Parents Using the Internet for Child Health Information
Author Information
Author(s): Bouche Gauthier, Migeot Virginie
Primary Institution: Unité d'évaluation médicale, Pôle Pharmacie et Santé Publique, CHU et Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
Hypothesis
Is there a relationship between parental use of the Internet to seek health information and primary care utilization for their child?
Conclusion
There is no relationship between parental use of the Internet to seek health information and primary care utilization for children.
Supporting Evidence
- The study found no association between Internet use for health information and the number of consultations.
- Parental characteristics and child's medical conditions were more strongly related to consultation frequency.
- The Internet was the most used health information source among parents.
Takeaway
Parents often look for health information online, but it doesn't change how often they take their kids to the doctor.
Methodology
A cross-sectional survey of parents of pre-school children in France was conducted to assess the relationship between Internet use for health information and primary care consultations.
Potential Biases
Response bias may have occurred due to lower response rates in schools with higher proportions of low socio-economic families.
Limitations
The response rate was 49%, and the study relied on self-reported data for consultations, which may lead to underestimation.
Participant Demographics
Parents of pre-school children in France, with a mean age of 34 years and varied socio-economic backgrounds.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.86 to 1.09
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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