title: The National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey [HINTS]: a national cross-sectional analysis of talking to your doctor and other healthcare providers for health information.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The need to understand preferred sources of health information remains important to providing patient-centered care. The Internet remains a popular resource for health information, but more traditional sources may still be valid for patients during a recent health need. This study sought to understand the characteristics of patients that turn to their doctor or healthcare provider first for a recent health or medical information need.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the national cross-sectional survey, Health Information National Trend Study [HINTS], characteristics of those who sought a doctor or healthcare provider for a recent health information need were compared to other sources. Weighted survey responses from Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 of the HINTS survey were used for multivariable logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total 5,307 patient responses were analyzed. Overall, those who seek a doctor or healthcare provider first for a health need are female, 46-64 years, White non-Hispanic, educated, in good health and users of the Internet. Yet, adjusted logistic regressions showed that those who sought a doctor or healthcare provider first during a recent health information need compared to other sources were most likely to be 65+ years, in poor health, less educated and have health insurance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients who seek their doctor or healthcare provider first for health information rather than other sources of information represent a unique population. Doctors or healthcare providers remain an important resource for these patients during recent needs, despite the wide use of the Internet as a source of health information.
authors.affiliation: eHealth Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, US Department of Veterans Affairs, 200 Springs Road, Bedford, MA 01730, USA. julie.volkman@va.gov.
authors.forename: Julie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Volkman
authors.forename: Tana M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Luger
authors.forename: Kimberly L L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Timothy P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Hogan
authors.forename: Stephanie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amante
authors.forename: D Keith
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: McInnes
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Thomas K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Houston
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054547:National Cancer Institute (U.S.); D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D014481:United States