scholarly journals The Informed Patient

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haidar Abdul-Muhsin ◽  
Mark Tyson ◽  
Santanam Raghu ◽  
Mitchell Humphreys

The Internet has placed considerable information at the disposal of patients, but the sources for credible and accurate information may be difficult for a layperson to discern. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in elderly men can be treated with different surgical interventions. The purpose of this research was to determine information seeking behaviors (ISB) of BPH patients before and after each type of surgery. All patients who underwent surgical intervention for BPH at a tertiary training center between January 2007 and January 2013 were included in this study. A comprehensive questionnaire regarding their ISB was sent through a third-party survey center. The following areas were examined: (1) the patient’s opinion regarding information sources of BPH and its treatment, (2) the extent of ISB for each patient and its relation to the type of surgical intervention he eventually underwent, and (3) the relationship between the extent of ISB and the patient’s final satisfaction. The results indicated that the majority of patients felt that it is relatively easy to find information about BPH and its treatment. Most of the patient started with either general online search engines or used the hospital website. Patients who explored more sources of information ended up choosing a more specific and sophisticated procedure. Generally, patients used fewer sources postoperatively regardless of the procedure they underwent. There was no correlation between the extent of ISB and overall satisfaction ( r = −0.0719, p = .1610) and regret ( r = −0.0436, p = .3945).

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 4762-4762
Author(s):  
Ahmad B Naim ◽  
Danielle Walls ◽  
Jan Gollins ◽  
Chuck Reynolds

Abstract Abstract 4762 Objective: Examine knowledge and information seeking behaviors towards blood transfusions among individuals with metastatic or recurrent cancer. Methods: An online survey was conducted from a nationally representative patient panel in 1Q2011. All respondents were ≥18 years and diagnosed with cancer by a physician. Participants were asked about their blood transfusion history, information seeking behaviors, and knowledge about blood transfusion. Results: 206 individuals responded to survey. 65% (n=133) were female and 25% (n=52) were over 55 years. 55% (n=114) were anemic and 45% (n=92) not anemic. 62% (n=128) had received blood transfusion, whereas, 38% (n=78) had no transfusions. Top two sources of information are doctor (85%) and Internet (78%). Among those previously transfused, 74% received right amount of information, whereas, 11% received too little information, and 15% received too much information. More than 90% of transfused indicated they knew the reasons for and benefits of getting a blood transfusion. Less than two-thirds received information about the costs. Over 65% of not transfused said that it is extremely important to know risks of infections, right blood type and screening techniques. Among previously transfused, about 70% agreed that they made an informed choice about receiving blood transfusions. Among the previously transfused, 78% agree that they knew the benefits compared with 68% not transfused. About 68% of transfused and not transfused agree they knew the risks of blood transfusion. Conclusions: Doctor's office and internet are primary sources of information about blood transfusions. Gaps in knowledge exist about benefits, risks, and costs of blood transfusions. A significant number feel that they need more information about blood transfusion to make an informed choice. Providers should consider adopting shared-decision making with their patients. Disclosures: Naim: Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC: Employment. Walls:Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC: Consultancy. Gollins:Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC: Consultancy. Reynolds:Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC: Consultancy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 256-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serra Sürmeli Döven ◽  
Ali Delibaş ◽  
Hakan Taşkınlar ◽  
Ali Naycı

ABSTRACT Introduction: Cystinuria is an autosomal recessive disorder due to intestinal and renal transport defects in cystine and dibasic amino acids, which result in recurrent urolithiasis and surgical interventions. This study aimed to assess the impact of surgical interventions on renal function by analyzing estimated glomerular filtration rates. Methods: Thirteen pediatric patients with cystinuria, who were followed-up in a single tertiary institution between 2004 and 2016, were included in the study. Medical records were reviewed to collect data on clinical presentation of patients, urine parameters, stone formation, medical treatment, surgical intervention, stone recurrence after surgical procedure, stone analysis, ultrasonography, 99m-technetium dimercaptosuccinic acid (99mTc-DMSA) radionuclide imaging results, and follow-up time. Creatinine clearances estimated by modified Schwartz (eGFR) formula before and after surgery were used to assess renal function and compared statistically. Results: Nine patients (69.2%) had renal scarring which were detected with 99mTc-DMSA radionuclide imaging. In ten patients (76.9%), open surgical intervention for stones were needed during follow-up. Significant difference was not detected between eGFR before and after surgical intervention (mean 92 versus 106, p = 0.36). Nine of the patients (69.2%) were stone free in the last ultrasonographic examination. Relapses of stone after surgery were seen in 66.6% of patients who underwent surgical intervention. Conclusions: Surgical interventions for urinary stones are commonly required in patients with cystinuria. Renal scarring is a prevalent finding in cystinuric patients. Surgical interventions have no negative impact on eGFR in patients with cystinuria according to the present study.


