Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare > Volume 11, Supplement 1 > Pp. 41-43

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Powell, J A Articles by Thorogood, M Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Papers

A critical analysis of the literature on the Internet and consumer health information

J A Powell, P Lowe, F E Griffiths and M Thorogood

Ehealth Research Group, Public Health and Epidemiology Section, Division of Health in the Community, University of Warwick, UK; Ehealth Research Group, Public Health and Epidemiology Section, Division of Health in the Community, University of Warwick, UK; Ehealth Research Group, Public Health and Epidemiology Section, Division of Health in the Community, University of Warwick, UK; Ehealth Research Group, Public Health and Epidemiology Section, Division of Health in the Community, University of Warwick, UK
A critical review of the published literature investigating the Internet and consumer health information was undertaken in order to inform further research and policy. A qualitative, narrative method was used, consisting of a three-stage process of identification and collation, thematic coding, and critical analysis. This analysis identified five main themes in the research in this area: (1) the quality of online health information for consumers; (2) consumer use of the Internet for health information; (3) the effect of e-health on the practitioner–patient relationship; (4) virtual communities and online social support and (5) the electronic delivery of information-based interventions. Analysis of these themes revealed more about the concerns of health professionals than about the effect of the Internet on users. Much of the existing work has concentrated on quantifying characteristics of the Internet: for example, measuring the quality of online information, or describing the numbers of users in different health-care settings. There is a lack of qualitative research that explores how citizens are actually using the Internet for health care.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Lowe, J. Powell, F. Griffiths, M. Thorogood, and L. Locock "Making it All Normal": The Role of the Internet in Problematic Pregnancy Qual Health Res, October 1, 2009; 19(10): 1476 - 1484. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. N. STINSON, L. TUCKER, A. HUBER, H. HARRIS, C. LIN, L. COHEN, N. GILL, J. LUKAS-BRETZLER, L. PROULX, and D. PROWTEN Surfing for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Perspectives on Quality and Content of Information on the Internet J Rheumatol, August 1, 2009; 36(8): 1755 - 1762. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]