Linton Allison, Hammond Cassing
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
Semin Reprod Med. 2016 May;34(3):133-8. doi: 10.1055/s-0036-1571439. Epub 2016 Mar 4.
The digital age has revolutionized how providers and patients seek medical information and access care. The Internet, flush with online forums and other social media networks, has replaced services once provided by medical libraries. Meanwhile, downloadable apps help patients remember medications, choose treatments, and remotely access face-to-face physician encounters. Unfortunately, technology comes at a price. Reputable, data-driven sites exist alongside sites riddled with inaccuracies. The lack of peer review means that discredited ideas and therapies can resurface in the blogosphere, "going viral" and influencing the thoughts of hapless users. The Internet never forgets. Online media and digital technology pose unique challenges to family planning providers. The "net" offers a private environment to address sexual and reproductive health issues. Patients, especially adolescents, may prefer the anonymity of technology-based sources to consulting physicians or other community providers, but they may receive inaccurate information or information that fails to consider the psychosocial context of reproductive behavior. Family planning providers must become familiar with reputable technology-based options to ensure that family planning care remains accurate, accessible, and relevant in the ever-changing digital age.
数字时代彻底改变了医疗服务提供者和患者获取医疗信息及接受治疗的方式。充斥着在线论坛和其他社交媒体网络的互联网，已经取代了曾经由医学图书馆提供的服务。与此同时，可下载的应用程序帮助患者记住药物、选择治疗方法，并远程进行面对面的医生问诊。不幸的是，技术是有代价的。信誉良好、基于数据的网站与充斥着不准确信息的网站并存。缺乏同行评审意味着被否定的观点和疗法可能会在博客圈中再次出现，“疯传”并影响不幸的用户的想法。互联网不会忘记。在线媒体和数字技术给计划生育服务提供者带来了独特的挑战。“网络”提供了一个处理性健康和生殖健康问题的私密环境。患者，尤其是青少年，可能更喜欢基于技术的来源所提供的匿名性，而不是咨询医生或其他社区服务提供者，但他们可能会收到不准确的信息，或者收到没有考虑生殖行为心理社会背景的信息。计划生育服务提供者必须熟悉信誉良好的基于技术的选择，以确保在不断变化的数字时代，计划生育护理仍然准确、可及且相关。
