Online health information seeking by adults hospitalized for acute coronary syndromes: Who looks for information, and who discusses it with healthcare providers?

Molly E Waring; David D McManus; Daniel J Amante; Chad E Darling; Catarina I Kiefe

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2018.06.016

Online health information seeking by adults hospitalized for acute coronary syndromes: Who looks for information, and who discusses it with healthcare providers?

Patient Educ Couns. 2018 Nov;101(11):1973-1981. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2018.06.016. Epub 2018 Jun 30.

Authors

Molly E Waring¹, David D McManus², Daniel J Amante³, Chad E Darling⁴, Catarina I Kiefe⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA; Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA. Electronic address: molly.waring@uconn.edu.
² Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA; Meyers Primary Care Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA. Electronic address: david.mcmanus@umassmed.edu.
³ Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA. Electronic address: daniel.amante@umassmed.edu.
⁴ Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA. Electronic address: chad.darling@umassmed.edu.
⁵ Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA. Electronic address: catarina.kiefe@umassmed.edu.

Abstract

Objective: To describe characteristics associated with online health information-seeking and discussing resulting information with healthcare providers among adults with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

Methods: Consecutive patients hospitalized with ACS in 6 hospitals in Massachusetts and Georgia who reported Internet use in the past 4 weeks (online patients) were asked about online health information-seeking and whether they discussed information with healthcare providers. Participants reported demographic and psychosocial characteristics; clinical characteristics were abstracted from medical records. Logistic regression models estimated associations with information-seeking and provider communication.

Results: Online patients (N = 1142) were on average aged 58.8 (SD: 10.6) years, 30.3% female, and 82.8% non-Hispanic white; 56.7% reported online health information-seeking. Patients with higher education and difficulty accessing medical care were more likely to report information-seeking; patients hospitalized with myocardial infarction, and those with impaired health numeracy and limited social networks were less likely. Among information-seekers, 33.9% discussed information with healthcare providers. More education and more frequent online information-seeking were associated with provider discussions.

Conclusion: Over half of online patients with ACS seek health information online, but only 1 in 3 of these discuss information with healthcare providers.

Practice implications: Clinician awareness of patient information-seeking may enhance communication including referral to evidence-based online resources.

Keywords: Acute coronary syndromes; Health information-seeking; Internet; Patient-provider communication.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Acute Coronary Syndrome / therapy
Aged
Attitude to Health
Communication*
Consumer Health Information
Female
Georgia
Health Personnel
Humans
Information Seeking Behavior*
Internet*
Male
Massachusetts
Middle Aged
Physician-Patient Relations

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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