Paediatric diabetes: information-seeking behaviours of families.
The Internet provides patients and their families with ready access to on-line health related information. However, this information is not always accurate, understandable or provided by health professionals or advocacy groups. One hundred children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus, or their parents, attending a paediatric diabetes clinic during September to November 2011 were invited sequentially to participate in this questionnaire-based survey of Internet use in searching for diabetes-related information. Sixty-seven (67%) returned completed anonymised questionnaires: 36/67 (53%) were categorised as socio-economic groups C1/C2. Of the 67 families who returned completed questionnaires, 64 (96%) had a home computer and 62 (93%) had home Internet access; 27 (40%) rarely, and 40 (60%) frequently, searched on-line for diabetes-related information. Key search terms were not provided by respondents. There appears to be considerable internet use in seeking health related information for children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Clinicians should make efforts to direct patients and their families to websites that present accurate and current information.
A P
AP
Macken
E
E
Sasaki
A
A
Quinn
W
W
Cullen
D
D
Leddin
C
C
Dunne
C S
CS
O'Gorman
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires