Illness trajectory and Internet as a health information and communication channel used by parents of infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit.

Background: Internet use became an integral part of the healthcare relationship. Literature indicates that the illness trajectory plays a role in the use of Internet as a health information tool. This study focuses on infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit.

Information behaviour of parents of children admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit: Constructing a conceptual framework.

This article explores the concepts 'information behaviour' and 'illness trajectory' at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). On the basis of literature review and exploratory interviews with neonatologists and head nurses of Belgian NICUs a conceptual framework is presented. The 'information behaviour' of parents of infants admitted to a NICU is analytically divided into five dimensions: ways of getting information; interpersonal information sources; time-related issues; location of information transfer; and content of information.

Information needs of parents of children admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit: a review of the literature (1990-2008).

Objective: This literature review focuses on information and communication needs of parents of children admitted to the NICU and on their use of information sources in the illness trajectories at NICU.

Methods: Literature search in 4 electronic databases (Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Sociological Abstracts), covering 1990-March 2008.

Results: The seventy-eight included articles revealed that NICU parents have high information needs.

A methodology for shifting the focus of e-health support design onto user needs: a case in the homecare field.

Background: Epidemiological shifts, financial pressures and changing policy priorities in healthcare initiate reflections on innovative ways to deliver care. Technologies offer opportunities to change health services delivery. One of the emerging fields is telehomecare-applications.