Internet a source of health information
A new study has found that Australians from higher socio-economic groups are more likely to use the internet as a source of health information, but that few of these will discuss their findings with their doctor.
The study appears in the August edition of the Australian Health Review, the peer reviewed journal of the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association.
“This research sought to determine how the utilisation of the internet as a source of health information differed across three comparison populations: a low socio-economic group (LSE); a mid-high socio-economic group (MSE); and a university population,” said Dr Jared Dart, study leader and medical officer/policy researcher, of iHealth Solutions.
“Markedly fewer respondents in the LSE population (45%), had accessed health information over the internet than in the MSE (67.5%), or university (79%) samples.
“Even among those with home internet access, the proportion of people who accessed health information over the internet was considerably lower for the LSE sample (75%), than for the MSE (85%), and university (88%), samples.
“These results suggest that a concerted effort is required to raise the utilisation of the internet as a source of health information in low socio-economic communities, and improve ease of access to trustworthy online health information.
The incorporation of these strategies into new GP Super Clinics models is worth investigating,” Dr Dart said.
