Access, demographics and, particularly, motivational factors all influence patients' interest in the Internet as a health resource. Proposals to encourage more widespread use of digital health information need to take account of this complexity and not deal with access issues alone.

Access, demographics and, particularly, motivational factors all influence patients' interest in the Internet as a health resource. Proposals to encourage more widespread use of digital health information need to take account of this complexity and not deal with access issues alone.

BackgroundVitamin D deficiency is a significant problem for a growing proportion of the UK population. Individuals with dark or covered skin are at particularly high risk due to ethno-cultural, environmental and genetic factors. We assessed the level of awareness of vitamin D deficiency among at-risk patients in order to identify groups most in need of education.FindingsA cross-sectional survey using a piloted questionnaire was conducted among consecutive at-risk patients without a diagnosis of Vitamin D deficiency arriving at a large inner city general practice in the North West of England over a five day period. The survey was completed by 221 patients. The mean age was 35 years. 28% of them (n = 61) had never heard about vitamin D. Older patients (p = 0.003) were less likely to have heard about vitamin D. 54% of participants were unaware of the commonest symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. 34% did not expose their skin other than their face in the last one year, and 11% did not include vitamin D rich foods in their diet.ConclusionThe majority of at-risk patients are aware of vitamin D; nevertheless, there is a significant lack of knowledge among older people, who have higher morbidity. A programme of targeted education of the at-risk population is recommended.

SummaryWorking on an intensive care unit is perceived as stressful. This study investigated occupational stress in staff working on an intensive care unit using the occupational stress indicator. Questionnaires were given to all intensive care staff; the replies were then analysed and compared with normative data. The response rate was 62%. Intensive care unit staff found aspects of their job relating to career and achievement and organisational design and structure more stressful than a normal working population. Their coping strategies differ but the only significantly different measure of adverse outcome was related to personal relationships at work. The job itself was not found to be a significant source of stress. Nursing staff have different sources of stress from medical staff and individuals with partners or children are relatively protected from stress.

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