Author(s):  
András Fehér ◽  
Miklós Véha ◽  
Henrietta Mónika Boros ◽  
Bence Kovács ◽  
Enikő Kontor ◽  
...  

In addition to preserving their health, young people can also play a role in providing information to wider society. Nutrition habits that have developed over the years at college have an impact on the foundation of a lifelong lifestyle. Our aim was to identify university students’ online and offline information-seeking attitudes related to healthy nutrition and create a new theoretical concept. Participants were university students (n = 612), and the self-administered, paper-based questionnaires were sent out to nine Hungarian universities. Both descriptive and multivariate statistical procedures were used in the analysis. Online and offline information sources were categorized. In relation to university students’ information-seeking competence, the component of electronic health literacy was determined. In analyzing attitudes, the components of acceptance of, incentive for, and rejection of or ambivalence towards healthy nutrition were identified. The information-seeking categories related to the stages of university students’ conscious transition to healthy nutrition were also identified. University students’ competences related to electronic health literacy are essentially favorable. This target group accepts healthy nutrition and tries to recommend it to others, too. However, a rejecting or ambivalent attitude could also be identified. Online and offline sources of information accompany university students’ transition of the relevant stages of changes. The theoretical concept that we developed can contribute to bridging gaps in the interrelatedness of diverse information sources and healthy nutrition.


Author(s):  
JiWoon Yoo ◽  
Jinkook Tak

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among newcomers’ proactive personality, information seeking behavior and organizational socialization. Specifically, This study investigated not only the main effect of newcomers’ proactive personality on information seeking behaviors which related to job and relationship building, and organizational socialization but also the moderating roles of team climate and leader behaviors on the relationships between proactive personality and information seeking behaviors, and between information seeking behaviors and organizational socialization. Online survey was conducted to 151 korean employees working for at least 3 months to 6 months and 151data were obtained for statistical analysis. Three steps of analysis procedures were carried out. First, correlation analysis was conducted and the results showed that there were positive relationship among main variables such as proactive personality, information seeking behavior, organizational socialization and etc. Second, the results of structural equitation model analyses showed that newcomers’ information seeking behaviors fully mediate proactive personality and organizational socialization. Third the results of hierarchial regression analyses showed that while leader behaviors which were specified to feedback behavior and consideration behavior moderated the relationship between information seeking behaviors and organizational socialization, Team openness did not moderate the relationship between proactive personality and information seeking behaviors. The implications and limitations of this study and the directions for future research were discussed on the basis of the results.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeo Yasu

BACKGROUND Serious public health problems, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can cause an infodemic. Sources of information that may cause an infodemic include Internet searches and social networking services; YouTube, which consists of content created and uploaded by individuals, is one such source. OBJECTIVE To survey the relationship between YouTube regarding COVID-19 and Internet searches in Japan. METHODS We used Google Trends to survey the relationship between YouTube regarding COVID-19 and Internet searches in Japan. YouTube searches were performed on March 6, 2020 (before the state of emergency), April 14 (during the state of emergency), and May 27 (after the state of emergency was lifted), with 136, 113, and 140 sample videos evaluated, respectively. The Google Trends search was conducted from January 22nd to May 23rd, 2020. The main outcome measures were: (1) The characteristics of each video and (2) uploaded video and Google Trends. RESULTS Of the videos evaluated over the three periods, the total number of videos after removing duplicates was 331. Content related to COVID-19 was present in 23.3% of videos, content related to preventing the spread of infection in 20.5%, content related to treatment in 2.1%, and the other category represented 54.1% of videos. Only 9.1% of the videos were uploaded by healthcare professionals. In the periods before and after the state of emergency, with 7 April as the point of reference, there were 2.9 per day and 2.4 per day uploads before and after the state of emergency, respectively. Regarding Google Trends, before and after the state of emergency, there were 29.5 per day and 54.9 per day total searches, respectively. There were more videos of content related to COVID-19 in March than in April or May (p = .03, p = .03). CONCLUSIONS The information on COVID-19 did not indicate a relationship between the number of YouTube uploads and the number of Internet searches. Most of the videos on COVID-19 were created and uploaded by individuals. Therefore, people need to take great care when obtaining information from YouTube before or early in a pandemic, during which time scientific evidence is scarce.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-171
Author(s):  
Margaret Zimmerman ◽  
Heather Beam

