scholarly journals Impact of Illness on Electronic Health Use (The Seventh Tromsø Study - Part 2): Population-Based Questionnaire Study

10.2196/13116 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. e13116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Marco-Ruiz ◽  
Rolf Wynn ◽  
Sunday Oluwafemi Oyeyemi ◽  
Andrius Budrionis ◽  
Kassaye Yitbarek Yigzaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Psychological Problems ◽  
Part Time ◽  
Video Services ◽  
Electronic Health ◽  
High Household Income

Background Patients who suffer from different diseases may use different electronic health (eHealth) resources. Thus, those who plan eHealth interventions should take into account which eHealth resources are used most frequently by patients that suffer from different diseases. Objective The aim of this study was to understand the associations between different groups of chronic diseases and the use of different eHealth resources. Methods Data from the seventh survey of the Tromsø Study (Tromsø 7) were analyzed to determine how different diseases influence the use of different eHealth resources. Specifically, the eHealth resources considered were use of apps, search engines, video services, and social media. The analysis contained data from 21,083 participants in the age group older than 40 years. A total of 15,585 (15,585/21,083; 73.92%) participants reported to have suffered some disease, 10,604 (10,604/21,083; 50.29%) participants reported to have used some kind of eHealth resource in the last year, and 7854 (7854/21,083; 37.25%) participants reported to have used some kind of eHealth resource in the last year and suffered (or had suffered) from some kind of specified disease. Logistic regression was used to determine which diseases significantly predicted the use of each eHealth resource. Results The use of apps was increased among those individuals that (had) suffered from psychological problems (odds ratio [OR] 1.39, 95% CI 1.23-1.56) and cardiovascular diseases (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.24) and those part-time workers that (had) suffered from any of the diseases classified as others (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.35-3.32). The use of search engines for accessing health information increased among individuals who suffered from psychological problems (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.25-1.55), cancer (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.11-1.44), or any of the diseases classified as other diseases (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.13-1.42). Regarding video services, their use for accessing health information was more likely when the participant was a man (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.13-1.53), (had) suffered from psychological problems (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.43-2.01), or (had) suffered from other diseases (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.20-1.71). The factors associated with an increase in the use of social media for accessing health information were as follows: (had) suffered from psychological problems (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.42-1.91), working part time (OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.62-2.63), receiving disability benefits (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.14-1.76), having received an upper secondary school education (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.03-1.38), being a man with a high household income (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.07-2.60), suffering from cardiovascular diseases and having a high household income (OR 3.39, 95% CI 1.62-8.16), and suffering from respiratory diseases while being retired (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.28-2.97). Conclusions Our findings show that different diseases are currently associated with the use of different eHealth resources. This knowledge is useful for those who plan eHealth interventions as they can take into account which type of eHealth resource may be used for gaining the attention of the different user groups.

scholarly journals Impact of Illness on Electronic Health Use (The Seventh Tromsø Study - Part 2): Population-Based Questionnaire Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Marco-Ruiz ◽  
Rolf Wynn ◽  
Sunday Oluwafemi Oyeyemi ◽  
Andrius Budrionis ◽  
Kassaye Yitbarek Yigzaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Psychological Problems ◽  
Part Time ◽  
Video Services ◽  
Electronic Health ◽  
High Household Income

BACKGROUND Patients who suffer from different diseases may use different electronic health (eHealth) resources. Thus, those who plan eHealth interventions should take into account which eHealth resources are used most frequently by patients that suffer from different diseases. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to understand the associations between different groups of chronic diseases and the use of different eHealth resources. METHODS Data from the seventh survey of the Tromsø Study (Tromsø 7) were analyzed to determine how different diseases influence the use of different eHealth resources. Specifically, the eHealth resources considered were use of apps, search engines, video services, and social media. The analysis contained data from 21,083 participants in the age group older than 40 years. A total of 15,585 (15,585/21,083; 73.92%) participants reported to have suffered some disease, 10,604 (10,604/21,083; 50.29%) participants reported to have used some kind of eHealth resource in the last year, and 7854 (7854/21,083; 37.25%) participants reported to have used some kind of eHealth resource in the last year and suffered (or had suffered) from some kind of specified disease. Logistic regression was used to determine which diseases significantly predicted the use of each eHealth resource. RESULTS The use of apps was increased among those individuals that (had) suffered from psychological problems (odds ratio [OR] 1.39, 95% CI 1.23-1.56) and cardiovascular diseases (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.24) and those part-time workers that (had) suffered from any of the diseases classified as others (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.35-3.32). The use of search engines for accessing health information increased among individuals who suffered from psychological problems (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.25-1.55), cancer (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.11-1.44), or any of the diseases classified as other diseases (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.13-1.42). Regarding video services, their use for accessing health information was more likely when the participant was a man (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.13-1.53), (had) suffered from psychological problems (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.43-2.01), or (had) suffered from other diseases (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.20-1.71). The factors associated with an increase in the use of social media for accessing health information were as follows: (had) suffered from psychological problems (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.42-1.91), working part time (OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.62-2.63), receiving disability benefits (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.14-1.76), having received an upper secondary school education (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.03-1.38), being a man with a high household income (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.07-2.60), suffering from cardiovascular diseases and having a high household income (OR 3.39, 95% CI 1.62-8.16), and suffering from respiratory diseases while being retired (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.28-2.97). CONCLUSIONS Our findings show that different diseases are currently associated with the use of different eHealth resources. This knowledge is useful for those who plan eHealth interventions as they can take into account which type of eHealth resource may be used for gaining the attention of the different user groups.

A cross-section study to assess Health Information Seeking Behavior (HISB) in Syria (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayham Research Group ◽  
Rashad Almahayni
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Quality Score ◽  
Main Question ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Section Study ◽  
Reliability Score

BACKGROUND The wide-spread use of the internet, and the numerous websites and platforms it provides access to allow users to reach a multitude of articles on almost any topic, which raises the issue of the quality and reliability of the information obtained online. Without denying the existence of reliable websites, the main question remains whether information seekers are reaching these websites. While many studies have been done to answer these questions, few were undertaken in third world countries. OBJECTIVE This study attempts to shed light on the current Health Information Seeking Behaviors (HISB) in Syria, to provide data, and to lay the ground for future studies. METHODS This is a cross-section study that used a questionnaire to identify and measure different HISB habits in Syria. A chi-square test was used to study the relations between different demographic groups and different HISB groups, and the relations between Different HISB groups. The study used the DISCERN Instrument to assess the reliability and quality of the information obtained by participants, and the means for the reliability score, the quality score, and the total DISCERN Instrument score were calculated and compared to scores of different methods of HISB with a T-score test. RESULTS The study suggests that Search Engines are the most commonly used method when actively seeking health information (52%), followed by official websites (26.6%) and unofficial websites (11.8%), with social media being the least used method (9.7%). Official websites scored the highest mean on the DISCERN Instrument score with 3.77 (±0.651), and the highest mean in reliability with 4.02 (±0.598), while social media scored the highest mean in quality with 3.53 (±1.014). Search Engines scored the lowest means in all 3 aspects, with a total DISCERN score of 3.35 (±0.715), a reliability score of 3.57 (±0.712), and a quality score of 3.11 (±0.915). CONCLUSIONS Official websites need to take more steps to provide better quality information for users. Non-medical provider users search for overview more often, therefore official websites should provide an overview of the topics at the start of their materials.

scholarly journals The Association Between Health Information Seeking on the Internet and Physician Visits (The Seventh Tromsø Study - Part 4): Population-Based Questionnaire Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kassaye Yitbarek Yigzaw ◽  
Rolf Wynn ◽  
Luis Marco-Ruiz ◽  
Andrius Budrionis ◽  
Sunday Oluwafemi Oyeyemi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Web Search ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Physician Visits ◽  
Web Search Engines

