How parents use, search for and appraise online health information on their child's medical condition: A pilot study

Abstract

Aim The internet has rapidly developed to become a default information source for parents when searching for information about their child's medical condition. This study aims to understand how parents use, search for and appraise the relevance and credibility of online information relating to children's health. Methods This research involved a practical task with parents of in‐patients with subacute health conditions at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. Each was presented with a scenario detailing symptoms of a paediatric health condition and asked to search for online health information on their mobile device. Participants' search was video‐recorded. A semi‐structured interview was then conducted to explore participants' use, search and appraisal of online health information. Interview audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Videos of practical tasks were analysed using an observation checklist. Results Twenty‐two parents participated. Four themes were identified: Wide spectrum of online health information utilisation, techniques in searching for online health information, appraising relevance and appraising credibility. Most parents used online health information flexibly in conjunction with consultations with health professionals, depending on assumptions about the severity of their child's condition, availability of health professionals and relationship with their child's doctor. Most focused on website titles and descriptions more than website sources when selecting a website. Conclusion Most parents exhibited a wide use of online health information utilisation, from minimal to extensive. There are disparities between parents' perceived knowledge and performance during search and appraisal, emphasising the need for education to improve parents' eHealth literacy.

Exploring Informational Needs of Parents of Children with Intestinal Failure: A Thematic Analysis

“…While participants in the current study regularly used the Internet for information seeking, they were often frustrated by the quality, reliability, and relevancy of information. This finding was not unexpected as the literature has commonly shown that online health information differs significantly in reliability and accuracy (Benedicta et al, 2019;Jaks et al, 2019).…”

“…With unmet information needs, families increasingly seek out other sources of information, such as the Internet, to fill gaps in knowledge. However, parents often become frustrated by the lack of reliable and trustworthy information resources (Benedicta et al, 2019;Dol et al, 2017).…”

Parents and carers’ experiences of seeking health information and support online for long-term physical childhood conditions: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative research

“…Parents were found to have personal preferences for certain types of websites and their content. 21 23 26-28 31-42 Parents reported often favouring certain websites over others, which included official health information 25 To explore parents' experiences and perspectives of having a baby who needs early abdominal surgery; identify the questions and problems that matter to parents during and after their pregnancy and infant's surgery and identify the long-term impact on parents and families.…”

“…'I think it allows you to then make a decision on how serious something might be or whether you need to take action straight away or if it's something that you can potentially wait up and see what happens.' 21 (Subacute conditions, think aloud and interview study)…”

“…Finally, some parents reported that the fear of what they could find out online prevented them from using online resources for information and support. 21 24 27 28 33 37 38 41Some reported having read distressing stories in the past, and others simply did not want to risk uncovering distressing information that they could relate to. These papers also focused more on life-limiting conditions (cancer, type 1 diabetes, rare genetic conditions, neurological).…”