title: Investigation of the Impact of Extracting and Exchanging Health Information by Using Internet and Social Networks.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Social networks (1) have been embedded in our daily life for a long time. They constitute a powerful tool used nowadays for both searching and exchanging information on different issues by using Internet searching engines (Google, Bing, etc.) and Social Networks (Facebook, Twitter etc.). In this paper, are presented the results of a research based on the frequency and the type of the usage of the Internet and the Social Networks by the general public and the health professionals.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of the research were focused on the investigation of the frequency of seeking and meticulously searching for health information in the social media by both individuals and health practitioners. The exchanging of information is a procedure that involves the issues of reliability and quality of information.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this research, by using advanced statistical techniques an effort is made to investigate the participant's profile in using social networks for searching and exchanging information on health issues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on the answers 93 % of the people, use the Internet to find information on health-subjects. Considering principal component analysis, the most important health subjects were nutrition (0.719 %), respiratory issues (0.79 %), cardiological issues (0.777%), psychological issues (0.667%) and total (73.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The research results, based on different statistical techniques revealed that the 61.2% of the males and 56.4% of the females intended to use the social networks for searching medical information. Based on the principal components analysis, the most important sources that the participants mentioned, were the use of the Internet and social networks for exchanging information on health issues. These sources proved to be of paramount importance to the participants of the study. The same holds for nursing, medical and administrative staff in hospitals.
authors.affiliation: University of Athens, Public Health, School of Nursing, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pistolis
authors.affiliation: University of the Aegean, Department of Mathematics, Division of Statistics and Actuarial-Financial Mathematics, Samos, Greece.
authors.forename: Stelios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zimeras
authors.affiliation: University of Athens, Public Health, School of Nursing, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chardalias
authors.affiliation: University of Nikosia, Division of Public Health, Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Zoe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Roupa
authors.affiliation: University of Athens, Public Health, School of Nursing, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fildisis
authors.affiliation: University of Athens, Public Health, School of Nursing, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diomidous
keywords: General Public; Health Professionals; Internet; Social Networks