[Internet use among patients with gastrointestinal diseases in a general hospital]

The internet has provoked a radical change in access to medical information. Access to medical websites among patients with gastrointestinal diseases has not been studied in our environment.

To determine the level of access and use of internet as a source of medical information in patients with gastrointestinal diseases in our environment.

We surveyed 699 consecutive patients, who were admitted to hospital or who were from intra- and extrahospital outpatient gastroenterology clinics.

Responses were obtained from 671 patients (55% women), aged from 18 to 88 years, (mean 54 +16). Thirty-six percent used the internet. There were no differences between men and women, but differences were found by age (86% >30 years vs 6%>70, p<0.005). More inpatients sought information than outpatients (77% vs 54%, p<0.005). Patients with inflammatory disease used the internet more than the remaining patients (57% vs 33%, p>0.005, OR 2.710 CI 1.628-4.511). Seventy-seven percent of men and 70% of women believed the information was less reliable than that provided by the physician. Eighty-six percent of patients would like e-mail contact with their physician. Eighty-nine percent thought the internet was useful to resolve doubts, 89% wanted the addresses of health sites and 90% wanted to receive periodic information on their disease. Patients without a university education wanted more periodic information (p = 0.01) and more information on how to search for medical information (p = 0.03).

One-third of patients with gastrointestinal diseases use the internet to obtain information on their disease. Patients require more information from their physician on internet health resources.