title: Health-related Internet use among patients of osteopathic physicians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Using the Internet has transformed communication and improved access to health-related information for patients and physicians.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine why patients use the Internet for health-related information, where patients find answers to their questions, and whether patient use of the Internet impacts the patient-physician relationship. This study focused on patients of osteopathic physicians to confirm previously published data in a more specific population.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anonymous 25-item survey was distributed to patients in a primary care setting. The survey elicited information regarding demographics, health-related Internet use, and discussion of Web-based health information during the clinical visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred eighty-five patient surveys were collected. Data based on sex, age, education level, and ethnicity were evaluated. Two hundred fifty of 280 patients (89%) reported that they use the Internet to find health-related information, and 134 of 250 patients (54%) indicated that they changed their health-related behaviors based on information they found. Seventy-three of 133 patients (55%) who changed their behaviors reported these findings to their physicians. This finding differed by age and ethnicity. Patients aged 50 to 64 years (22 responses, 73%) were the most likely group to report behavioral changes to their physicians (P=.048). No patients who identified themselves as of Asian/Pacific Islander descent indicated that they reported behavioral changes to their physician (P=.043). Two hundred forty-two of 261 patients (93%) reported that their personal physician is the most reliable source for health information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients use the Internet to find health-related information, but many of them are not reporting potentially important health-related behavioral changes to their physicians. However, most patients still consider their physician as the most reliable source for health-related information. Physicians should ask patients about Internet use and counsel them about where to find reliable, accurate, high-quality health information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Osteopathic Medicine, 42 E Laurel Rd, Suite 2100A, Stratford, NJ 08084-6447, USA. cooleydl@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: Danielle L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Cooley
authors.forename: Alison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mancuso
authors.forename: Lucia Beck
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Joshua S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Coren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey; D010021:Osteopathic Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires