title: Health information seeking and its effect on the doctor-patient digital divide.
abstract: A survey of 224 individuals using SureStart services (for young families) within an inner-London area was complemented by qualitative data from five focus groups of parents and general practitioners in the same area. Descriptive and multivariate statistics were used to identify and describe discrete geographical districts with differing patterns of health information seeking. A geographically defined group of 'information hungry'/'online' health seekers was identified. This group contrasted with those acquiring information through 'assimilation' ('offline' information seekers). Qualitative data revealed the processes underpinning these characteristics and professional attitudes towards the Internet as a source of health information.
authors.affiliation: Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery, King's College London, UK. mary.malone@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malone
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mathes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: While
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D020407:Internet; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors