Internet Use for Health Information Among German Cardiac Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Dietrich Stoevesandt, Claudius Diez
Primary Institution: Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg
Hypothesis
Do cardiopathic patients and their families access the Internet to obtain health-related information?
Conclusion
Internet use is infrequent among our study population and the search for relevant health and disease-related information is not well established.
Supporting Evidence
- Only 18% of respondents used the internet, with the majority citing disinterest as the reason for non-use.
- 14 patients (5.4%) searched for specific disease-related information online.
- Internet use was found to be age and education dependent.
Takeaway
Most heart patients in Germany don't use the internet to find health information, and many don't even have access to it.
Methodology
A prospective survey was conducted among 255 cardiopathic patients at a German university hospital.
Potential Biases
Potential underestimation of internet use due to specific demographic and social conditions in Eastern Germany.
Limitations
The study is limited to one medium-sized Eastern German university, which may not represent other areas.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of participants was 62.98 years, with a majority being male (73%) and married (73.1%).
Statistical Information
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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