Dataset Information

Internet Health Information Seeking and the Patient-Physician Relationship: A Systematic Review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

With online health information becoming increasingly popular among patients, concerns have been raised about the impact of patients' Internet health information-seeking behavior on their relationship with physicians. Therefore, it is pertinent to understand the influence of online health information on the patient-physician relationship.

Objective

Our objective was to systematically review existing research on patients' Internet health information seeking and its influence on the patient-physician relationship.

Methods

We systematically searched PubMed and key medical informatics, information systems, and communication science journals covering the period of 2000 to 2015. Empirical articles that were in English were included. We analyzed the content covering themes in 2 broad categories: factors affecting patients' discussion of online findings during consultations and implications for the patient-physician relationship.

Results

We identified 18 articles that met the inclusion criteria and the quality requirement for the review. The articles revealed barriers, facilitators, and demographic factors that influence patients' disclosure of online health information during consultations and the different mechanisms patients use to reveal these findings. Our review also showed the mechanisms in which online information could influence patients' relationship with their physicians.

Conclusions

Results of this review contribute to the understanding of the patient-physician relationship of Internet-informed patients. Our main findings show that Internet health information seeking can improve the patient-physician relationship depending on whether the patient discusses the information with the physician and on their prior relationship. As patients have better access to health information through the Internet and expect to be more engaged in health decision making, traditional models of the patient-provider relationship and communication strategies must be revisited to adapt to this changing demographic.

SUBMITTER: Tan SS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5290294 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Internet Health Information Seeking and the Patient-Physician Relationship: A Systematic Review.

Tan Sharon Swee-Lin SS Goonawardene Nadee N

Journal of medical Internet research 20170119 1

<h4>Background</h4>With online health information becoming increasingly popular among patients, concerns have been raised about the impact of patients' Internet health information-seeking behavior on their relationship with physicians. Therefore, it is pertinent to understand the influence of online health information on the patient-physician relationship.<h4>Objective</h4>Our objective was to systematically review existing research on patients' Internet health information seeking and its influe ...[more]

PMID: 28104579

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Project description:BACKGROUND:The internet has become a major mean for acquiring health information; however, Web-based health information is of mixed quality and may markedly affect patients' health-related behavior and decisions. According to the social information processing theory, patients' trust in their physicians may potentially change due to patients' health-information-seeking behavior. Therefore, it is important to identify the relationship between internet health information and patient compliance from the perspective of trust. OBJECTIVE:The objective of our study was to investigate the effects of the quality and source of internet health information on patient compliance using an empirical study based on the social information processing theory and social exchange theory. METHODS:A Web-based survey involving 336 valid participants was conducted in China. The study included independent variables (internet health information quality and source of information), 2 mediators (cognition-based trust [CBT] and affect-based trust [ABT]), 1 dependent variable (patient compliance), and 3 control variables (gender, age, and job). All variables were measured using multiple-item scales from previously validated instruments, and confirmative factor analysis as well as structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses. RESULTS:The questionnaire response rate was 77.16% (375/486), validity rate was 89.6% (336/375), and reliability and validity were acceptable. We found that the quality and source of internet health information affect patient compliance through the mediation of CBT and ABT. In addition, internet health information quality has a stronger influence on patient compliance than the source of information. However, CBT does not have any direct effect on patient compliance, but it directly affects ABT and then indirectly impacts patient compliance. Therefore, the effect of ABT seems stronger than that of CBT. We found an unexpected, nonsignificant relationship between the source of internet health information and ABT. CONCLUSIONS:From patients' perspective, internet health information quality plays a stronger role than its source in impacting their trust in physicians and the consequent compliance with physicians. Therefore, patient compliance can be improved by strengthening the management of internet health information quality. The study findings also suggest that physicians should focus on obtaining health information from health websites, thereby expanding their understanding of patients' Web-based health-information-seeking preferences, and enriching their knowledge structure to show their specialization and reliability in the communication with patients. In addition, the mutual demonstration of care and respect in the communication between physicians and patients is important in promoting patients' ABT in their physicians.

Project description:Information-seeking behaviour is necessary to improve knowledge on diabetes therapy and complications. Combined with other self-management skills and autonomous handling of the disease, it is essential for achieving treatment targets. However, a systematic review addressing this topic is lacking. The aims of this systematic review were to identify and analyse existing knowledge of information-seeking behaviour: (1) types information-seeking behaviour, (2) information sources, (3) the content of searched information, and (4) associated variables that may affect information-seeking behaviour.The systematic review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) requirements. MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CCMed, ERIC, Journals@OVID, Deutsches Ärzteblatt and Karlsruher virtueller Katalog (KvK) databases were searched. Publications dealing with information-seeking behaviour of people with diabetes mellitus published up to June 2015 were included. A forward citation tracking was performed in September 2016 and June 2017. Additionally, an update of the two main databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL) was conducted, considering studies published up to July 2017. Studies published in languages other than English or German were excluded, as well as letters, short reports, editorials, comments and discussion papers. A study selection and the critical appraisal of the selected studies were performed independently by two reviewers. A third reviewer was consulted if any disagreement was found. Data extraction and content analysis were performed using selected dimensions of Wilson's 'model of information behaviour'.Twenty-six studies were included. Five 'types of information-seeking behaviour' were identified, e.g. passive and active search. The 'Internet' and 'healthcare professionals' were the most frequently reported sources. 'Diet', 'complications', 'exercise' and 'medications and pharmacological interactions' were the most frequently identified content of information. Seven main categories including associated variables were identified, e.g. 'socioeconomic', 'duration of DM', and 'lifestyle'.The systematic review provides a valuable overview of available knowledge on the information-seeking behaviour of people with diabetes mellitus, although there are only a few studies. There was a high heterogeneity regarding the research question, design, methods and participants. Although the Internet is often used to seek information, health professionals still play an important role in supporting their patients' information-seeking behaviour. Specific needs of people with diabetes must be taken into consideration.PROSPERO CRD42016037312.

