Evolution of Online Health-Related Information Seeking in France From 2010 to 2017: Results From Nationally Representative Surveys

Abstract

Background Given the rapid ongoing progression of the internet and increase in health information available from disparate online sources, it is important to understand how these changes impact online health information-seeking behavior of the population and the way of managing one’s health. Objective This paper aims at describing the evolution of internet use as a source of health information between 2010 and 2017, as well as the characteristics of online health information seekers, topics of interest, sources of information, and trust in retrieved information and potential impact on behavior. Methods Data from the French nationally representative surveys Health Barometers were used (N=4141 in 2010, 4811 in 2014, and 6255 in 2017). Evolutions over time were assessed using chi-square tests. Associations with sociodemographic characteristics and health status were evaluated using logistic regression models. Results The use of the internet as a source of health information rose between 2010 and 2014 (from 37.3% to 67.9%, P<.001) but decreased significantly in 2017 (60.3%, P<.001). Overall, the profile of health information seekers compared with nonseekers did not change over time. They were more likely to be women, to be younger, to have a higher educational level, to have a higher household income, and to be executives. Between 2014 and 2017, the proportion of those who did not pay attention to the source of information significantly increased to reach 39.7% (P<.001). In 2017 as in 2014, general health-related websites remained the first source of information (38.6%) while institutional websites were the third source (8.1%). Most information seekers trusted the information found online in 2010 (more than 80%), with a slight decrease between 2014 and 2017 (P=.048). Among individual characteristics, trust in the information was the main determinant of the way of managing one’s health (odds ratio 4.06, 95% CI 3.26-5.06). Conclusions After a rapid growth in the internet use for seeking health information in the 2010 to 2014 period, a decrease was recorded in 2017, in parallel with a decrease in trust in the quality and reliability of information found online. These findings underline the need for public health authorities to increase citizens’ eHealth literacy and to provide alternative trustworthy sources combining the popularity and accessibility of general health information websites.

Modeling Access Across the Digital Divide for Intersectional Groups Seeking Web-Based Health Information: National Survey

“…Although the mobile interface may be more difficult for tasks such as OHIS [ 8 ], having at least one point of access is critical for web-based health behaviors [ 9 , 24 ]. Although some OHIS research suggests that access has been democratized [ 19 ], the above results highlight the overlap in health and technology disparities for racial and ethnic minority groups [ 4 - 6 ].…”

“…Recent studies have identified additional second-level factors that may also impede technological adoption (eg, skills) [ 15 , 18 ]. Although the focus of OHIS has shifted away from access as some suggest that it has become democratized [ 19 ], we argue that it has not been democratized across devices and contexts of use as the lack of physical access remains an obstacle for marginalized groups [ 3 , 20 ]. Moreover, access is heterogeneous, as people can access the internet on multiple devices and at various places [ 7 , 21 ].…”

Analyzing Psychotherapy on Twitter: An 11-Year Analysis of Tweets From Major U.S. Media Outlets

“…Patients' confidence in this therapeutic modality depends on many factors, including what they have read about treatment ( 9 – 11 ). Nowadays most sectors of the general population turn to the internet to search for medical information ( 12 , 13 ). According to a Pew Research Center survey, roughly seven-in-ten Americans use social media, a level that has remained relatively stable over the past several years ( 14 ).…”

Direct‐to‐consumer advertising and the advancement of the quadruple aim: A narrative review

“…63 When a patient requests a medication, informed by DTCA, and the prescriber reviews and consents, should we always view this as a negative outcome? The counterfactual scenario of no DTCA may result in a patient with less awareness of their symptoms or treatment options, 13,21,60,64 obtaining information from sources not produced by the manufacturer (potentially reputable or nonreputable), 65,66 and potentially less activation in seeking a treatment. 13 In the wake of effective misinformation campaigns throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, 67 we are reminded health information availability and reliability are critical to advancing public health.…”