title: Cause and effect: the linkage between the health information seeking behavior and the online environment--a review.
abstract: Today, health care consumers are taking more control over their health care problems, investing more time in finding and getting information as well as looking for proper methods in order to investigate more closely the health care information received from their physicians. Unfortunately, in health care consumers' views, the trustworthiness of health authorities and institutions has declined in the last years. So, consumers have found a new solution to their health problems, that is, the Internet. Recently, studies revealed that consumers seeking for health information have more options to look for data in comparison to the methods used a few years ago. Therefore, due to the available technology, consumers have more outlets to search for information. For instance, the Internet is a source that has revolutionized the way consumers seek data due its customized methods of assessing both quantitative and qualitative information which may be achieved with minimal effort and low costs, offering at the same time, several advantages such as making the decision process more efficient.
authors.affiliation: "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucaharest, Romania.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bratucu
authors.affiliation: "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucaharest, Romania.
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Gheorghe
authors.affiliation: Dr. Carol Davila" Clinical Nephrology Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Purcarea
authors.affiliation: "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucaharest, Romania ; National School of Political and Administrative Studies, Bucharest (SNSPA).
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gheorghe
authors.affiliation: "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucaharest, Romania.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Popa Velea
authors.affiliation: Dr. Carol Davila" Clinical Nephrology Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Purcarea
mesh_terms: D054626:Consumer Health Information; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D020407:Internet; D040541:Marketing / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Health information search behavior; health care; health care services; seek online information