Prevalence of South Australia's online health seekers.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the proportion of South Australians accessing online health care information, predictive characteristics of online health seekers, nature of the information sought and consumer behaviour.


METHODS
A probability-based survey of 3,027 South Australians, aged 15 years and older, as part of the Spring 2000 South Australian Health Omnibus.


RESULTS
Internet access decreases with age, while the prevalence of online health seekers is constant (26% to 28%) among people aged between 15 and 54 years. Predictive characteristics of online health seekers include gender, age, education and income. Most commonly sought information is the cause or description of disease (60%). Consumers use online health information as a second opinion (19%), discuss it with their doctor or pharmacist (16%), or change their health care management (11%).


CONCLUSIONS
The Australian prevalence of online health seekers is likely to be slightly higher than 21%.


CONCLUSIONS
The Intemet can deliver preventative and clinical health information to a critical mass of Australians, but poorer and older Australians may be unable to access it.
Bessell
Tracey L
TL
Monash Institute of Health Services Research, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria. tracey.bessell@med.monash.edu.au
Silagy
Chris A
CA
Anderson
Jeremy N
JN
Hiller
Janet E
JE
Sansom
Lloyd N
LN
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011336:Probability; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013021:South Australia