficiently. Some healthcare professionals felt that the internet was advantageous for patients looking after their own health, while others felt it was due to a lack of trust in their expertise. Patients tended to present information to the healthcare professional to support the therapeutic relationship rather than to challenge it and to become more involved in the decision-making process of their healthcare. Conclusion The results of this review suggests that patients value healthcare professionals as a source of medical advice more than the internet. While health professionals’ views were mixed our findings indicate that online health information seeking can potentially improve the patient-healthcare professional relationship as patients reported they usually conducted an online search to form a partnership with the healthcare professional as opposed to trying to prove them wrong.

scholarly journals Sources and Reasons for Seeking Health Information by Lithuanian Adults

Medicina ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daiva Marazienė ◽  
Jūratė Klumbienė ◽  
Jūratė Tomkevičiūtė ◽  
Irena Misevičienė
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Sources Of Health Information ◽  
Lower Education ◽  
Health Information Sources ◽  
Health Monitor

The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of Lithuanian adults aged 20–64 years toward the reasons for accessing health information and to determine the main health information sources and their relation to sociodemographic factors. Material and Methods. The data for this study were gathered in 2008 within the framework of the International Project Finbalt Health Monitor evaluating health behavior in a Lithuanian adult population. Results. More than half of respondents searched for health information during the last year. Men were 2.7 times more likely to trust friends and family as a health information source compared with women. For each 1-year increase in age, the odds of using friends and family, and the Internet as the main sources of health information decreased, while the odds of using people with the same condition and different means of media increased. Marital status was associated with greater trust in health professionals and the Internet as health information sources. Higher education was positively associated with more frequent reporting courses and lectures, and the Internet as the sources of health information, while those with lower education preferred television and radio. Conclusions. This study revealed the characteristics of the “risk group” in terms of the sources of health information that people, assigned to it, tend to use, and it is especially important when providing health information.

College Students’ Trust in the Internet Information during the COVID-19 crisis and the Influences of Traceable Information Sources：A Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiong Chen ◽  
Hong Wu
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Impact Factors ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Epidemic Period ◽  
Normal Period ◽  
Trust Degree ◽  
Internet Information

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic began in Wuhan, China in December 2019, and is rapidly spreading worldwide with over 2.3 million cases as of May 2020. In China, the new generation has grown with the development of the Internet, and the way they receive information is different from others and exist specific characteristics. For example, college students are more susceptible to friends, especially those with a professional background. Their trust in information sources is generally low, which has been proved in prior studies. However, little is known about how to improve their trust in information sources, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak. OBJECTIVE This paper investigates the trust degree of college students to the Internet information on epidemic and the influences of demographic characteristics. And to explore, for college students, whether traceable information sources are more reliable than ordinary information sources. METHODS This study conducted an online questionnaire survey among college students via the professional survey website Wen Juan Xing (https://www.wjx.cn) and used the Likert score table to measure the trust score of seven different channels. By using the Rank-sum test and univariate regression, we investigate the difference between trust in peacetime and trust during epidemic situations, the effect of information sources, and impact factors of information trust. RESULTS In total, 466 respondents completed the survey with a total of 398 valid questionnaires were obtained, including 166 (41.7%) men and 232 (58.3%) women. Single-factor regression analysis proved that college students’ trust in epidemic information was related to whether they studied in Wuhan or majored in medicine or biology (p<.05).The results of Rank-sum test showed that the trust degree of college students to the Internet health information was lower than that of the normal period in the epidemic period (p<.01, Z<0). Another group of Rank-sum tests showed that for college students the information with traceable information source is more reliable than that with general information source (p<.01, Z<0). CONCLUSIONS This study found that during the outbreak of COVID-19, college students’ trust in online health information was lower than usual, and was related to whether they majored in the medicine-related fields or studied in Wuhan. At present, little research has examined how to improve the trust of information for people with a high academic background, and according to the research results. Our study fills this gap and found that the Internet information with a traceable information source can significantly increase college students’ trust, which provides the mass media or other information channels with options and considerations when faced with college-educated people such as college students who want to increase the credibility of their information.

scholarly journals Internet information-seeking in mental health

2006 ◽  
Vol 189 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Powell ◽  
Aileen Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Past History ◽  
Information Source ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Information

BackgroundA major use of the internet is for health information-seeking. There has been little research into its use in relation to mental health.AimsTo investigate the prevalence of internet use for mental health information-seeking and its relative importance as a mental health information source.MethodGeneral population survey. Questions covered internet use, past psychiatric history and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire.ResultsEighteen per cent of all internet users had used the internet for information related to mental health. The prevalence was higher among those with a past history of mental health problems and those with current psychological distress. Only 12% of respondents selected the internet as one of the three most accurate sources of information, compared with 24% who responded that it was one of the three sources they would use.ConclusionsThe internet has a significant role in mental health information-seeking. The internet is used more than it is trusted.

scholarly journals Use of internet as source of medical information and its impact among young Transylvanian Hungarian people - a comparative study

2018 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-59
Author(s):  
Kocsis Loránd ◽  
Szabó Mónika
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Final Diagnosis ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Health Related

Abstract The internet is the most popular information source in our digital world. Studies confirm that numerous people are using the internet to look up health-related information. There is no information about this trend among the Transylvanian Hungarian population. Our purpose was to assess the role of the internet in answering health-related problems for young Hungarian Transylvanian people, and its impact. The participants (N=351) completed an online questionnaire with 28 items, which was available on Facebook, on the first page indicating their consent to a voluntary and anonymous survey. Our target was the generation below the age of 45. Descriptive, then comparative analysis was performed, based on gender and region of origin. 95.3% of the participants used the internet for finding health-related information, diagnosis, treatment or diet, without significant difference between subgroups, 70% at least once a month. Only 3.3% were instructed by their physician about the websites that provide health information, while 90% would require it. At least 64% of the respondents makes self-diagnosis at least sometimes, women more often, and nearly 25% frequently or always check the doctor’s opinion and/or the recommended treatment online. 40% of cases consider that their self-diagnosis was often the same as the physician’s final diagnosis, but only 33,2% agreed totally with their doctor. 47,4% of them were scared and/or became worried because of the information from the internet, especially women. Based on the above, it is clear that online health information overtakes the traditional doctor-centered health information and makes it necessary for us to change our perspective of digital healthcare.

scholarly journals Vaccine confidence and timeliness of childhood immunisation by health information source, maternal, socioeconomic, and geographic characteristics in Albania

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Mayerová ◽  
Kaja Abbas
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Vaccine Safety ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Childhood Immunisation ◽  
Vaccine Confidence

AbstractBackgroundAlbania is facing decreasing childhood immunisation coverage and timeliness despite a growing economy and universal health insurance. Our aim is to estimate vaccine confidence and timeliness of childhood immunisation by health information source, maternal, socioeconomic, and geographic characteristics in Albania.MethodsWe used the 2017-2018 Albania Demographic and Health Survey to analyse vaccine confidence, measured via the proxy of vaccine timeliness, among 2,156 mothers of under-5-year-old children using simple and multivariable logistic regression.Results77.9% [74.2, 81.2] of mothers had confidence in vaccines. Immunisation delay was reported by 21.5% [18.3, 25.3] of mothers, but a majority (65.7%) were caused by the infant’s sickness at the time of vaccination, while a minority (8.7%) due to mothers’ concerns about vaccine safety and side effects. Among 1.7% of mothers who ever refused vaccination of their children, the main concerns were about vaccine safety (35.9%) and adverse events (42.7%). Factors associated with lower vaccine confidence were using the Internet/social media as the main health information source compared to other sources (AOR=0.66 [0.47, 0.94], p=0.020), mother’s work outside the home (AOR=0.65 [0.47, 0.91], p=0.013), lack of maternal education (AOR=0.14 [0.03, 0.67], p=0.014), and living in AL02-Qender (AOR=0.38 [0.23, 0.63]) and AL03-Jug regions (AOR=0.36 [0.24, 0.53]) in comparison to AL01-Veri region (p<0.0001).ConclusionsReinforcement of scientific evidence-based online communication about childhood immunisation and monitoring anti-vaccination movements on the Internet/social media would be beneficial in improving vaccine confidence and timeliness in Albania, together with traditional ways of promoting vaccination by healthcare professionals who enjoy confidence as trusted sources of information.

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