HCSM: Preferencesin

Internet and Social Media to find health-related information and for communication

in Healthcare: Preferences of the Dutch General Population.

Tom van de Belt

Medicine 2.0, 2013, London

Online search for information

My Sister

My Mom

My Grandma

In case of a health problem:

Online search for diagnosis Visit GP

Some facts about healthcare in NL:

1 Increasingly featured by the use of Web 2.0 / eHealth [Hawn, 2009, Belt, 2011]

3 Attrition rates are often high [Chiu 2010; Eysenbach 2005; Murray 2011].

2 Implementation of Web 2.0 / eHealth often difficult or unsuccessful [Chiu 2010; van Gemert-Pijnen, 2011].

Preferences regarding the use of Internet and Social Media?

* Cross-sectional survey with 17 questions

* Disseminated via social network

9.7 Million users

(1) Sociodemographic(2) Health-related information and Internet (3) Preferences regarding communication (Web 2.0)

* Results weighed for Dutch population based on Gender, Age, Education

Preferences regarding the use of Internet and Social Media?

* Cross-sectional survey with 17 questions

* Disseminated via social network

9.7 Million users

(1) Sociodemographic(2) Health-related information and Internet (3) Preferences regarding communication (Web 2.0)

* Results weighed for Dutch population based on Gender, Age, Education

Example

Young males 40% ‘Yes’

Old males 60% ‘Yes’

Young males = 0.3 of population

Old males = 0.7 of population

Sample

Dutch General

Population

0.3 * 40% + 0.7 * 60% = 54 %Weighed

percentage

mean:50%

mean:54%

Results

679 people filled out survey, 635 cases included

Internet

GP/Specialist

Family/friends

Pat information leaflets, books

0 25 50 75 100

Health-related information (estimated % for NL)

Results

Self

GP/Specialist

Internet (general)

Friends/Family

Social media e.g. Facebook

0 2 4 6 8 10

Perceived reliability (Scale 1-10, 1 = very unreliable, 10 = very reliable, estimated for NL

Results

*OneWay ANOVA - contrast test

0

25

50

75

100

Diagnosis

Women Men

Searching for a diagnosis (%):

P=0.0001

Results

*OneWay ANOVA - contrast test

0

25

50

75

100

side-effects

< 35 > 34

Searching for side-effects (%):

P=0.009

Results

*OneWay ANOVA - contrast test

0

25

50

75

100

symptoms

< 35 > 34

Searching for symptoms (%):

P=0.008

Results

25.4%% of Dutch people that prefer to communicate with

professional via Social Media:

Results

% of Dutch people that prefer to communicate with professional via a webcam:

21.2%

Conclusion

•Internet is the main source of Health-related information for Dutch people

•1/4 and 1/5 would like to communicate with a GP/Specialist via social media or webcam, will further increase!

•Healthcare providers should (1) explore new ways of communication and (2) should facilitate patients to connect with them.

Finally

http://www.jmir.org/article/view/jmir_v15i10e220/1

Paper published in JMIR:

Medicine 2.0, 2013, London

Thank You!

@tomvandebelt