title: Norwegian surgical and medical oncologists' use of the Internet. A new source for professional updating.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Internet has become an important resource of medical information. The objective of this study was to examine its use by Norwegian oncologists.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eighty-six oncologists were invited to take part in a questionnaire-based study and 105 responded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-six percent had access to the Internet. Eighty-four percent employed the net and 82% used e-mail. Males were more frequently e-mail users (p = 0.044). The mean weekly time spent on the Internet was 103 minutes (range 0 - 10 hours). The benefits of Internet use reported were professional updating and information about meetings/conferences/workshops. Information about vacancies and product advertisements were considered of little importance. Ninety-one percent, mainly medical oncologists (p = 0.003), had encountered patients/relatives who had provided Internet down-loaded medical data for consideration. Forty-two percent requested more training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most oncologists use the Internet for professional updating. They frequently receive Internet down-loaded data from patients/relatives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø. jan.norum@unn.no
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Norum
authors.forename: Eli N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Bergli
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000379:methods*; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000193:education; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D009664:Norway; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires