Health-related information gathering practices in breast and colorectal specialty clinics: the end of the electronic divide?

Background: Health-related information can help patients understand their disease process and make informed decisions. We hypothesize that with the increased availability of Web-based resources, sociodemographic factors no longer impact Internet use among patients.

Methods: Study-specific surveys were administered to a convenience cohort of patients seen in the breast and colorectal specialty clinics at a single academic institution between August 2008 and February 2009.