TY  - JOUR
AU  - Smith-Barbaro, Peggy A
AU  - Licciardone, John C
AU  - Clarke, Howard F
AU  - Coleridge, Samuel T
PY  - 2001
DA  - 2001/5/17
TI  - Factors Associated with Intended Use of a Web Site Among Family Practice Patients
JO  - J Med Internet Res
SP  - e17
VL  - 3
IS  - 2
KW  - Internet/utilization
KW  - Questionnaires
KW  - Surveys
KW  - Patients/statistics
KW  - numerical data
KW  - Attitude to Computers
KW  - Socioeconomic Factors
KW  - Age Factors
KW  - Health Education/methods
KW  - Health Behavior
KW  - Family Practice
KW  - Logistic Models
KW  - Odds Ratio
KW  - Digital Divide
AB  - Background: The World Wide Web has become a widely utilized source of health information. Although the frequency of health related queries is impressive, the demographics associated with patients making queries has not been clearly delineated. Objective: This study's objective was to determine health related Internet usage patterns of family medicine patients. Methods: Internet use among 824 eligible patients 18 years or older attending seven university based family practice clinics during a two week period in November of 1999 was studied. The survey instrument included 10 items and was designed to collect data in less than five minutes using a paper and pencil format. Statistical significance associated with intended Web site use was computed using a multiple logistic regression model. Results: A response rate of 72.2% was observed with 63.1% being females and 36.9% being males. The mean and median age were 44.0 and 45.7 years, respectively. A steady decline in intended Web site use was observed with advancing age with significant differences observed above 65 years (OR = 0.30; 95% CI = 0.14 - 0.64; p< .002). Other significant findings associated with intended use of a Web site by clinic based patients included having a home computer (OR = 1.99; 95%, CI = 1.05 - 3.76; p<0.03) and having Internet access at home (OR=5.6, 95%, CI = 2.83-11.18; p<.001). A lack of association between intended Web site use and health insurance status was observed. Conclusions: Results from this study suggest that Web sites are not likely to be alternative sources of health information for the uninsured or elderly in the near future. 
SN  - 1438-8871
UR  - http://www.jmir.org/2001/2/e17/
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.3.2.e17
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11720959
DO  - 10.2196/jmir.3.2.e17
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/jmir.3.2.e17
ER  -