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A pediatric surgery study: parent usage of the Internet for medical information
Wagahta Semere1, Hratch L Karamanoukian, Marc Levitt
1Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Center for Less Invasive Cardiac Surgery and Robotic Heart Surgery at Kaleida Health at Buffalo General Hospital, Buffalo, New York 14203, USA.
Insights
Parents frequently use the internet for child health information, often finding it helpful. However, they may underestimate risks from inaccurate online sources, highlighting a need for guidance on reliable health information.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Health Informatics
- Parental Health Literacy
Background:
- The internet is a common source for health information.
- Parents increasingly seek online resources for their children's health concerns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine parents' access to and use of the internet for child health information.
- To investigate parents' search methods for health information.
- To evaluate the readability, accuracy, and influence of online health information.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to 150 parents of outpatients at a Children's Hospital Pediatric Surgery Clinic.
- Data were collected over a 6-week period.
Main Results:
- 71% of parents with internet access used it to search for health information.
- A majority (98%) found online information comprehensible and helpful.
- 52% of parents reported being influenced by online information in medical decision-making.
Conclusions:
- Parents utilize the internet for health information but not frequently.
- Parents' positive perception of online health information may mask unawareness of potential misinformation.
- There is a need for uniform guidelines for online health information and for healthcare providers, particularly pediatric surgeons, to guide parents toward accurate resources.
Purpose:
The goal of this study was to (1) determine parents access to and use of the Internet for information relating to their child's health; (2) investigate parents methods of searching for such information; and (3) evaluate the information found in relation to its readability, accuracy, and influence.
Methods:
A study was conducted of 150 parents of outpatients in the Pediatric Surgery Clinic of a local Children's Hospital. Parents completed study surveys over a 6-week time frame.
Results:
All parents (150 of 150, 100%) completed the surveys. The median age of the parents was 35 years, 83% (124 of 150) were mothers, and most (32%) attained a high school diploma. Of the 128 parents having Internet access, 71% used the Internet to search for health-related information. A majority of parents, 98%, agreed or somewhat agreed that the information they found was comprehensible and helpful. All respondents at least somewhat trusted information found, and 52% were at least somewhat influenced by online information when making a medical decision.
Conclusions:
Many parents use the Internet for additional medical information, but they do not access this information frequently. The overwhelmingly positive impression of online health information suggests parents are unaware of the dangers of encountering misleading sources, an issue of special concern when considering the amount of influence this information carries. A movement must be made to create uniform guidelines for health information on the Internet. In the meantime, pediatric surgeons must take a role in guiding parents toward accurate online sources and becoming more Internet proficient themselves.