Transcript Document
What is the Internet? • a network of networks, linking computers to computers • Each computer runs software to provide or "serve" information and/or to access and view information • The Internet is the transport vehicle for the information stored in files or documents on another computer • The Internet itself does not contain information. What are different Internet services? • • • • • • Email Listservs telnet ftp Gopher www Who uses the Internet (Pew 2003) • As of Feb. 2004, • 63% of US adults – 65% of men; 61% of women – 64% of Whites; 63% of English-speaking Hispanics; 46% of African-Americans • We’ll talk about youth next week What are the most common uses of Internet among adults? • Email (93%) • Researching/buying a product (83%) • Searching for health information (80%) Source: Pew report July 16, 2003 The Internet and Health Intended • Health information • Health communication (Thursday) • Health products Unintended • Advertising/pop-ups Health information • Websites • Databases of health research – Grateful med Who is most likely to search for health information? (Pew 2003) • • • • • Women more than men Better educated Higher income Younger (less than 65) Race and ethnicity only as a function of education and income • Veteran users compared to newcomers Access to information • Access to enormous quantities of information, that can be tailored specifically to the consumer Access to information CATEGORIES Health: get the latest Health information and research on Yahoo! Health •Alternative Medicine (601) •Chats and Forums (42) •Children's Health (230) •Conferences (18) •Consumer Products and Services@ •Death and Dying@ •Dental Health (71) •Disabilities@ •Diseases and Conditions (10540) •Education (50) •Emergency Services (554) •Employment@ •Environmental Health (201) •First Aid (19) •Fitness (273) •General Health (103) •Health Administration (61) •Health and Medicine Weblogs@ •Health Care (296) •Health Sciences (38) •Hospitals and Medical Centers (48) •Hygiene (14) •Institutes (35) •Law@ •Long Term Care (104) •Medical Geography@ •Medicine (5043) •Men's Health (64) •Mental Health (850) •Midwifery (53) •News and Media (220) •Nursing (444) •Nutrition (426) •Organizations (22) •Pet Health@ •Pharmacy (1582) •Procedures and Therapies (595) •Professional Supplies and Services@ •Public Health and Safety (2669) •Reference (85) •Reproductive Health (813) •Senior Health (95) •Sexual Health (22) •Teen Health (60) •Traditional Medicine (157) •Travel Health and Medicine (25) •Web Directories (43) •Weight Issues (247) •Women's Health (204) •Workplace (64) Access to tailored information • Your Cancer Risk: The Source on Prevention Access to products • Anything at your fingertips, never have to leave home • Is all of this good? – Prescription drugs WITHOUT a prescription What are some problems with the Internet and Health? (as outlined by the Rice chapter) Credibility regulation • Websites often lacking “quality information” Assessing quality (Rippen et al.) •Credibility: includes the source, currency, relevance/utility, and editorial review process for the information. •Content: must be accurate and complete, and an appropriate disclaimer provided. •Disclosure: includes informing the user of the purpose of the site, as well as any profiling or collection of information associated with using the site. Quality continued •Links: evaluated according to selection, architecture, content, and back linkages. •Design: encompasses accessibility, logical organization (navigability), and internal search capability. •Interactivity: includes feedback mechanisms and means for exchange of information among users. •Caveats: clarification of whether site function is to market products and services or is a primary information content provider. Quality • Most health seekers rely on search engines and don’t always check the source and date of online health information • Only 25% of seekers check the source and timeliness of information Source: Pew, 2003 Privacy and liabilty • At work your email and Internet activity is monitored • How do you guarantee identity • cookies Policy and access • The digital divide – shrinking • The knowledge gap hypothesis – Health disparities? Internet & youth • In 2001, 90% of all youth had ever gone online – – – – – – 92% email 89% school 89% instant messenger 80% news 78% movies, music, or tv 75% health information What are the most common uses of Internet among adults? • Email (93%) • Researching/buying a product (83%) • Searching for health information (80%) Source: Pew report July 16, 2003 How young people use Internet for Health information Internet as a source for health information • 75% of online youth have used Internet for health – Those with private access use it more (30% vs. 22%) Sources for health information 90 85 80 70 6668 60 % 50 40 30 20 4745 41 38 30 2423 21 1716 13 302930 1718 10 0 get info trust info school parents doctors tv news internet friends magazines tv shows/movies newspapers siblings http://www.teensource.org/ 15-24 18-older Changing behavior from Internet information • 39% of health seekers said they changed their personal behavior – 52% of African Americans – 42% of Hispanics – 37% of Whites Why? Internet, health & teens • Healthy information • Unhealthy information – http://www.stupid-boy.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9047&st=0 • Healthy products • Unhealthy products – MUCH easier access – – Discount Cigarettes Store - Cheap discount cigarettes online: Marlboro, Winston, Camel... http://www.passmydrugtest.com/ Health dangers of Internet • • • • Access to unhealthy information Access to unhealthy products Sexual predators Pornography (?) Health communication and the internet By health communication, I mean • An exchange of information – Between physicians (yawn) – Between physicians and their patients – Between medical/health experts and individuals – Between patients Physician-patient • Advantages – Face-time with physicians limited – Allows thoughtful posing of questions – Allows access to MDs without an appointment • Disadvantages – Anonymity? – Many MDs don’t like Between medical/health experts and individuals • Get advice from medical experts – Ask The Doctor: The Child Behavioral Health Forum at Med Help • Advantage – Access to expert advice without appointments • Disadvantages – Authenticity? – Using as alternative to medical care Patient-patient:online support groups • Geographic barriers removed – Welcome to SupportPath.com • Anonymity • Authenticity?