BACKGROUND The internet is being widely used for seeking health information. However, there is no consensus on the association between health information seeking on the internet and the use of health care services. OBJECTIVE We examined the association between health information seeking via the internet and physician visits. In addition, we investigated the association between online health information seeking and the decisions to visit and not to visit a physician. METHODS We used the cross-sectional electronic health (eHealth) data of 18,197 participants from the seventh survey of the Tromsø Study (Tromsø 7). The participants were aged ≥40 years and living in Tromsø, Norway. We used logistic regression models to examine the association between online health information seeking and physician visits, the decision to visit a physician, and the decision not to visit a physician, with adjustment for the demographic status, socioeconomic status, and health status of the participants. RESULTS The use of Web search engines was associated with a physician visit. However, the association was moderated by age, and the OR decreased as age increased. The ORs for the use of Web search engines were 1.99 (95% CI 1.94-2.02) and 1.07 (95% CI 1.03-1.12) at ages 40 and 80 years, respectively. The decision to visit a physician was associated with the use of Web search engines (OR 2.95, 95% CI 2.03-4.46), video search engines (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.21-1.70), and health apps (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13-1.42). The association between social media use and the decision to visit a physician was moderated by gender. Women who used social media had 1.42 (95% CI 1.31-1.55) times higher odds of deciding to visit a physician, whereas the decision to visit a physician was not different between men who used social media and those who did not use social media. Conversely, the decision not to visit a physician was associated with the use of Web search engines (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.92-4.18), video search engines (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.07-1.51), social media (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.10-1.49), and health apps (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.07-1.35). CONCLUSIONS Health information found on the internet was positively associated with both the decision to visit a physician and the decision not to visit a physician. However, the association of health information seeking with the decision to visit a physician was slightly stronger than the association with the decision not to visit a physician. This could imply that the use of eHealth services is associated with a resultant increase in physician visits. In summary, our findings suggest that the internet serves as a supplement to health care services rather than as a replacement.

scholarly journals The Association Between Health Information Seeking on the Internet and Physician Visits (The Seventh Tromsø Study - Part 4): Population-Based Questionnaire Study

10.2196/13120 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. e13120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kassaye Yitbarek Yigzaw ◽  
Rolf Wynn ◽  
Luis Marco-Ruiz ◽  
Andrius Budrionis ◽  
Sunday Oluwafemi Oyeyemi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Web Search ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Physician Visits ◽  
Web Search Engines

Background The internet is being widely used for seeking health information. However, there is no consensus on the association between health information seeking on the internet and the use of health care services. Objective We examined the association between health information seeking via the internet and physician visits. In addition, we investigated the association between online health information seeking and the decisions to visit and not to visit a physician. Methods We used the cross-sectional electronic health (eHealth) data of 18,197 participants from the seventh survey of the Tromsø Study (Tromsø 7). The participants were aged ≥40 years and living in Tromsø, Norway. We used logistic regression models to examine the association between online health information seeking and physician visits, the decision to visit a physician, and the decision not to visit a physician, with adjustment for the demographic status, socioeconomic status, and health status of the participants. Results The use of Web search engines was associated with a physician visit. However, the association was moderated by age, and the OR decreased as age increased. The ORs for the use of Web search engines were 1.99 (95% CI 1.94-2.02) and 1.07 (95% CI 1.03-1.12) at ages 40 and 80 years, respectively. The decision to visit a physician was associated with the use of Web search engines (OR 2.95, 95% CI 2.03-4.46), video search engines (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.21-1.70), and health apps (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13-1.42). The association between social media use and the decision to visit a physician was moderated by gender. Women who used social media had 1.42 (95% CI 1.31-1.55) times higher odds of deciding to visit a physician, whereas the decision to visit a physician was not different between men who used social media and those who did not use social media. Conversely, the decision not to visit a physician was associated with the use of Web search engines (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.92-4.18), video search engines (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.07-1.51), social media (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.10-1.49), and health apps (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.07-1.35). Conclusions Health information found on the internet was positively associated with both the decision to visit a physician and the decision not to visit a physician. However, the association of health information seeking with the decision to visit a physician was slightly stronger than the association with the decision not to visit a physician. This could imply that the use of eHealth services is associated with a resultant increase in physician visits. In summary, our findings suggest that the internet serves as a supplement to health care services rather than as a replacement.

