title: The importance of Internet usage for urologic patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate Internet usage frequency, rate of searched diseases and impact of Internet derived data on future patient physician relationship in patients applying to an Urology Department.
  
  
  METHODS
  A well prepared questionnaire has been given to 1000 referring cases, out of which 589 accepted to participate on a volunteer basis to a face to face interview. Patients were divided into subgroups with respect to age, gender and as well as their educational and economical status. Regarding Internet, questions inquired the use of Internet, the point of view about it, opinions about healthcare system and most commonly urological diseases searched in Internet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 589 patients participating, 38.2% reported access to the Internet; in relation to subgroup analysis of data, there was a statistically significant relationship between the use of Internet and age (p < 0.001), gender (p = 0.048), educational status (p < 0.001) and economical status of (p = 0.002) the cases evaluated. Disease specific information was most frequently sought: 18.2% searched for urolithiasis, 14.2% for non-cancer related kidney diseases, and 14.2% for urologic cancers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Younger patients with higher educational status tended to use Internet and the majority of these cases share all these information with their physicians during their visit. These findings indicate that all physicians should consider this fact seriously and make their future plans in the light of internet based activities which provides numerous advantages.
authors: Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Training and Research Hospital, Urology Clinic, Istanbul. cahitsahin129@gmail.com.
authors: Cahit
authors: C
authors: Sahin
authors: Murat
authors: M
authors: Tuncer
authors: Ozgur
authors: O
authors: Yazici
authors: Alper
authors: A
authors: Kafkasli
authors: Utku
authors: U
authors: Can
authors: Bilal
authors: B
authors: Eryildirim
authors: Orhan
authors: O
authors: Koca
authors: Kemal
authors: K
authors: Sarica
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014570:Urologic Diseases