When do older adults turn to the internet for health information? Findings from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. J Gen Intern Med 2006 Dec;21(12):1295-301
Date
09/26/2006Pubmed ID
16995892Pubmed Central ID
PMC1924748DOI
10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00622.xScopus ID
2-s2.0-33750527991 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 171 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: Understanding how and when patients use nonphysician sources of health information is important to facilitate shared decision making within provider outpatient visits. However, little is known about which older adults seek health information on the internet or when.
OBJECTIVE: To determine how patient characteristics are related to seeking health information online and to the timing of these searches in relation to doctor visits.
PARTICIPANTS: Six thousand two hundred and seventy-nine respondents (aged 63 to 66 years) who completed the 2004 round of phone and mail surveys (70% response) as part of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study Graduate Sample.
MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported use of the internet to search for health information and timing of use.
RESULTS: One-third of respondents had searched online for information about their own health or health care. Half of these searched for health information unrelated to their last doctor visit, while 1/3 searched after a visit, and 1/6 searched before. Among respondents with internet access at home or work, years of education (odds ratio [OR]=1.09, confidence interval [CI]=1.06 to 1.13) and openness-to-experience (OR=1.26, CI=1.16 to 1.36) were positively associated with searching online for health information irrespective of timing in relation to doctor visits. Compared with those who had never sought health information online, sicker individuals (especially those with cancer, OR=1.51, CI=1.14 to 1.99) were more likely to seek information online after a doctor visit. Attitudinal and personality factors were related to seeking health information online before or unrelated to a visit.
CONCLUSIONS: There are important differences in the timing of online health information searches by psychological and health characteristics among older adults with internet access.
Author List
Flynn KE, Smith MA, Freese JAuthor
Kathryn Eve Flynn PhD Vice Chair, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AgedAttitude to Health
Data Collection
Disease
Educational Status
Female
Health Education
Humans
Information Services
Internet
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasms
Office Visits
Personality
Physician-Patient Relations
Sex Factors
Time Factors
