Use of the Internet by parents of paediatric patients.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to determine the rate of Internet use for obtaining medical information by health-care patients at a tertiary paediatric hospital, whether the Internet may influence patients' attitudes to health-care services and health-care providers and whether patients would prefer the assistance of a professional informatics officer.


METHODS
An anonymous questionnaire randomly distributed to 450 subjects at Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.


RESULTS
A total of 294 (65%) questionnaires were returned. Overall Internet use for medical information was 64% (189/294). Most (97%; 183/189) respondents reported 'wanting to know more' as the reason they sought information on the Internet. Eighty-eight per cent (167/189) of respondents reported that they trust their doctor more than the Internet. Twenty-one per cent (39/189) had presented their doctor with information about which he/she was unaware and 18% (34/189) had altered a health-care decision because of information found on the Internet. The Internet had influenced questions asked of doctors in 83% (156/189). Eighty-six per cent (252/294) of all respondents were in favour of professional assistance to obtain medical information.


CONCLUSIONS
A large number of patients use the Internet to find information that influences their attitudes to health care. The services of a medical informatics professional would likely benefit both patients and doctors.
Wainstein
Brynn K
BK
Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, Australia. brynn.wainstein@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Sterling-Levis
Katy
K
Baker
Sally A
SA
Taitz
Jonathan
J
Brydon
Michael
M
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006760:Hospitalization; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008490:Medical Informatics; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires