Internet Health Information Seeking and the Patient-Physician Relationship: A Systematic Review

Tan, S. F.; Goonawardene, W K P Neranjana Nadee Rodrigo

doi:10.2196/jmir.5729

Cited by 833 publications

(672 citation statements)

References 39 publications

(137 reference statements)

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“…With developing technology, increasing Internet usage, and the proliferation of Web sites along with other Internet communication routes (blogs, forums, etc), an ever‐increasing number of people have easy access to health‐related information. The Internet has taken the place of traditional sources used for health information, such as the immediate social environment, mass media, and healthcare providers . Some Web sites are designed unprofessionally and lack correct information; these and other forms of Internet communication can mislead parents with inaccurate and/or inappropriate information.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal anxiety and internet‐based food elimination in suspected food allergy

Beken

Çelik

Özdemir

et al. 2019

Pediatric Allergy Immunology

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Background Food allergy is associated with stress, anxiety, and impairment in quality of life in both children and families. This study aimed to assess the anxiety of mothers in the case of suspected food allergy in their children and the influence of Internet usage on their levels of anxiety and food elimination. Methods Ninety‐two patients aged 0‐2 years presented at a pediatric allergy department following either a physicians' presumptive diagnosis or family's suspicion of food allergy (Group 1) and 99 healthy controls (Group 2) were evaluated. The clinical diagnosis of food allergy was confirmed or excluded by oral food challenge (OFC). The validated Turkish version of Spielberger State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was applied to the mothers of both groups on admission and to Group 1 3 months after OFC. Results The state and trait anxiety (STAI‐S and STAI‐T) scores were significantly higher in Group 1 than Group 2 (P < 0.001, z = 5.410, and P = 0.021, z = 2.304, respectively). Seventy‐nine mothers (85.9%) had been eliminating foods on admission. Thirty‐seven (40.2%) mothers had eliminated foods on their own. The performance of food allergy–related Web searches was significantly higher among mothers who eliminated foods by themselves than those who did not (P = 0.004, χ2 = 8.391, df = 1). The second STAI‐S score was significantly lower among mothers whose children's food allergy diagnosis was excluded than confirmed (effect size = 1.06 (95% CI: 0.56‐1.57), P = 0.001, z = 3.442). Conclusion It is important to make a correct food allergy diagnosis with a detailed allergy work‐up, including OFC, to avoid anxiety and not cause unnecessary food elimination.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal anxiety and internet‐based food elimination in suspected food allergy

Beken

Çelik

Özdemir

et al. 2019

Pediatric Allergy Immunology

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“…The influence of these searches on the doctor–patient relationship in the ED has not been investigated, but their effect has been studied in other contexts, especially general practice 11 . General practitioners respond to internet‐derived information described by patients in one of three ways: by reacting defensively and asserting their expert opinion; by collaborating with the patient to analyse the information; and by guiding the patient to reliable health information websites 12 . It has been reported that general practice patients regard the internet as a supplementary resource that provides information supporting the doctor's advice and enhancing their relationship, 13 particularly patients who had the opportunity to discuss their online findings 14 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Dr Google in the ED: searching for online health information by adult emergency department patients

Cocco

Zordan

Taylor

et al. 2018

Medical Journal of Australia

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Objective: To determine the prevalence, predictors, and characteristics of health‐related internet searches by adult emergency department (ED) patients; to examine the effect of searching on the doctor–patient relationship and treatment compliance. Design: A multi‐centre, observational, cross‐sectional study; a purpose‐designed 51‐item survey, including tools for assessing e‐health literacy (eHEALS) and the effects of internet searching on the doctor–patient relationship (ISMII). Setting, participants: 400 adult patients presenting to two large tertiary referral centre emergency departments in Melbourne, February–May 2017. Outcome measures: Descriptive statistics for searching prevalence and characteristics, doctor–patient interaction, and treatment compliance; predictors of searching; effect of searching on doctor–patient interaction. Results: 400 of 1056 patients screened for eligibility were enrolled; their mean age was 47.1 years (SD, 21.1 years); 51.8% were men. 196 (49.0%) regularly searched the internet for health information; 139 (34.8%) had searched regarding their current problem before presenting to the ED. The mean ISMII score was 30.3 (95% CI, 29.6–31.0); searching improved the doctor–patient interaction for 150 respondents (77.3%). Younger age (per 10‐year higher age band: odds ratio [OR], 0.74; 95% CI, 0.61–0.91) and greater e‐health literacy (per one‐point eHEALS increase: OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.06–1.17) predicted searching the current problem prior to presentation; e‐health literacy predicted ISMII score (estimate, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.20–0.39). Most patients would never or rarely doubt their diagnosis (79%) or change their treatment plan (91%) because of conflicting online information. Conclusion: Online health care information was frequently sought before presenting to an ED, especially by younger and e‐health literate patients. Searching had a positive impact on the doctor–patient interaction and was unlikely to reduce adherence to treatment.

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“…However, some are aware that finding disturbing health-related content on-line may trigger fear and anxiety, resulting in unnecessary medical consultations [13]. other data shows that some patients are not willing to discuss what they found on-line, which causes barriers in the doctor-patient relationship [14,15].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Internet as a source of health-related information among Internet users in the Lodz region, Poland

Kardas¹,

Daszyńska²,

Koziarska-Rościszewska³

2017

fmpcr

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Background. the internet is a widely used medium and a popular source of health-related information for patients. currently, 59% of european Union citizens use it for such purpose. Due to the disputable quality of medical information found on-line, physicians may face problems with the doctor-patient relationship. Objectives. to find the scale of searching for medical information on-line among internet users in the Lodz region, Poland, study their opinions concerning this medium and identify the most frequent health-related searches. Material and methods. the study involved 301 patients attending family practice in Lodz -204 women (67.8%) and 97 men (32.2%), median of age 34 years -with access to the internet. the research was carried out using the authors' questionnaire in a primary care clinic and on-line. Results. out of 301 participants, 93.3% (281) confirmed searching for health-related information on-line. A correlation between age and such habit was found, with the median age of those who do so being 33 years. A positive rating of internet medical information (71.5%, 201) correlated with age (p < 0.001) and was more common among respondents around the age of 35 years. 53.4% (150) of "e-patients" claimed to search the internet for a possible diagnosis, and 41.3% (116) for other patients' experience with the same disease. Conclusions. younger internet users are more likely to search for medical knowledge on-line, but this group is more critical of this kind of information. Patients of the Lodz region are most likely to search on-line for information about otc drugs and chronic diseases. Many of them search for possible diagnoses on their own, along with the experiences of other people with the same conditions they have. Key words: internet, information, e-health, e-patient, on-line.

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Internet Health Information Seeking and the Patient-Physician Relationship: A Systematic Review

Cited by 833 publications

References 39 publications

Maternal anxiety and internet‐based food elimination in suspected food allergy

Maternal anxiety and internet‐based food elimination in suspected food allergy

Dr Google in the ED: searching for online health information by adult emergency department patients

The Internet as a source of health-related information among Internet users in the Lodz region, Poland

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