Are lifestyle changes from online information associated with discussing the information with a doctor? A cross -sectional study.
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ABSTRACT: Background
The prevalence of diabetes and the use of electronic health (eHealth) are increasing. Lifestyle changes in a positive direction may reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes. The main objective of this study was to test the association between lifestyle changes based on online information seeking and discussing the information with a doctor.Methods
In this cross-sectional study we used e-mail survey data from 1250 members of The Norwegian Diabetes Association, collected in 2018. Included in the analyses were 847 men and women aged 18 to 89 years diagnosed with diabetes and who reported use of eHealth within the previous year. We used descriptive statistics to estimate lifestyle changes based on information from the internet. Logistic regressions were used to estimate the associations between lifestyle changes after online information seeking and discussing the information with a doctor. Analyses were adjusted for gender, age, education, and self-rated health.Results
Lifestyle changes accomplished after online information seeking was reported by 46.9% (397/847) of the participants. The odds of changing lifestyle were more than doubled for those who had discussed information from the internet with a doctor (odds ratio 2.54, confidence interval 1.90-3.40). The odds of lifestyle changes were lower in the age groups 30-39 years and 60 years and over, compared to those aged 18-29 years (the reference group). Lifestyle changes were not associated with gender, education, or self-rated health.Conclusions
Our findings indicate that health-care professionals can play an important role in lifestyle changes additional to health-advice found on the internet. This study underlines the importance of easily accessible high-quality online information, as well as the importance of making room for discussing lifestyle in the clinical encounter.
SUBMITTER: Midthassel TC
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8719672 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:IntroductionPrevious research has shown that multiple factors contribute to healthcare providers perceiving encounters as difficult, and are related to both medical and non-medical demands.AimTo measure the prevalence and to identify predictors of encounters perceived as difficult by medical residents.Design and settingCross-sectional study at the Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine (DACCM), a university outpatient clinic with a long tradition of caring for vulnerable patients.MethodWe identified difficult doctor-patient encounters using the validated Difficult Doctor-Patient Relationship Questionnaire (DDPRQ-10), and characterised patients using the patient's vulnerability grid, a validated questionnaire measuring five domains of vulnerability, both completed by medical residents after each encounter. We used a multiple linear regression model with the outcome variable as the DDPRQ-10 score, controlling for resident characteristics.ParticipantsWe analysed 527 patient encounters performed by all 27 DACCM residents (17 women and 10 men). We asked each medical resident to evaluate 20 consecutive consultations starting on the same date.OutcomeOne hundred and fifty-seven encounters (29.8%) were perceived as difficult.ResultsAfter adjusting for differences among residents, all five domains of the patient vulnerability grid were independently associated with a difficult encounter: frequent healthcare user; psychological comorbidity; health comorbidity; risky behaviours and a precarious social situation.ConclusionNearly a third of encounters were perceived as difficult by medical residents in our university outpatient clinic that cares for a high proportion of vulnerable patients. This represents twice the average ratio of difficult encounters in general practice. All five domains of patient vulnerability appear to have partial explanatory power on medical residents' perception of difficult patient encounters.
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