scholarly journals The Use of Internet Platforms for Oral Health Information and Associated Factors Among Adolescents From Jakarta: A Cross Sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diah Ayu Maharani ◽  
Maha El Tantawi ◽  
Marsha Griselda Yoseph ◽  
Anton Rahardjo

Abstract Objective: The growth of the internet has increased its use to obtain health information including oral health information (OHI). This study assessed Indonesian adolescents’ use of different internet platforms to obtain OHI and factors associated with this use.Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study surveyed middle school students in five regions in Jakarta in 2019. Participants completed a questionnaire that assessed demographics, oral health practices (toothbrushing and dental visits), the presence of dental pain, using internet platform to obtain OHI and type of information searched for. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association between using the internet for OHI (Google, Social Media (SM), both or none) and the independent factors: demographics, oral health practice, dental pain and whether participants search for causes, symptoms, prevention or treatment of oral diseases (ODs). Results: Most of the 521 participants were female (55.7%) with mean age= 13.4 years. Almost all of them (93.7%) searched the internet for OHI through Google (40.7%) or Google with SM (36.1%). Searching for OHI over SM was significantly associated with toothbrushing (OR= 4.12, 95%CI= 1.43, 11.89) and less dental visits (OR= 0.16, 95%CI= 0.05, 0.60). Searching Google for OHI was significantly associated with looking for information about causes (OR= 3.69, 95%CI= 1.33, 10.26) and treatment (OR= 6.17, 95%CI= 2.23, 17.03) of ODs. Conclusions: Most adolescents used Google to seek OHI. Oral health practices and types of OHI searched for differed by internet platform. Dental health professionals should consider using internet-based interventions to promote oral health to this age group.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diah Ayu Maharani ◽  
Maha El Tantawi ◽  
Marsha Griselda Yoseph ◽  
Anton Rahardjo

Abstract Background: The growth of the internet has increased its use to obtain health information including oral health information (OHI). This study assessed Indonesian adolescents’ use of different internet platforms to obtain OHI and factors associated with this use.Methods: A cross-sectional study surveyed middle school students in five regions in Jakarta in 2019. Participants completed a questionnaire that assessed demographics, oral health practices (toothbrushing and dental visits), the presence of dental pain, using internet platform to obtain OHI and type of information searched for. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association between using the internet for OHI (Google, Social Media (SM), both or none) and the independent factors: demographics, oral health practice, dental pain and whether participants search for causes, symptoms, prevention or treatment of oral diseases (ODs). Results: Most of the 521 participants were female (55.7%) with mean age= 13.4 years. Almost all of them (93.7%) searched the internet for OHI through Google (40.7%) or Google with SM (36.1%). Searching for OHI over SM was significantly associated with toothbrushing (OR= 4.12, 95%CI= 1.43, 11.89) and less dental visits (OR= 0.16, 95%CI= 0.05, 0.60). Searching Google for OHI was significantly associated with looking for information about causes (OR= 3.69, 95%CI= 1.33, 10.26) and treatment (OR= 6.17, 95%CI= 2.23, 17.03) of ODs.Conclusions: Most adolescents used Google to seek OHI. Oral health practices and types of OHI searched for differed by internet platform. Dental health professionals should consider using internet-based interventions to promote oral health to this age group


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diah Ayu Maharani ◽  
Maha El Tantawi ◽  
Marsha Griselda Yoseph ◽  
Anton Rahardjo

