title: Delivering healthcare information via the internet: cardiac patients' access, usage, perceptions of usefulness, and web site content preferences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess patients' usage of the Internet as a source of personal healthcare information and patients' perceptions of usefulness and content preferences of more locally focused online health-related material.
  
  
  METHODS
  A paper-based survey was undertaken by a convenience sample of cardiac outpatients. Age, gender, Internet access, Internet usage, perception of usefulness of online information, predicted intention to use a local cardiology Web site if available, and preferred components to be included were recorded. Univariate and bivariate statistics were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred thirty-seven patients responded (62.1% males). One hundred seventy-six (74.3%) used the Internet, with 126 (63%) using it daily. For patients who did not have direct access to the Internet, 26 (50%) had a family member to do this on their behalf. Thus, the majority of patients (202 [85%]) had access to the Internet at home or someone who could access it on their behalf. Internet usage declined with age (Kendall's tau_b=0.321, p<0.001). There was no difference in use with gender (p=0.235). There was considerable interest expressed in a locally delivered Web-based information service.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Online healthcare information services have the potential to reach the vast majority of cardiac patients either directly or through family support. The most elderly patients are less likely to use these services. Despite apparent satisfaction with existing online resources, there appears to be an unmet need for more information and considerable support for a locally based cardiac patient Web resource to deliver this. These findings may help guide future patient information Web site redesign.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Stirling , Highland Campus, Inverness, United Kingdom .
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cassie
authors.forename: Maimie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Iain
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Atherton
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Leslie
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006331:Heart Diseases; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012606:Scotland; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires