Use of the Internet for Health Purposes—A National Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey among Adults in Poland

Dados Bibliográficos

ID15463510
AutoresKrzysztof Płaciszewski (0000-0001-9283-2653, Central Clinical Hospital, autor correspondente), Waldemar Wierzba (0000-0002-8134-2955, Central Clinical Hospital), Janusz Ostrowski (0000-0003-1847-512X, Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine), Jarosław Pinkas (0000-0002-1015-9643, Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine), Mateusz Jankowski (0000-0002-7142-5167, Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine)
Ano2022
Volume19
Fascículo23
Páginas16315-16315
Data de publicação2022-12-06
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
EditoraMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph192316315
PMID36498389
OpenAlexW4311630658
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas2
Referências citadas33

The Internet is one of the most popular information sources. This study aimed to assess the public attitudes towards the use of the Internet for health purposes as well as to identify factors associated with the use of the Internet for health purposes among adults in Poland. A web-based cross-sectional survey was carried out between 9 and 12 September 2022 on a nationwide random-quota sample of 1092 adults in Poland. The study questionnaire included 10 questions on Internet use for health purposes. The most common reason for the use of the Internet for health purposes was searching for information on drugs and their effects (69.9%). Almost two-thirds of participants used the Internet for searching for health information (64.9%), for doctors/medical services (63.4%), or for medical facilities (65.3%). Over half of the participants used the Internet for checking online reviews of doctors (55.2%) and 43.5% of the participants ordered drugs or dietary supplements online. Out of 9 different socioeconomic factors analyzed in this study, having higher education, being female, as well as living in cities from 100,000 to 499,999 residents were the most important factors (p < 0.05) associated with the use of the Internet for health purposes. This study confirmed a high level of adoption of medical Internet in Poland

Cross-sectional study · Environmental health · Family medicine · Internet privacy · Pathology · Population · Public health · Sample (material · Socioeconomic status · The Internet · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Health Literacy and Information Accessibility · Medicine · Mobile Health and mHealth Applications · Nursing · Social Media in Health Education