[Awareness and Use of Digital Health Services in Germany: A Cross-sectional Study Representative of the Population].

OBJECTIVES

In light of the current efforts of health policy to implement eHealth, the question arises which sections of the population already use online self-help in order to tailor them to users' needs. The present study aims to determine the differences in the use of health information and psychological online counseling based on socio-demographic variables, health status and previous illnesses.

METHODS

The basis for the cross-sectional data analyses using logistic regression analysis was the innovation sample of the German socio-economic panel. Data were collected from September 2016 to February 2017, with 4802 participants aged between 17-95 years.

RESULTS

Fifty-five percent of the sample searched for health information on the Internet, while 1.1% had experience with online counseling. Logistic regression analyses showed that online search for information was significantly determined by age (Odds Ratio (OR)=0.96; 95-%-CI=0.96-0.97), gender (OR=1.20; 95-%-CI=1.05-1.36), awareness of Internet therapy (OR=2.57; 95-%-CI=2.20-3.00), experience with psychotherapy (OR=1.40; 95-%-CI=1.16-1.69) and the diagnosis of asthma (OR=1.14; 95-%-CI=1.01-1.29) or stroke (OR=0.66; 95-%-CI=0.52-0.84). Regarding the use of online counseling, awareness of Internet therapy and experience with face-to-face psychotherapy proved to be significant determinants.

CONCLUSION

For the first time, a reliable picture has become available of the determinants of the awareness of internet therapy and online self-help utilization among the German public that should enable target-group-specific strategies to improve the care situation.