van Uden-Kraan Cornelia F, Drossaert Constance H C, Taal Erik, Smit Wim M, Moens Hein J Bernelot, Siesling Sabine, Seydel Erwin R, van de Laar Mart A F J
Institute for Behavioral Research, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
Inform Health Soc Care. 2009 Jan;34(1):18-29. doi: 10.1080/17538150902773272.
The aim of this study was to explore the percentage of Dutch patients using the Internet to search for information about their illness. In addition, we studied patients' usage of health-related Internet applications, such as online patient support groups. The final objective of this study was to explore which demographic, health and psychological characteristics are related to patients' health-related Internet use. In order to answer these research questions we sent a written questionnaire to a representative sample of patients with breast cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. The overall total response rate was 69% (N = 679). In total, 52% of the patients used the Internet to search for information about their illness. However, only 15% of the respondents had ever read along with an online patient support group. An even smaller proportion of the patients (4%) had send postings to such a group. Online communication with health professionals was not commonly practiced. A younger age, a higher education and employment appeared to be the only significant predictors of patients' health-related Internet use. Patients' health-related Internet use could not be predicted by health and psychological characteristics. Although, about half of the patients made use of the Internet for health-related reasons, mostly their health-related Internet use was restricted to seeking information about their illness.
本研究的目的是探究荷兰患者使用互联网搜索自身疾病信息的比例。此外，我们还研究了患者对健康相关互联网应用的使用情况，比如在线患者支持小组。本研究的最终目标是探究哪些人口统计学、健康和心理特征与患者的健康相关互联网使用有关。为了回答这些研究问题，我们向乳腺癌、类风湿性关节炎和纤维肌痛患者的代表性样本发放了书面问卷。总体总回复率为69%（N = 679）。总体而言，52%的患者使用互联网搜索自身疾病信息。然而，只有15%的受访者曾参与过在线患者支持小组。参与此类小组讨论的患者比例更小（4%）。与健康专业人员的在线交流并不常见。年龄较小、受教育程度较高和就业似乎是患者健康相关互联网使用的唯一显著预测因素。患者的健康相关互联网使用无法通过健康和心理特征来预测。尽管约一半的患者出于健康相关原因使用互联网，但他们的健康相关互联网使用大多仅限于查找自身疾病的信息。
