Use of the Internet among dermatologists in the United Kingdom, Sweden and Norway.
The Internet is increasingly important for doctors in all branches of medicine, but to what extent it is used by dermatologists is not known. In May 2001, we sent a questionnaire by post to 1,291 members of the dermatological societies of the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Norway. Six hundred fifty-three (51%) responded. Excluding those from retired doctors and non-dermatologists, 522 questionnaires were available for analysis. Ninety-five percent of the respondents had access to the Internet, at work (77%) and/or at home (83%). Seventy-nine percent used the world wide web for medical updating and other professional purposes. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, age and private practice were negative predictors for Internet use (p<0.001). Sixty-two percent found medical databases on the Internet and 25% believed the Internet version of medical journals to be important for their continuing medical education. This may be compared to those who found medical journals on paper(83%), medical meetings(81%), and various forms of contact with peers and colleagues(62-66%) to be so. This study shows that a large proportion of dermatologists, especially younger doctors, use the Internet for medical and educational purposes, but Internet use has not yet replaced traditional ways of obtaining continuing medical education.
Gjersvik
Petter Jensen
PJ
Department of Dermatology, Rikshospitalet, University of Oslo, Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association Center for Health Administration.
Nylenna
Magne
M
Aasland
Olaf Gjerløw
OG
D000328:Adult; D003880:Dermatology / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009664:Norway; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D006113:United Kingdom