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Internet use by parents of children undergoing outpatient otolaryngology procedures
Mark Boston1, Elizabeth Ruwe, Angie Duggins
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. mark.boston@luke.af.mil
Insights
Nearly half of parents use the Internet for medical information before their child's surgery, finding it helpful and influential in decision-making. However, discussing this online information with surgeons is infrequent.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Health Informatics
- Patient Decision Making
Background:
- Parents increasingly utilize the Internet for health information.
- Preoperative medical information seeking is common among parents.
- Understanding the impact of online health information on parental decisions is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of parents searching for medical information online before their child's surgery.
- To evaluate the influence of Internet-based health information on parental medical decisions for their children.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was administered to parents of children undergoing outpatient otolaryngology procedures.
- The survey gathered data on preoperative Internet use for diagnosis and surgical procedure-specific information.
Main Results:
- 83% of parents had Internet access, and 48% searched for medical information online.
- 93% of those who searched found the information understandable and helpful.
- 84% reported that the online information influenced their child's medical decisions, though only 43% discussed it with the surgeon.
Conclusions:
- Around 50% of parents with Internet access seek medical information online before their child's surgery.
- Online health information is perceived as helpful and influential by parents.
- Physicians remain the primary source for medical decision-making, highlighting the need for surgeon-directed online resources.
Objectives:
(1) To determine the prevalence of Internet medical information searches by parents prior to their child's surgical procedure, and (2) to evaluate whether Internet-based health information influences parents' medical decisions on behalf of their children.
Design:
A questionnaire designed to gather information regarding preoperative use of the Internet by parents of children who were scheduled to undergo outpatient otolaryngology procedures. Parents were asked to respond to questions regarding Internet searches for information specific to their child's diagnosis and anticipated surgical procedure.
Setting:
Tertiary care pediatric hospital.
Results:
Internet access was available to 83% of respondents. Of those parents with Internet access, 48% searched the Internet for information regarding their child's diagnosis and surgical procedure. Of those who searched the Internet, 93% said they found information that was both understandable and helpful. More important, 84% of parents using the Internet said the information influenced or somewhat influenced the medical decisions they made on behalf of their child. Only 43% of parents discussed the information they found on the Internet with their child's surgeon.
Conclusions:
Approximately 50% of the parents in our study with Internet access used it to find medical information prior to their child's surgery. Parents who used the Internet found the information helpful and influential, although physicians remain the most important source of information that guides a parent or patient in their medical decision making. Ideally, surgeons would direct parents or patients to a few trusted Internet sites and be prepared to discuss this information.
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