title: [Predisposition of citizens to use Internet-based channels to communicate with doctors in Spain].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Analyze factors affecting the predisposition of Spanish citizens to use Internet-based communication channels (E-mail, blogs, social networks, and online recommendations).
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary data were analyzed by applying a boosted regression tree (BRT) to the results obtained from the survey "Use and Applications of Information and Communications Technology in Health," administered to a representative sample of the Spanish population between 16 and 85 years of age who use the Internet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Model forecasts achieved different degrees of precision for each of the communication channels: for E-mail, AUC (area under the curve) = 0.79; for the physician's blog or personal website, AUC = 0.736; for social networks, AUC = 0.73; for recommendations of websites related to health problems, AUC = 0.768. Being young was the most important parameter in citizen predisposition to communicate through social networks (relative influence; RI = 21.05%), while population density was the most important parameter in likelihood that the physician would have a blog or personal health-related website (RI = 19.48%). Having a positive perception of the technology when facilitating health-related transactions was the most important characteristic in wanting to receive recommendations on health-related Internet resources (RI = 18.66%), while having a higher level of education was the best predictor of wanting to establish E-mail communication (RI = 18.98%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many of Spanish people are open to using physician-patient interaction channels on the Internet.
authors.affiliation: Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social de la Junta de Andalucía, Agencia de Calidad Sanitaria de Andalucía, España.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herrera-Usagre
authors.affiliation: Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social de la Junta de Andalucía, Agencia de Calidad Sanitaria de Andalucía, España.
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Reyes-Alcázar
authors.affiliation: Empresa Pública de Emergencias Sanitarias, Cádiz, España.
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Valverde
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013030:Spain; D055815:Young Adult