Quality Assessment of Health Information about Scaphoid Fracture in Chinese Websites (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaobin Yin ◽  
Jianguang Ji ◽  
Peng Lu ◽  
Wenyao Zhong ◽  
Liying Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Scaphoid Fracture ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
The Mean

BACKGROUND With online health information becoming increasingly popular among patients and their family members, concerns have been raised about the accuracy from the websites. OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate the overall quality of the online information about scaphoid fracture obtained from Chinese websites using the local search engines. METHODS We conducted an online search using the keyword “scaphoid fracture” from the top 5 search engines in China, i.e. Baidu, Shenma, Haosou, Sougou and Bing, and gathered the top ranked websites, which included a total of 120 websites. Among them, 81 websites were kept for further analyses by removing duplicated and unrelated one as well as websites requiring payment. These websites were classified into four categories, including forum/social networks, commercials, academics and physician’s personals. Health information evaluation tool DISCERN and Scaphoid Fracture Specific Content Score (SFSCS) were used to assess the quality of the websites. RESULTS Among the 81 Chinese websites that we studied, commercial websites were the most common one accounting more than half of all websites. The mean DISCERN score of the 81 websites was 25.56 and no website had a score A (ranging from 64 to 80).The mean SFSCS score was 10.04 and no website had a score A (range between 24 and 30). In addition, DISCERN and SFSCS scores from academic and physician’s websites were significantly higher than those from the forum/social networks and commercials. CONCLUSIONS The overall quality of health information obtained from Chinese websites about scaphoid fracture was very low, suggesting that patients and their family members should be aware such deficiency and pay special attentions for the medical information obtained by using the current search engines in China.

Social Media and the Transformation of Healthcare: A Viewpoint (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ella Forgie ◽  
Hollis Lai ◽  
Bo Cao ◽  
Eleni Stroulia ◽  
Andrew James Greenshaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Security And Privacy ◽  
Support Network ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Physician Patient Relationship ◽  
Mediation Effects

UNSTRUCTURED As many as 80% of internet users seek health information online. The social determinants of health (SDoH) are intimately related to who has access to the internet and healthcare as a whole. Those who face more barriers to care are more likely to benefit from accessing health information online, granted the information they are retrieving is accurate. Virtual communities on social media platforms are particularly interesting as venues for seeking health information online because peers have been shown to influence health behaviour more than almost anything else. Thus, it is important to recognize the potential of social media to have positive mediation effects on health, so long as any negative mediation effects are reconcilable. As a positive mediator of health, social media can be used as a direct or indirect mode of communication between physicians and patients, a venue for health promotion and health information, and a community support network. False or misleading content, social contagion, confirmation bias, and security and privacy concerns must be mitigated in order to realize full potential of social media as a positive mediator of health. In any case, it is clear that the intersections between the SDoH, social media, and health are intimate, and they must be taken into consideration by physicians. Here, we argue that a paradigm shift in the physician-patient relationship is warranted, one where physicians: a) acknowledge the impacts of the SDoH on information-seeking behaviour, b) recognize the positive and negative roles of social media as a mediator of health through the lens of the SDoH, and c) use social media to catalyze positive changes in the standard of care.

Safe Use of Electronic Health Records and Health Information Technology Systems

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 177-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles R. Denham ◽  
David C. Classen ◽  
Stephen J. Swenson ◽  
Michael J. Henderson ◽  
Thomas Zeltner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Electronic Health Records ◽  
Health Information Technology ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Records ◽  
Electronic Health ◽  
Technology Systems

scholarly journals Mental Health, Information and Being Connected: Qualitative Experiences of Social Media Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic from a Trans-National Sample

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 735
Author(s):  
Schoultz Mariyana ◽  
Leung Janni ◽  
Bonsaksen Tore ◽  
Ruffolo Mary ◽  
Thygesen Hilde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
National Study ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mental Health Information ◽  
The Uk

