Background: Health care is increasingly featured by the use of Web 2.0 communication and collaborative technologies that are reshaping the way patients and professionals interact. These technologies or tools can be used for a variety of purposes: to instantly debate issues, discover news, analyze research, network with peers, crowd-source information, seek support, and provide advice. Not all tools are implemented successfully; in many cases, the nonusage attrition rates are high. Little is known about the preferences of the Dutch general population regarding the use of the Internet and social media in health care.
Objective: To determine the preferences of the general population in the Netherlands regarding the use of the Internet and social media in health care.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was disseminated via a popular Dutch online social network. Respondents were asked where they searched for health-related information, how they qualified the value of different sources, and their preferences regarding online communication with health care providers. Results were weighed for the Dutch population based on gender, age, and level of education using official statistics. Numbers and percentages or means and standard deviations were presented for different subgroups. One-way ANOVA was used to test for statistical differences.
Results: The survey was completed by 635 respondents. The Internet was found to be the number one source for health-related information (82.7%), closely followed by information provided by health care professionals (71.1%). Approximately one-third (32.3%) of the Dutch population search for ratings of health care providers. The most popular information topics were side effects of medication (62.5%) and symptoms (59.7%). Approximately one-quarter of the Dutch population prefer to communicate with a health care provider via social media (25.4%), and 21.2% would like to communicate via a webcam.
Conclusions: The Internet is the main source of health-related information for the Dutch population. One in 4 persons wants to communicate with their physician via social media channels and it is expected that this number will further increase. Health care providers should explore new ways of communicating online and should facilitate ways for patients to connect with them. Future research should aim at comparing different patient groups and diseases, describing best practices, and determining cost-effectiveness.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3806385 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/jmir.2607 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
ChatGPT's Attitude, Knowledge, and Clinical Application in Geriatrics Practice and Education: Exploratory Observational Study.
JMIR Form Res
January 2025
Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
Background: The increasing use of ChatGPT in clinical practice and medical education necessitates the evaluation of its reliability, particularly in geriatrics.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate ChatGPT's trustworthiness in geriatrics through 3 distinct approaches: evaluating ChatGPT's geriatrics attitude, knowledge, and clinical application with 2 vignettes of geriatric syndromes (polypharmacy and falls).
Methods: We used the validated University of California, Los Angeles, geriatrics attitude and knowledge instruments to evaluate ChatGPT's geriatrics attitude and knowledge and compare its performance with that of medical students, residents, and geriatrics fellows from reported results in the literature.
Background And Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its more severe subtype, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), are highly prevalent and strongly associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study sought to identify challenges to the diagnosis, treatment and management of people living with MASLD and MASH and understand the key barriers to adopting relevant clinical guidelines.
Methods: A real-world, cross-sectional study (BARRIERS-MASLD) consisting of a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews of physicians in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom was conducted from March to September 2023.
User Experiences of and Preferences for Self-Guided Digital Interventions for the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Eating Disorders: Systematic Review and Metasynthesis.
JMIR Ment Health
January 2025
Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Background: Digital interventions typically involve using smartphones or PCs to access online or downloadable self-help and may offer a more accessible and convenient option than face-to-face interventions for some people with mild to moderate eating disorders. They have been shown to substantially reduce eating disorder symptoms, but treatment dropout rates are higher than for face-to-face interventions. We need to understand user experiences and preferences for digital interventions to support the design and development of user-centered digital interventions that are engaging and meet users' needs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Impact of Parental Support on Adherence to Therapist-Assisted Internet-Delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Primary Care for Adolescents With Anxiety: Naturalistic 12-Month Follow-Up Study.
JMIR Pediatr Parent
January 2025
General Practice/Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Background: Mental health problems among adolescents are increasing, and internet-delivered acceptance and commitment therapy (iACT) constitutes a possible way to improve access to care while reducing costs. Nevertheless, few studies have investigated iACT for adolescents in regular primary care nor the role of parental support.
Objective: This is an exploratory evaluation investigating iACT, with or without parental support, for adolescents.
The Virtual Client Experience Survey for Mental Health and Addictions: Revalidation of a Survey to Measure Client and Family Experiences of Virtual Care.
J Med Internet Res
January 2025
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Background: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a rapid shift to virtual care in health care settings, inclusive of mental health care. Understanding clients' perspectives on virtual mental health care quality will be critical to informing future policies and practices.
Objective: This study aimed to outline the process of redesigning and validating the Virtual Client Experience Survey (VCES), which can be used to evaluate client and family experiences of virtual care, specifically virtual mental health and addiction care.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!