Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine (대한예방의학회)
권호 표지

The Analysis of Health Related Behavior after Using Health Information on the Internet

인터넷 건강정보 이용 후의 건강관련 행태 경로 분석

  • Jo, Heui-Sug (School of College, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Kim, Hwa-Jong (Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Song, Yea-Li-A (Health Promotion Support Team, Kangwon Province)
  • Published : 2008.03.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Objectives : This study investigated the health information such as the general health information, the health product information, and the hospital information, and we wanted to identify the association between internet health information and the health related behavior by analyzing the process after people search the Internet. Methods : A telephone survey with structured questionnaire was performed by trained surveyors. The respondents were sampled proportionate to the Korean demographic distribution with considering the city size and the populations' ages and gender. The survey was conducted from October 2006 to November 2006. Results : Out of 3,758 successfully connected persons of age 20 or more, 871(23.2%) respondents had used Internet health information during the last year. The purposes of searching the Internet for health was, 1) to get general health information (717 cases, 81.0%), 2) shopping for health product (109 cases, 12.3%) and 3) seeking information about hospital selection (59 cases, 6.7%). Our research showed that the process after searching the Internet for health information depends on the purpose of the search. 68.8% of the searchers for general health information, 67% of the searchers for health product shopping and 64.4% of the searchers seeking information to guide hospital selection were satisfied with their Internet search. However one third of the respondents reported not being satisfied with the result of the search. Conclusions : Unsatisfied consumers with internet health information tended to ask lay referrals from others or they gave up seeking health information. The health information system should be improved to increase the accessibility and to provide reliable and effective information. Also, a more user-centric community is needed in order to strengthen the effective role of lay referrals among the internet users.

Keywords

References

  1. Jadad AR, Gagliardi A. Rating health information on the internet: Navigating to knowledge or to Babel? JAMA 1998; 279(8): 611-614 https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.279.8.611
  2. Kassirer JP. The next transformation in the delivery of health care. N Engl J Med 1995; 332(1): 52-53 https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199501053320110
  3. Rodney MC. Sociology of Medicine, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 1978. p. 661-662
  4. Bass SB, Ruzek SB, Gordon TF, Fleisher L, McKeown-Conn N, Moore D. Relationship of Internet health information use with patient behavior and self-efficacy: Experiences of newly diagnosed cancer patients who contact the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service. J Health Commun 2006; 11(2): 219- 236 https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730500526794
  5. Brennan PF, Moore SM, Bjornsdottir G, Jones J, Visovsky C, Rogers M. Heart care: An internet-based information and support system for patient home recovery after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. J Adv Nurs 2001; 35(5): 699-708 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.2001.01902.x
  6. Eysenbach G. Consumer health informatics. BMJ 2000; 320(7251): 1713-1716 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.320.7251.1713
  7. Ybarra ML, Suman M. Help seeking behavior and the Internet: A national survey. Int J Med Inform 2006; 75(1): 29-41 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2005.07.029
  8. Gustafson DH, Hawkins R, Boberg E, Pingree S, Serlin RE, Graziano F, et al. Impact of a patient-centered, computer-based health information/support system. Am J Prev Med 1999; 16(1): 1-9
  9. Cline RJ, Haynes KM. Consumer health information seeking on the Internet: The state of the art. Health Educ Res 2001; 16(6): 671-692 https://doi.org/10.1093/her/16.6.671
  10. Impicciatore P, Pandolfini C, Casella N, Bonati M. Reliability of health information for the public on the World Wide Web: Systematic survey of advice on managing fever in children at home. BMJ 1997; 314(7098): 1875-1879
  11. Dickerson S, Reinhart AM, Feeley TH, Bidani R, Rich E, Garg VK, et al. Patient internet use for health information at three urban primary care clinics. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2004; 11(6): 499-504 https://doi.org/10.1197/jamia.M1460
  12. Wilkins ST, Navarro FH. Has the Web really empowered health care consumers? The truth is customers may not have changed as much as we think. Mark Health Serv 2001; 21(3): 5-9
  13. Lorence DP, Park H, Fox S. Assessing health consumerism on the web: A demographic profile of information-seeking behaviors. J Med Syst 2006; 30(4): 251-258 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-005-9004-x
  14. Ryu SW, Ha YJ. Usage of health information on the Internet. Health Welf Policy Forum 2004; 11: 71-87. (Korean)
  15. Kim HJ, Park HA. Selection criteria and utilization of health information on the Internet by consumers. J Korean Soc Med Inform 2004; 10(1): 55-68. (Korean)
  16. Susannah F. Health Information Online. Pew Internet & American Life Project [cited 2007 June 13]. Available from: URL:http:// pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Healthtopics_May05 .pdf
  17. Cho KW, Kam S, Chae YM. Analysis of internet usage patterns of health consumers for internet health information assessment criteria. J Korean Soc Health Educ Promotion 2007; 24(2): 15-28. (Korean
  18. Michael K. Likelihood of teen and adult engagement in online activities. 2005. [cited 2007 June 13]. Available from URL: http://www.clickz.com/Show Page.html? page=3523376
  19. Bundorf MK, Wagner TH, Singer SJ, Baker LC. Who searches the internet for health information? Health Serv Res 2006; 41(3 Pt 1): 819-836 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6773.2006.00510.x
  20. Baker L, Todd HW, Singer S, Bundorf K. Use of the internet and e-mail for health care information, results from a national survey. JAMA 2003; 289(18): 2400-2405 https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.289.18.2400
  21. Cotten SR, Gupta SS. Characteristics of online and offline health information seekers and factors that discriminate between them. Soc Sci Med 2004; 59(9): 1795-1806 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2004.02.020
  22. Bae SS. Health-related behaviors: Theoretical models and research findings. Korean J Prev Med 1993; 26(4): 508-533. (Korean)
  23. Chae Y, Lee S, Cho W. Information searching behavior of health care consumers by sociodemographic characteristics. Korean J Prev Med 2001; 34(4): 389-398. (Korean)
  24. Madden M, Fox S. Finding answers online in sickness and in health. Pew Internet & American Life Project. [cited 2007 June 13]. Available from URL::http://www.pewinternet. org/pdfs/PIP_Health_Decisions_2006.pdf
  25. Song TM. The Evaluation of National Health Promotional Information System. Seoul: Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs; 2005. p. 117-122. (Korean)