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the strict national policies regarding social distancing behavior in Europe, America and Australia, people became reliant on social media as a means for gathering information and as a tool for staying connected to family, friends and work. This is the first trans-national study exploring the qualitative experiences and challenges of using social media while in lockdown or shelter-in-place during the current pandemic. Methods: This study was part of a wider cross-sectional online survey conducted in Norway, the UK, USA and Australia during April/May 2020. The manuscript reports on the qualitative free-text component of the study asking about the challenges of social media users during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, USA and Australia. A total of 1991 responses were included in the analysis. Thematic analysis was conducted independently by two researchers. Results: Three overarching themes identified were: Emotional/Mental Health, Information and Being Connected. Participants experienced that using social media during the pandemic amplified anxiety, depression, fear, panic, anger, frustration and loneliness. They felt that there was information overload and social media was full of misleading or polarized opinions which were difficult to switch off. Nonetheless, participants also thought that there was an urge for connection and learning, which was positive and stressful at the same time. Conclusion: Using social media while in a shelter-in-place or lockdown could have a negative impact on the emotional and mental health of some of the population. To support policy and practice in strengthening mental health care in the community, social media could be used to deliver practical advice on coping and stress management. Communication with the public should be strengthened by unambiguous and clear messages and clear communication pathways. We should be looking at alternative ways of staying connected.

scholarly journals Real-time clinician text feeds from electronic health records

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
James T. H. Teo ◽  
Vlad Dinu ◽  
William Bernal ◽  
Phil Davidson ◽  
Vitaliy Oliynyk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Electronic Health Records ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Capacity Planning ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Record System ◽  
Health Records ◽  
Keywords And Phrases ◽  
Electronic Health

AbstractAnalyses of search engine and social media feeds have been attempted for infectious disease outbreaks, but have been found to be susceptible to artefactual distortions from health scares or keyword spamming in social media or the public internet. We describe an approach using real-time aggregation of keywords and phrases of freetext from real-time clinician-generated documentation in electronic health records to produce a customisable real-time viral pneumonia signal providing up to 4 days warning for secondary care capacity planning. This low-cost approach is open-source, is locally customisable, is not dependent on any specific electronic health record system and can provide an ensemble of signals if deployed at multiple organisational scales.

scholarly journals Which Strategies Improve Physicians' Experience with Health Information Technology?

ACI Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 05 (01) ◽  
pp. e47-e53
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Haskell ◽  
Brittany Mandeville ◽  
Emily Cooper ◽  
Rebekah Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Health Information Technology ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Rhode Island ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Physician Burnout ◽  
Health Records ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Part Time

Abstract Objectives While electronic health records (EHRs) have improved billing efficiency and note legibility, they may also disrupt clinical workflows, affect patient interactions, and contribute to physician burnout. This study aimed to identify effective strategies, as reported by physicians, to mitigate these EHR shortcomings. Methods The Rhode Island Department of Health administers a health information technology (HIT) survey biennially to all physicians in active practice statewide. The 2019 survey asked physicians about strategies implemented personally or by their practice to improve their experience working with HIT. Physicians who identified at least one strategy were then asked if each implemented strategy was “actually useful.” Results The 2019 survey was administered to 4,266 physicians, with a response rate of 43%. Both office- and hospital-based physicians most commonly reported that their practices had implemented voice-recognition dictation software (48 and 68%, respectively). Office- and hospital-based physicians identified self-care as the most commonly implemented personal change (48 and 47%, respectively). However, 26% of office-based and 15% of hospital-based physicians reported reducing clinical hours or working part-time to improve their experience working with HIT. The strategies identified as “actually useful” varied by practice setting and were not always the most widely implemented approaches. Conclusion Most physicians reported that both they personally and their practices had implemented strategies to improve their experience with HIT. Physicians found some of these strategies more helpful than others, and the strategies identified as most useful differed between office- and hospital-based physicians. From a workforce and access perspective, prioritizing strategies that physicians find “actually useful” is critical, as many physicians in both settings reported reducing clinical hours to improve their experience.

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