Health-Related Internet Use by Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review (Preprint)

Abstract

Background: The Internet is widely used among children and adolescents, who have shown a high level of competency with technology. Thus, the Internet has become a great source for supporting youth in their self-care and health-related services. However, few studies have explored adolescents' Internet use in related to health. Objective:The purpose of this systematic literature review is to examine the phenomenon of children and adolescents' health-related Internet use and to identify the gaps in research.Methods: Thirteen studies were selected from a search in major electronic databases: PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. The search terms consisted of "health-related Internet use," "eHealth,""Internet use for health-related purpose," "Web-based resource," and "online resource" combined with "child," "adolescent," "student," "youth," and "teen." The specific ages of children and adolescents were limited to 24-years old and under. Conclusions:This study provides an important understanding of how youth seek information on the Internet and related support systems for their health care. This review also identifies the conceptual and methodological limitation of the identified studies and gaps within the studies for future research. This review suggests important features for potential Web-based health interventions for children and adolescents.