ABSTRACT
This exploratory study examined factors that constrain patients from discussing Internet health information with their healthcare providers. Participants (N = 714) were asked to list reasons why they have not talked with their providers about Internet health information they had found. Factors (N = 767) included patient attributions about the information, systems or circumstances, fear of treading on the provider's turf, face-saving concerns, and patient perceptions of provider attributions about the information. Comparisons between those who had and those who had not talked to their healthcare providers about their Internet research revealed significant differences in types of constraining factors indicated. Issues concerning an increasingly Internet-savvy public and provider-patient relationships are considered in the discussion within the framework of the goals, planning, action theory. Continued efforts in provider and patient education can help to overcome barriers that restrict communication concerning Internet health research.
Subject(s)
Communication , Information Services/statistics & numerical data , Internet/statistics & numerical data , Patient Participation/statistics & numerical data , Physician-Patient Relations , Adult , Attitude of Health Personnel , Biomedical Research , Choice Behavior , Female , Goals , Health Education/methods , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Information Services/standards , Intention , Internet/standards , Male , Middle Aged , Time FactorsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study examined patients' experiences talking to their providers about internet health information. METHODS: Participants (n=770) recruited from internet health message boards completed an online survey, including questions focusing on a recent interaction with a provider about internet health information. RESULTS: Face-saving patient introduction strategies were associated with providers validating patients' efforts. Providers' validation of patients' efforts was associated with higher patient ratings of satisfaction, validation, and reduced concern, while providers' disagreement with the information was associated with lower ratings. The provider taking the information seriously was associated with higher patient satisfaction. CONCLUSION: An understanding of the occurrence of provider-patient talk about internet health information and its relationship to patient satisfaction, validation, and reduced concern is important for providers and medical educators who seek to better understand, and thus improve, provider-patient communication. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Showing the patient that the information is being seriously considered and validating the patients' efforts in researching the information may ameliorate some of the negative effects of disagreement.
Subject(s)
Attitude of Health Personnel , Communication , Internet/organization & administration , Patient Participation/psychology , Patient Satisfaction , Physician-Patient Relations , Adult , Analysis of Variance , Assertiveness , Attitude to Computers , Chi-Square Distribution , Cooperative Behavior , Dissent and Disputes , Empathy , Female , Health Services Needs and Demand , Humans , Information Services/organization & administration , Male , Middle Aged , Patient Education as Topic , Patient Participation/methods , Physician's Role/psychology , Self Care/psychology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Three hundred fifty participants, recruited from Internet health message boards, completed online surveys about their experiences talking with health care providers about Internet health information. Two distinct dimensions of reliance emerged from the data, one regarding the patient's reliance on the health care provider for decision making and the other regarding the patient's reliance on the health care provider to stay healthy. Self-reliant patients tended to be female, have lower incomes, and report less frequent visits to the health care provider than did health-care-provider-reliant patients. Age, comfort level, and frequency of talking about Internet health information were not related to reliance level.