Abstract Background The growth of the internet has increased its use to obtain health information including oral health information (OHI). This study assessed Indonesian adolescents’ use of different internet platforms to obtain OHI and factors associated with this use. Methods A cross-sectional study surveyed middle school students in five regions in Jakarta in 2019. Participants completed a questionnaire that assessed demographics, oral health practices (toothbrushing and dental visits), the presence of dental pain, using internet platform to obtain OHI and type of information searched for. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association between using the internet for OHI (Google, Social Media (SM), both or none) and the independent factors: demographics, oral health practice, dental pain and whether participants search for causes, symptoms, prevention or treatment of oral diseases (ODs). Results Most of the 521 participants were female (55.7%) with mean age = 13.4 years. Almost all of them (93.7%) searched the internet for OHI through Google (40.7%) or Google with SM (36.1%). Searching for OHI over SM was significantly associated with toothbrushing (OR = 4.12, 95% CI = 1.43, 11.89) and less dental visits (OR = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.05, 0.60). Searching Google for OHI was significantly associated with looking for information about causes (OR = 3.69, 95% CI = 1.33, 10.26) and treatment (OR = 6.17, 95% CI = 2.23, 17.03) of ODs. Conclusions Most adolescents used Google to seek OHI. Oral health practices and types of OHI searched for differed by internet platform. Dental health professionals should consider using internet-based interventions to promote oral health to this age group.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diah Ayu Maharani ◽  
Maha El Tantawi ◽  
Marsha Griselda Yoseph ◽  
Anton Rahardjo

Abstract Background: The growth of the internet has increased its use to obtain health information including oral health information (OHI). This study assessed Indonesian adolescents’ use of different internet platforms to obtain OHI and factors associated with this use.Methods: A cross-sectional study surveyed middle school students in five regions in Jakarta in 2019. Participants completed a questionnaire that assessed demographics, oral health practices (toothbrushing and dental visits), the presence of dental pain, using internet platform to obtain OHI and type of information searched for. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association between using the internet for OHI (Google, Social Media (SM), both or none) and the independent factors: demographics, oral health practice, dental pain and whether participants search for causes, symptoms, prevention or treatment of oral diseases (ODs). Results: Most of the 521 participants were female (55.7%) with mean age= 13.4 years. Almost all of them (93.7%) searched the internet for OHI through Google (40.7%) or Google with SM (36.1%). Searching for OHI over SM was significantly associated with toothbrushing (OR= 4.12, 95%CI= 1.43, 11.89) and less dental visits (OR= 0.16, 95%CI= 0.05, 0.60). Searching Google for OHI was significantly associated with looking for information about causes (OR= 3.69, 95%CI= 1.33, 10.26) and treatment (OR= 6.17, 95%CI= 2.23, 17.03) of ODs. Conclusions: Most adolescents used Google to seek OHI. Oral health practices and types of OHI searched for differed by internet platform. Dental health professionals should consider using internet-based interventions to promote oral health to this age group.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hoang Thuy Linh Nguyen ◽  
Keiko Nakamura ◽  
Kaoruko Seino ◽  
Van Thang Vo