Project description:BackgroundPeople engage in health information-seeking behavior to support health outcomes, and being able to predict such behavior can inform the development of interventions to guide effective health information seeking. Obtaining a comprehensive list of the predictors of health information-seeking behavior through a systematic search of the literature and exploring the interrelationship of these predictors are critical first steps in this process.ObjectiveThis study aims to identify significant predictors of health information-seeking behavior in the primary literature, develop a common taxonomy for these predictors, and identify the evolution of the concerned research field.MethodsA systematic search of PsycINFO, Scopus, and PubMed was conducted for all years up to and including December 10, 2019. Quantitative studies identifying significant predictors of health information-seeking behavior were included. Information seeking was broadly defined and not restricted to any source of health information. Data extraction of significant predictors was performed by 2 authors, and network analysis was conducted to observe the relationships between predictors with time.ResultsA total of 9549 articles were retrieved, and after the screening, 344 studies were retained for analysis. A total of 1595 significant predictors were identified. These predictors were categorized into 67 predictor categories, with the most central predictors being age, education, gender, health condition, and financial income. With time, the interrelationship of predictors in the network became denser, with the growth of new predictor grouping reaching saturation (1 new predictor identified) in the past 7 years, despite increasing publication rates.ConclusionsA common taxonomy was developed to classify 67 significant predictors of health information-seeking behavior. A time-aggregated network method was developed to track the evolution of the research field, showing the maturation of new predictor terms and an increase in primary studies reporting multiple significant predictors of health information-seeking behavior. The literature has evolved with a decreased characterization of novel predictors of health information-seeking behavior. In contrast, we identified a parallel increase in the complexity of predicting health information-seeking behavior, with an increase in the literature describing multiple significant predictors.

Project description:BackgroundMany studies have shown that women use the Internet more often for health-related information searches than men, but we have limited knowledge about the underlying reasons. We also do not know whether and how women and men differ in their current use of the Internet for communicating with their general practitioner (GP) and in their future intention to do so (virtual patient-physician relationship).ObjectiveThis study investigates (1) gender differences in health-related information search behavior by exploring underlying emotional, motivational, attitudinal as well as cognitive variables, situational involvement, and normative influences, and different personal involvement regarding health-related information searching and (2) gender differences in the virtual patient-physician relationship.MethodsGender differences were analyzed based on an empirical online survey of 1006 randomly selected German patients. The sample was drawn from an e-panel maintained by GfK HealthCare. A total of 958 usable questionnaires were analyzed. Principal component analyses were carried out for some variables. Differences between men (517/958) and women (441/958) were analyzed using t tests and Kendall's tau-b tests. The survey instrument was guided by several research questions and was based on existing literature.ResultsWomen were more engaged in using the Internet for health-related information searching. Gender differences were found for the frequency of usage of various Internet channels for health-related information searches. Women used the Internet for health-related information searches to a higher degree for social motives and enjoyment and they judged the usability of the Internet medium and of the information gained by health information searches higher than men did. Women had a more positive attitude toward Web 2.0 than men did, but perceived themselves as less digitally competent. Women had a higher health and nutrition awareness and a greater reluctance to make use of medical support, as well as a higher personal disposition of being well-informed as a patient. Men may be more open toward the virtual patient-physician relationship.ConclusionsWomen have a stronger social motive for and experience greater enjoyment in health-related information searches, explained by social role interpretations, suggesting these needs should be met when offering health-related information on the Internet. This may be interesting for governmental bodies as well as for the insurance and the pharmaceutical industries. Furthermore, women may be more easily convinced by health awareness campaigns and are, therefore, the primary target group for them. Men are more open to engaging in a virtual relationship with the GP; therefore, they could be the primary target group for additional online services offered by GPs. There were several areas for GPs to reinforce the virtual patient-physician relationship: the fixing of personal appointments, referral to other doctors, writing prescriptions, and discussions of normal test results and doctor's notes/certificates of health.

Dataset Information

Internet Health Information Seeking and the Patient-Physician Relationship: A Systematic Review.

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Internet Health Information Seeking and the Patient-Physician Relationship: A Systematic Review.

Similar Datasets

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