Abstract:
Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality both within New Zealand and internationally. For patients with CVD there are marked disparities in outcomes for different cohorts of patients, including gender based differences. Technology is increasingly utilized among CVD patients, in terms of the development of eHealth initiatives, and in online health information seeking by patients. Aims This research was part of a larger multi-site study. My thesis aims to examine the online health information needs of patients with cardiovascular disease, with a special focus on women’s online health information needs. Specifically, this thesis aims to investigate: • The frequency and motivation for online health information seeking for patients with established CVD, and how they interact with this information. • How patients assess the trustworthiness/accuracy of online health information. • The role health professionals have in mediating online health information, including links with health literacy and digital information literacy. • The potential gender based differences in online health information usage, and discover whether women have unique online health information needs. Methods 135 participants were recruited from the cardiology outpatient clinic waiting room area at Greenlane Hospital Clinics, Auckland District Health Board. Recruitment lasted approximately 24 weeks. These patients were given an anonymous 13 question survey investigating their online health information needs and collecting their demographic data and free text responses. A woman-only focus group was planned to add depth and richness to the survey answers, but recruitment for this was unsuccessful. Results The majority of participants were internet users, and had used the internet to look for health related information. Many participants look up health information online after interacting with a health professional or the health system. Most participants preferred for health information to be presented as fact sheets, followed by information that is interactive or has multimedia components. Participants found online health information mostly trustworthy, and made this decision largely based on the perceived involvement of an expert, healthcare professional, or authoritative source. There was largely gender parity within most questions. However, women were more likely to have looked for health related information online for others or to find value in the social aspects of online eHealth information. They were also more likely to be very frequent consumers of online health information. Lastly while both genders were largely successfully locating information online, women were more likely than men to experience barriers to online health information searches. Conclusions The role of patients is shifting from being passive recipients of health information to active consumers. Future developments in online health information and eHealth initiatives should consider consumer preferences in how information is presented and accessed, what patients find useful and relevant, and where there are potential gaps that could be filled by healthcare professionals. Attention should also be paid to gender-based differences in online health information seeking to ensure that women’s unique health needs and interests are being served.