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Internet as a Source of Health Information and its Perceived Influence on Personal Empowerment
- Source :
- International Journal of Healthcare Information Systems and Informatics. 4:1-18
- Publication Year :
- 2009
- Publisher :
- IGI Global, 2009.
-
Abstract
- The primary aim of this study is twofold. First, the authors seek to identify the factors that influence members of the general public to conduct Internet searches for health information. Their second intent is to explore the influence such Internet use has on three types of personal empowerment. In the summer of 2007 the authors conducted a household sample survey of a population of Canadian adults. A total of 261 self-administered questionnaires were returned to the researchers. Our findings indicate that use of the Internet as a source of health information is directly related to three main factors: sex, age and the individual’s perceived ability to understand, interpret and use the medical information available online. Further, their results lend support to the notion that using the Internet to search for information about health issues represents a more consumer based and participative approach to health care. This study is one of the first to relate Internet use to various forms of personal empowerment. This area appears to have great potential as a means by which consumers can become more empowered in managing personal health issues.
- Subjects :
- education.field_of_study
HRHIS
Information Systems and Management
Knowledge management
business.industry
media_common.quotation_subject
Population
Medicine (miscellaneous)
Survey sampling
Public relations
Health care
The Internet
Personal health
Health information
business
education
Psychology
Empowerment
Information Systems
media_common
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 1555340X and 15553396
- Volume :
- 4
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- International Journal of Healthcare Information Systems and Informatics
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........78043116859f8f9e3f9a7568eb76ac44