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 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 Cancer patients’ information seeking behavior related to online electronic healthcare records

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 146045822110247
Author(s):  
Hanife Rexhepi ◽  
Isto Huvila ◽  
Rose-Mharie Åhlfeldt ◽  
Åsa Cajander
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Information Horizons ◽  
Health Information Sources

Patients’ online access to their EHR together with the rapid proliferation of medical information on the Internet has changed how patients use information to learn about their health. Patients’ tendency to turn to the Internet to find information about their health and care is well-documented. However, little is known about patients’ information seeking behavior when using online EHRs. By using information horizons as an analytical tool this paper aims to investigate the information behavior of cancer patients who have chosen to view their EHRs (readers) and to those who have not made that option (non-readers). Thirty interviews were conducted with patients. Based on information horizons, it seems that non-reading is associated with living in a narrower information world in comparison to readers. The findings do not suggest that the smallness would be a result of active avoidance of information, or that it would be counterproductive for the patients. The findings suggest, however, that EHRs would benefit from comprehensive linking to authoritative health information sources to help users to understand their contents. In parallel, healthcare professionals should be more aware of their personal role as a key source of health information to those who choose not to read their EHRs.

scholarly journals Online Health Information Seeking by Parents for Their Children: Systematic Review and Agenda for Further Research

10.2196/19985 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. e19985
Author(s):  
Christian Kubb ◽  
Heather M Foran
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Online Health Information ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Online Health Information Seeking ◽  
The Web

Background Parents commonly use the internet to search for information about their child’s health-related symptoms and guide parental health-related decisions. Despite the impact of parental online health seeking on offline health behaviors, this area of research remains understudied. Previous literature has not adequately distinguished searched behaviors when searching for oneself or one`s child. Objective The purpose of this review is to examine prevalences and associated variables of parent-child online health information seeking; investigate parents’ health-related online behavior regarding how they find, use, and evaluate information; and identify barriers and concerns that they experience during the search. Based on this analysis, we develop a conceptual model of potentially important variables of proxy online health information seeking, with a focus on building an agenda for further research. Methods We conducted a comprehensive systematic literature review of the PsycINFO, JMIR, and PubMed electronic databases. Studies between January 1994 and June 2018 were considered. The conceptual model was developed using an inductive mixed methods approach based on the investigated variables in the study sample. Results A total of 33 studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings suggest that parents worldwide are heavy online users of health-related information for their children across highly diverse circumstances. A total of 6 studies found high parental health anxiety, with prevalences ranging from 14% to 52%. Although parents reported wishing for more guidance from their pediatrician on how to find reliable information, they rarely discussed retrieved information from the web. The conceptual model of proxy online health information seeking includes 49 variables. Conclusions This systematic review identifies important gaps regarding the influence of health-related information on parents’ health behavior and outcomes. Follow-up studies are required to offer parents guidance on how to use the web for health purposes in an effective way, as well as solutions to the multifaceted problems during or after online health information seeking for their child. The conceptual model with the number of studies in each model category listed highlights how previous studies have hardly considered relational variables between the parent and child. An agenda for future research is presented.

Health information-seeking behaviour in adolescence: the place of the internet

2005 ◽  
Vol 60 (7) ◽  
pp. 1467-1478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola J. Gray ◽  
Jonathan D. Klein ◽  
Peter R. Noyce ◽  
Tracy S. Sesselberg ◽  
Judith A. Cantrill
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour

Health information seeking preferences of Mexican cancer survivors: Creating an evidence base for the design of high-quality communication programs.

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (7_suppl) ◽  
pp. 190-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrique Soto Perez De Celis ◽  
Edgar Baltazar-Avalos ◽  
Lorena Ali Guadalupe Rocha-Rojo ◽  
Patricia Rojo-Castillo ◽  
Yanin Chavarri Guerra
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cancer Type ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Sources Of Health Information ◽  
Source Of Information

190 Background: In order to improve the quality of the communication between the healthcare system and cancer survivors, it is fundamental to understand their preferred sources of health information. In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), little is known regarding which sources are used and trusted the most. This information is crucial to develop effective communication aimed at achieving high-quality equitable cancer care. Our objective was to explore the preferred sources of health information in Mexico, and to understand which factors influence these choices. Methods: We examined sources of health information among cancer survivors in Mexico City using questions from the Spanish Version of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). The characteristics of survivors who preferred the internet were compared with those who preferred other sources (doctors, printed materials, family members, organizations) using Fisher’s exact test. Logistic regression was used to assess the effects of patient characteristics on health information-seeking. Results: Of 148 participants, 82 (56%) had internet access. Of the 88 patients who had sought health information, 61 (69%) listed the internet as their preferred source. Those 65 and older were less likely to seek health information, regardless of the source (OR 0.17, p < 0.0001). Survivors who preferred the internet were more likely to be younger (p = 0.001), male (p = 0.003) and to have a higher educational level (p = 0.009). Comorbidities, stage, cancer type, and time from diagnosis had no effect on patient preferences. Doctors were the most trusted source of information (85%), followed by the internet (28%) and government agencies (23%). Conclusions: Mexican patients who seek health information online are more likely to be young educated males. Doctors represent the most trusted source of information, particularly for patients from vulnerable populations (such as older women with low educational levels). High-quality healthcare information programs in LMICs should be designed taking these behaviors into account, and patients should continue to receive health information via their most trusted sources.

scholarly journals Web-based health Information Seeking and eHealth Literacy among College students. A Self-report study

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh KHademian ◽  
Mahsa Roozrokh Arshadi Montazer ◽  
Azam Aslani
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Self Report ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Ehealth Literacy ◽  
Quality Health

Objective. This study aimed to assess web-based health information seeking and eHealth literacy among Iranian college students. Methods. The study was conducted in five colleges of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran during 2018. The data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of seven questions on a 4-point Likert-type scale, with scores ranging from 7 to 28. These questions were: ′I know how to use the Internet to answer my questions about health′, ′I think there is enough information about health-related issues on the Internet′, ′I know the vocabulary used in health issues on the Internet′, ′I can tell high-quality health resources from low-quality health resources on the Internet′, ′I know how to use the health information I find on the Internet to help me′, ′I feel confident in using information from the Internet to make health decisions′, and ′Searching for health-related information on the Internet will increase my knowledge in this field′. High eHealth literacy level is defined as above the total mean score and low eHealth literacy level is defined as lower than the total mean score. Results. In all, 386 college students participated in the study. The results showed that the mean score of eHealth literacy was 19.11 out of 28; 205 participants (54.4%) had low eHealth literacy. In addition, the students used the Internet to search for information regarding diseases symptoms (70%), physical illnesses (67.1%), existing treatments (65%), and diagnosis (63.1%). Conclusion. The results showed that participants in this study usually searched for illnesses, symptoms, and treatments after they got sick and paid little attention to other aspects related to integral health.How to cite this article: KHademian F, Roozrokh M, Aslani A. Web-based health Information Seeking and eHealth Literacy among College students. A Self-report study. Invest. Educ. Enferm. 2020. 38(1):e08.

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