How do healthcare consumers process and evaluate comparative healthcare information? A qualitative study using cognitive interviews.
BACKGROUND
To date, online public healthcare reports have not been effectively used by consumers. Therefore, we qualitatively examined how healthcare consumers process and evaluate comparative healthcare information on the Internet.


METHODS
Using semi-structured cognitive interviews, interviewees (n = 20) were asked to think aloud and answer questions, as they were prompted with three Dutch web pages providing comparative healthcare information.


RESULTS
We identified twelve themes from consumers' thoughts and evaluations. These themes were categorized under four important areas of interest: (1) a response to the design; (2) a response to the information content; (3) the use of the information, and (4) the purpose of the information.


CONCLUSIONS
Several barriers to an effective use of comparative healthcare information were identified, such as too much information and the ambiguity of terms presented on websites. Particularly important for future research is the question of how comparative healthcare information can be integrated with alternative information, such as patient reviews on the Internet. Furthermore, the readability of quality of care concepts is an issue that needs further attention, both from websites and communication experts.
Damman
Olga C
OC
NIVEL (Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research), PO Box 1568, 3500 BN, Utrecht, the Netherlands. o.damman@nivel.nl
Hendriks
Michelle
M
Rademakers
Jany
J
Delnoij
Diana M J
DM
Groenewegen
Peter P
PP
D001294:Attitude to Health; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D036301:Qualitative Research