[The use of Internet among Norwegian physicians]

Access to the Internet increases rapidly, also among physicians. Little is known, however, of to what extent this tool is actually used among various groups of medical professionals, and how it compares to the use of more traditional ways of professional development such as reading of medical literature or participation in continuing medical education (CME) activities. In December of 1998, a 10% random sample of all Norwegian doctors, 1,646 in all, were mailed a questionnaire regarding their use of the Internet. 78% responded. 72% of Norwegian doctors had Internet access, 24% respectively had access either at work, at home or at both places. Doctors with access both at work and at home used the Internet significantly more often and found it of greater professional value than did the other groups. A smaller proportion of general practitioners than of other groups in the profession, had access. About half (48%) of Norwegian doctors use the Internet in a professional context. Research-oriented, male doctors, 30-49 years of age, indicated the highest activity on the net. Doctors using the Internet professionally had longer working hours, read more medical literature and participated more often in CME activities than did non-users. With its universal accessibility, the Internet has been seen as a major force in making medical knowledge available to all doctors. This is not yet the case; for the time being, it appears that the net widens the gap between doctors who actively seek new professional knowledge and those who do not.