e-health consumers: practice and perspectives andreassen, h.k. 1., wangberg, s.c. 1, wynn, r. 1, 2,...
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E-health consumers: practice and perspectives
Andreassen, H.K.1., Wangberg, S.C.1, Wynn, R.1,
2, Sørensen, T.1, Hjortdahl, P.1, 3
1 Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine, Tromsø, Norway2 Department of Clinical Psychiatry, University of Tromsø, Norway3 Department of family medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Fordommer og fakta…
’Myths’ about health-related Internet activity• Internet is only for the technology savvy
few
• Internet empowers the patient
• Internet will increase health worries
• Internet users have blind confidence in health info on the net
• Internet will replace the doctor as expert
Internet –beyond an information highway
• Information (multi-)media– Same means as traditional media– Easily updated– Distributed author group– Unfiltered from source
• Communication media– Web communities
• Interactive or personalized features– Tailoring
Potentials of Internet for Health Promotion at a glance• The reach of mass media
• The efficacy of individual counselling
• Combined with social support
• At a low cost
Main questions
• How widespread is use of Internet for health?
• Who are the users?
• What do they use it for?
• What implications does it have?
Method 1
• Representative sample of the Norwegian population > 15 years of age (N=1007), gathered in 2005
• The data reported is part of the project, "WHO/ European survey on eHealth consumer trends" (ehealth Trends), funded by the European Commission. Seven countries participate in the project; lead partner is the Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine (NST).
Method 2
• CATI covering self-reported use and attitudes.
• Poststratification weight were applied to correct for gender, age and educational level.
Use of the Internet in Norway-eHealth trends 05
• 83 % have used the Internet
• 51 % are daily users• 70 % weekly• 78 % monthly
020406080
100
Use of theInternet
Healthrelated use
Internetusers
Healthrelated use
totalpopulation
Have you used the Internet for health purposes?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
2000 2001 2002 2005
Total
15-29
30-44
45-59
60+
Education and work statusHealth seekers
0
20
40
60
80
100
Gender and GP visitsHealth seekers
30
40
50
60
70
80
Use of Internet for health purposes –Health status
0 %10 %20 %30 %40 %50 %60 %70 %80 %
Internet users
Total population
Characteristics of the E-health consumer• Women• Young adults• White collar work• Living in urban area• Visits GP more
controlled for: •No of children•Subjective health status•Affected by long term illness•Next of kin affected by long term illness
When it comes to health…
NB: different methodology 2001/2005
0
20
40
60
80
Use the Internet Think theInternet is an
important sourceof info
2002
2006
Sources of health information – importance
0 20 40 60 80
Internet
TV / Radio
Newspapers / Magazines
Family & Friends
Personal contact HP
Used the Internet to do what?
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
% of Internet healthusers (N=578)
% of total (N=1007)
Effects of health-related Internet use
Communication
• Web doctors: 16 %
• Family doctors: 3 %
• Self-help activities: 12 %
2001: 10 % self help, 10 % doctors
Why not approach family doctor via Internet?
N= 543 (Internet health users who had not approached fam dr)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
confidentiality family doctor donot offer
prefer face-to-face have not needed
How does it feel to discuss personal problems...?
24,4
3,4
36
13,7
29,927,7
6,5
34
3,2
21,7
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Very easy Easy Medium Difficult Very difficult
OnlineFace-to-face
75 % find it easier to discuss personal problems online. Kummervold et al, 2002
If you were to find a new doctor...
Answers 4-5 on 5 point scale. N=1007
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
appointments online
prescriptions via e-mail
Online access to epr
web site
reminders by SMS
Costs
Information on doctors practice
Recommendation from others
Accessibility
People use it more currently than they expect to do in the future...
N=10070 10 20 30 40 50 60
self-help
ordermedicines
onlineconsultations
administrateappointments
look forinformation
report having done this
think they will in the future
Conclusions
• Health-related use continues to grow• Growth not reflected in importance• Make people feel relieved and inspired to
change life-style• More information than communication• “The Internet is like alcohol in some sense. It
accentuates what you would do anyway.” -Esther Dyson, Interview in Time Magazine, October 2005