Purpose The purpose of this article is to provide insight into the HISB of this group. Immigrants and refugees are at a heightened risk for negative health outcomes upon resettlement. However, little scholarship reports on the health information-seeking behaviors and information needs of this population. Design/methodology/approach This study reports the findings of a study into the health information-seeking behaviors of 85 immigrant and refugee women. Women were asked to fill out a survey in their native language with both multiple choice and open-ended questions that requested information on what health information they required the most, which means they used to get it and paired this with demographic information. Findings In their own words, the participants reported information requirements regarding dental care, nutrition, general, reproductive and child health, as well as assistance in navigating the healthcare system. However, they believed that medical professionals are the most reliable sources of information and that they frequently turned to less credible sources such as friends and family or the internet. This may be because of their self-reported barriers of language and cost, as wells difficulty in understanding how to obtain information in the USA. What sources the participants used and what their informational needs were was influenced by their age, education and time living in the USA. Some comparisons are made with a group of local women in a similar study conducted concurrently by the author. Originality/value The research presented in this study provides a clearer understanding of the health information requirements and behaviors of refugee and immigrant women.


SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A218-A218
Author(s):  
Weston Powell ◽  
Joanna Wrede ◽  
Parisa Salehi

Abstract Introduction Growth hormone (GH) improves tone, body composition, development, and growth in infants with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). Concerns about sudden death following GH initiation and worsening obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children with PWS resulted in guidelines for polysomnography (PSG) evaluation before and after starting GH. We review novel evidence of laryngomalacia as a mechanism for this worsening of OSA and describe the incidence of laryngomalacia in this patient population. Methods A retrospective review of infants and children seen at the Seattle Children’s PWS clinic between October 2014 and May 2020 who had undergone polysomnography (PSG) before and after growth hormone initiation was performed. Findings on otolaryngology evaluation via flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy (FFL) or drug-induced sleep endoscopy were reviewed to characterize obstruction, diagnosis of laryngomalacia, and response to surgical intervention. Results A total of 28 cases were identified. 12 (41%) were evaluated with FFL between ages 4 and 21 months old (median 5) for noisy breathing, worsening or persistent OSA, or dysphagia. Out of these, 9 (75% of FFL, 31% of total) were diagnosed with laryngomalacia. Children with laryngomalacia were more likely to have worsening of OSA after GH initiation. Surgical interventions including supraglottoplasty or adenotonsillectomy led to improvement in OSA in 86% of children who had worsening after GH initiation. Conclusion Worsening OSA after GH initiation is seen in 38% of patients with PWS. Laryngomalacia is a common comorbid condition and more frequent in those with worsening OSA after GH initiation that is amenable to targeted surgical intervention. Support (if any):


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brady Lund ◽  
Jinxuan Ma

PurposeThis study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the types and sources of information sought by older adults along with their motivations in the Midwestern United States.Design/methodology/approachInterviews were conducted with 30 older adults residing in rural communities around the Midwestern United States during late-summer (July/August) 2020, using a protocol based on Dervin's Sense-Making Methodology. The resulting data was analyzed using standard content analysis procedures, guided by the theoretical frameworks based on Dervin's Sense-Making and Williamson's Ecological Model of Information Behavior. Implications of COVID-19 for the normative behaviors described in these models are discussed.FindingsFindings show that older adults were concerned primarily with health and political information during this period, but that this information was not necessarily sought only to address an informational need, but also to satisfy the need to maintain social and emotional connections in coping with isolation and loneliness. Sources of information that allowed for social interaction with people were favored. Wider personal networks (community members) were strained by the social distancing measures and closures. These findings have theoretical and practical implications for considering the impact of social restrictions on information seeking behaviors of older adults in a time of crisis.Originality/valueThis study is the first, known to the authors, that applied the two adopted theoretical frameworks to explore information seeking behaviors of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.


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