Funded by NIDDK RO1 DK53942

Women’s Use of the Internet for Health Information:The Impact of Selected Demographic and Health

Variables

Mary L. Klem, PhD, MLIS, Health Sciences Library System, Ellen G. Detlefsen, DLS, School of Information Sciences, and Marsha D. Marcus,

PhD, Western Psychiatric Institute & ClinicUniversity of Pittsburgh

Introduction

• The Internet is an increasingly common source of health information for consumers

• Women are more likely than men to be searching for health information (Pew Foundation, 2003)

• This study explored, in a sample of women age 25-44 yrs, use of the Internet for the purpose of finding health information

Participants

• 182 women participating in a clinical trial of methods for prevention of weight gain

• Women were “at risk” for weight gain

• Randomly assigned to an experimental group and assessed on annual basis

• Completed a Heath Information Questionnaire as part of 1-year follow-up assessment

Baseline Demographic and Health Characteristics

Age (years) 35.5

Education level (%):

High school diploma or less 8.0

Some college 27.3

College degree 37.8

Graduate degree 26.9

Employed full or part-time (%) 90

Baseline Characteristics, cont’d

Ethnicity (%):

Caucasian 87

African-American 9.7

Asian, Native American or Hispanic 3.3

Body mass index (%):Normal weight (bmi = 21- 27) 81

Overweight (bmi = 27-30) 19

Computer Access at Home?

0102030405060708090

100

%

Internet Access?

0102030405060708090

100

Overall

grad degree

college degree

some college

HS or less

%

Site of Internet Access?

0102030405060708090

100

%

home computer no home computer

Internet Used In Past Year To:

0102030405060708090

100

E-mail

find health info

buy products

join online grps

buy meds

%

Sources of Health Information Used in Past Year:

0102030405060708090

100

Internet

friend/family

library

purchased

TV social agency

doctorother provider

support grp

other

%

Modal Rating of Information Source Usefulness

1

2

3

4

5

Internet

friend/family

library

purchased

TV social agency

doctorother provider

support grp

other

1 = not at all; 5 = very

All numbers are percentages

Perceived Quality of Internet Health Information

1--------------2------------3-------------4------------5Not at all Somewhat Very

Easy to find? 0.0 3.0 34.6 36.1 26.3

How helpful? 0.0 3.0 39.8 36.1 21.1

A problem to understand? 48.1 33.1 15.0 3.8 0.0

Trustworthy? 0.0 6.0 43.6 33.8 16.5

All numbers are percentages

How Trustworthy Are Sites Sponsored By:

1--------------2------------3------------4-----------5Not at all Somewhat Very

Hospital or med center 0.0 0.0 14.6 43.8 41.5Rec. by physician 0.0 1.5 23.1 45.4 30.0University 0.0 7.0 30.2 45.7 17.1Non-profit 0.0 5.4 36.9 39.2 18.5Public library 1.6 12.7 40.5 33.3 11.9Drug company 4.7 26.0 32.3 26.8 10.2

Summary

• Internet is a popular and useful method for finding health information

• Demographic and health factors had limited impact on Internet access or use

• Observed differences suggest a “digital divide”– Marital status and education may reflect income differences

• Internet health information is viewed as easy to find and understand, but there are doubts about trustworthiness

• Judgments of trustworthiness are based, in part, on a site’s sponsor

Limitations and Strengths

• A select and homogeneous sample• Self-report data

• Sample reflects largest group of consumers seeking health information

• “Piggyback model” for survey research

Future Directions

• Opportunity to measure changes in info-seeking behaviors over time (2- and 3-year FU)

• Continue to test the utility of the piggyback model:– Will be exploring information seeking among lesbian and

heterosexual women enrolled in a study of cardiovascular risk factors