BACKGROUND The rapid and widespread development of mass media sources including the Internet is occurring worldwide. Users are being confronted with a flood of health information through a wide availability of sources. Studies on how the availability of health information has triggered users’ interest in utilizing health care services remain limited within the Vietnamese population. OBJECTIVE This study examined the associations between the wider availability of sources for health information and health care utilization in Vietnam after adjusting for potential confounding variables. METHODS The data for this study were drawn from a cross-sectional study conducted over a 6-month period in Hue, a city in central Vietnam. The participants were 993 randomly selected adults aged between 18 and 60 years. Information was collected through face-to-face interviews on the types of information sources that were consulted, including traditional media (television), Internet, and health education courses, as well as the impact of such information on health care use (emergency department visits, hospitalizations, doctor visits). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed at a 95% confidence level. RESULTS The prevalence of watching television, using the Internet, and attending health education courses to obtain health information were 50.9% (505/993), 32.9% (327/993), and 8.7% (86/993), respectively. After further adjustments for self-reported health status, the presence of health insurance, and monthly income, respondents who watched television and used the Internet to obtain health information were 1.7 times more likely to visit a doctor (television: adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.69, 95% CI 1.30-2.19; Internet: AOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.23-2.19), and also significantly associated with inpatient hospitalization (P=.003). CONCLUSIONS The use of widely available mass media sources (eg, television and the Internet) to obtain health information was associated with higher health care utilization. How this interest in health-related information can be used so that it will have a beneficial effect on care-seeking behavior should be a topic of concern to further health promotion in developing countries.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mintesnot Hawaze Derseh ◽  
Kassahun Dessie Gashu ◽  
Tekeba Meshesha ◽  
Baye Ashenafi ◽  
Abebe Getachew Wolde ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Utilization of Internet is critical to retrieve health information particularly for countries where health care delivery system is incongruent with its population otherwise it could be difficult to address all health problems of the people with limited health professionals. This study sought to determine the magnitude of the Internet use for health information and its associated factors.Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the status of Internet utilization to access health information and its associated factors among the undergraduate students in Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.Methods: A facility based cross-sectional study was conducted among 845 undergraduate students who were selected by Stratified multi-stage sampling from 19 randomly selected departments of Addis Ababa University. Data were collected from March to April 2019 using a pretested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. The data were entered in to Epi-Info version 7 and exported to the SPSS version 23 for analysis. A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between the study and outcome variables. Result: Almost all 761 (98.8%) of the University students have ever used the Internet for general purposes. Among these the proportion of Internet use, about 59.1% (95% CI: 55.5-62.7) of them used the Internet for health information. Adjusting for all other factors in the final model, Digital health literacy (AOR=1.656, 95% CI: (1.143, 2.397), field of study (AOR= 0.025, 95% CI: (0.007, 0.087), year of study (AOR= 1.609, 95% CI: (1.130, 2.290), and computer device ownership (AOR= 2.314, 95% CI: (1.392, 3.844) were found to be significantly associated with the Internet use for health information.Conclusion: The proportion of Internet use for health information was found to be lower. Digital health literacy, being health science student, year of study and computer ownership were found to be important predictors.


Author(s):  
Rachna Shekhar ◽  
Sandhya Rani Javalkar

Background: The Internet has proven to be a powerful vehicle for the dissemination of information and the use of Internet by the patients as a source of information on health and disease is increasing rapidly. It has reformed the doctor-patient relationship by empowering patients with information. The objective was to study the trends of patient’s health information seeking behaviour on the internet and its effects on the doctor-patient relationship.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst the 73 doctors and 110 patients attending the tertiary health care centre, Davanagere. A pre-tested and pre-validated questionnaire was used to collect data. Percentages and Proportions were used to summarize the study variables.Results: The most common search engine used was Google i.e. 92% and majority of them looked up symptoms/ disease condition 80%. 57% respondents verified doctor’s advice. 73% respondents stated that they used online health information for self-diagnosis but less than 10% of respondents took medications mentioned online. The doctors (60%) stated that the patient’s Internet use proves that the patient or his/her family are involved and take responsibility. However, 49.3% of doctors stated that they get uncomfortable when presented with online health information by the patients.Conclusions: Doctors are starting to recognize the use of the internet by patients as a source of health information. Patients consider the internet as a supplementary resource for better understanding of symptoms and diagnosis. The need of the hour is better communication between doctor and patients; and availability of reliable web-based health resources to patients for better compliance.


Author(s):  
Krittai Tanasombatkul ◽  
Kanokporn Pinyopornpanish ◽  
Chaisiri Angkurawaranon ◽  
Nida Buawangpong ◽  
Auswin Rojanasumapong ◽  
...  

Medical students tend to use the internet as a primary resource when seeking health information. This study aims to assess the patterns of internet use, eHL level, and learning outcomes with eHL among medical students at Chiang Mai University. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 88 medical students in the first clinical year. The eHL level was determined using the Thai version of the electronic Health Literacy Scale or eHEALS. The patient case report scores were obtained representing the learning outcome. Linear regression was used to identify factors influencing their eHL level and case report scores. Students recognized the importance and usefulness of the internet. The mean eHEALS score was 33.45. There was a lower degree of agreement on questions regarding internet usage, having skills to evaluate the resources, and confidence in using health information to make health decisions. The eHEALS score had no statistically significant association with most variables and case report scores, but with the longer time of internet use (p-value = 0.014). Although medical students perceived that they have high eHL levels, they report lower confidence in using the information. Including critical thinking skills for electronic health information in the medical curriculum could be useful.


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