Online sources and trust in doctor-patient relationships: a survey of doctors and patients from the Nizhny Novgorod Region

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Modern society is characterized by a tendency of a sharp increase in the influence of Internet sources on the interaction of subjects of the social institute of medicine. AIM: to assess the degree of influence of Internet sources on the patient's trust in the doctor. METHODS: The study was conducted in medical organizations of the Nizhny Novgorod region by means of a questionnaire survey of patients and doctors using author's questionnaires. The study involved 521 patients and 240 doctors. RESULTS: 32.3±2.1% of respondents almost never search for and recheck a diagnosis and doctor's appointments in Internet sources, and 32.5±2.1% do this rarely, 25.9±1.9% search for a diagnosis on Internet sites and recheck doctor's appointments from time to time, and only 9.2±1.2% do it all the time. At the same time, 82.8 ± 1.6% of patients declared priority trust in the doctor, rather than recommendations received on Internet sites. 61.5±3.1% of doctors from time to time face the fact that patients have a clear opinion about their diagnosis obtained from Internet sources, 15.0±2.3% of doctors face this constantly, 17.5±2.5% of doctors rarely, and only 6.0±1.5% of doctors never face it. 51.7±3.2% of the surveyed doctors do not feel well about the fact that patients double-check the criteria for diagnosis and doctor's appointment on Internet sites, 24.9±2.3% support the activity of patients and the study of information about their disease, and 23.4±2.7% are indifferent to such a phenomenon. According to 87.8±2.1% of doctors, patients trust information received from a doctor more than online sources. CONCLUSION: According to the results of the study, 67.6±2.1% of patients access Internet sites in order to verify the correctness of medical opinions, but at the same time, according to 82.8± 1.6% of patients and 87.8±2.1% of doctors, information received from a doctor is of priority importance for patients, compared with the Internet sources.