How Should I Choose My Dentist? A Preliminary Study Investigating the Effectiveness of Decision Aids on Healthcare Online Review Portals

Abstract

Information on healthcare providers on the internet can be found in both public reports and/or anecdotal comments. Healthcare consumers rely more on the anecdotal comments than public reports as they are easier to understand, more engaging and convincing. However, the anecdotal comments can be misleading as they are based on a relatively smaller and less representative sample. Hence, it’s important to understand how users make sense of the anecdotal information and define the factors that influence their decisions. This study utilized the domain of dentistry, focusing on how the nature of the review and other decision aids affect the sensemaking process of healthcare seekers. We conducted a mixed-method study with twenty participants, finding the nature of the review (the text) to be the most influential factor and the wait time to be the least contributing factor in the decision.

An empirical study investigating the user acceptance of a virtual conversational agent interface for family health history collection among the geriatric population

“…12 These FHx tools have the advantage of being able to be linked with other patient information management portals like electronic health records (EHR), 11 with some even providing support for clinical decisions by supplying risk assessment and recommendations based on the data. 13,14 In addition, electronic FHx tools allow users to easily edit and share information online, meaning incorrect or missing information can be easily corrected or added, something that is much more difficult when using other FHx methods. 15,16 Ozok et al 5 measured the usefulness of these electronic FHx tools, finding the system to be helpful for both patients and medical care providers.…”

Factors Contributing to Adolescents’ and Young Adults’ Participation in Web-Based Challenges: Survey Study

“…More than 70% of Americans use social media platforms to post personal information, engage with posted content, and connect with others [ 1 - 4 ]. Adolescents and young adults were among the earliest internet and social media adopters and continue to use these websites at high levels [ 2 , 5 , 6 ].…”

Examining the Self-Harm and Suicide Contagion Effects of the Blue Whale Challenge on YouTube and Twitter: Qualitative Study

“…Adolescents and young adults are the largest population using the internet as it has become essential for their schoolwork, information collection, and socializing [ 1 - 6 ]. Communication tools on the internet, including emails, direct texting, and blogging, have become fundamental in adolescents’ social development [ 7 - 9 ].…”