[The online-consultation of the University Hospital Zurich]

Since August 1999 free medical Internet consultations are offered by the University Hospital Zurich. Overall 13,984 inquiries have been answered until December 2003. As of today an average of about 10 questions has been received per day. The users are predominantly between 20 and 50 years old and most of them show normal characteristics in terms of weight and size. The incoming questions refer to a wide variety of medical subjects and 53% of them have been asked by women. Frequently asked questions refer to topics like HIV, nutrition, vaccination as well as contraceptive methods. Intimate questions concerning e.g. sexual dysfunction disorder as well as changes on male genitals are also overrepresented. Therefore medical Internet consultation is characterised by low thresholds and is particularly well suited for the consultation of intimate and sensitive topics.