The Midwest Surgical Association
Health-related information gathering practices in breast and colorectal specialty clinics: the end of the electronic divide?

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2009.09.018Get rights and content

Abstract

Background

Health-related information can help patients understand their disease process and make informed decisions. We hypothesize that with the increased availability of Web-based resources, sociodemographic factors no longer impact Internet use among patients.

Methods

Study-specific surveys were administered to a convenience cohort of patients seen in the breast and colorectal specialty clinics at a single academic institution between August 2008 and February 2009.

Results

One hundred ninety-four surveys were returned (response rate 80%). Median age was 53 years (range 19–88) with 131 (75%) females. Twenty-six percent of patients were college graduates and 59% reported an annual income greater than $50,000. There was no association between Internet use and age, gender, income, or educational level.

Conclusion

Web-based information is being increasingly used by patients irrespective of their demographic characteristics. These resources can therefore be used to educate patients about their disease, treatment options, and health maintenance.

Section snippets

Material and Methods

The study was performed at the Southern Illinois School of Medicine's colorectal and breast specialty clinics. All patients who presented to these clinics between August 2008 and February 2009 were asked by the desk attendants in the registration area to participate in a survey of patient information-gathering practices. If the patients agreed, they were given an anonymous survey to complete before being taken to the consulting rooms. Patients who had completed the survey at a previous visit

Results

Two hundred forty-three surveys were distributed and 194 (80%) were returned for analysis. Of those who responded, 144 (74%) were women and 49 (26%) were men. The median age was 53 years (range 18–88 years). The educational and economic demographics of patients are shown in Table 1. Presenting concerns at the colorectal clinic included rectal bleeding (29%), rectal pain (13%), desire for colorectal cancer screening (12%), and change in bowel habits (12%). Breast clinic patients commonly

Comments

A significant number of patients seen in the colorectal and breast specialty clinics of our practice had access to the Internet, used it to obtain health-related information, and considered it reliable. Sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, income level, and educational status did not influence the use of the Internet.

Patients who have access to health- and disease-related information have improved outcomes and are more satisfied with their overall care.1, 6 Despite the large number of

Conclusions

Patient education is an important part of their overall care. Patients obtain medical information from a variety of sources including physicians, family, friends, healthcare providers, and print and electronic media. Despite the availability of other sources, primary care physicians remain the main source of health-related information and the most useful for patients. A majority of patients have access to the Internet and use it for obtaining health-related information. Internet use is no

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