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Internet use for searching ethical health information in Portugal: a cross sectional study
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Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
The abundance of health information available online provides users with excellent access to
information pertinent to the management of health conditions. This is particularly important given the
increasing drive for user-focused health care models globally, especially in the management of chronic
health conditions, and in recognition of challenges faced by lay consumers with finding, understanding,
and acting on health information sourced online. Although there are already some studies that focus
on a more qualitative approach, it is still necessary to understand this type of behaviour through a
quantitative approach, i.e., studies that focus on the quantification prevalence and the pattern of
information related with health searched online in Portugal. This study aimed to investigate the use of
Internet for searching information on medicines and diseases, establishing the following objectives
and collecting information about: the proportion of people using the Internet for health information;
where and what type of health information search on the Internet; the association between the uses
of the Internet for health information with socio-demographic characteristics; and the
needs/behaviours of the users regarding online health information about prescription medicines. We
carried out an anonymous survey design online to collect data, among the active Portuguese
population. The survey was carried out from May to June of 2019, and its diffusion was made through
social media channels. A convenience sample of 288 people of active Portuguese population
completed the questionnaire. The total of respondents (288), 186 (64,4%) participants were women
and 102 (35,4%) men. One hundred per cent of the respondents have searched health information
online; however, 7,6% (others) of them does not seek any search options available for selection on the
survey. Highlight that 62.3% select information on diseases and medications, 38,0% of respondents
have, at some point, sought information about a specific disease or medical problem. In the group of
respondents, there were a similar number of people searching for a therapeutical indication for
medicines (28,2%) and those who searched for the secondary effects of medicines (25,5%). The
majority of respondents, 190 (66.0%), said they did not discuss the information they sought online with
their health care providers, while only 98 respondents (34.0%) discussed this information with their
health care professionals. Among the studied population, 80.6% would like to have more information
available on ethical medication and 74,1% find it useful to have more information available in
advertising format about ethical medicines. The largest search engine was Google (98.2%), but other
platforms are were used simultaneously namely Infarmed website. There is a growing demand for
health information on the internet, which is in line with trends in other countries of the world. The
studied population shows an apparent concern for their health (with the most search topic being
"Diseases"), but there is still much concern and doubts about drug therapy, especially that prescribed
by the doctor. This finding reveals that the information they get in face-to-face consultations or
medicine information leaflets is scarce for an increasingly curious and informed audience on this
subject. Further, research on any of these topics is not discussed later with their healthcare
professional. For this reason, we can conclude the importance of providing, accessing and changing
language, either by health care professionals or by the pharmaceutical industry, in order to guarantee
and promote a better and more reliable health information for the general population.
Keywords: Seeking health information, Ethical Health, Consumers health, health behaviour.
Descrição
Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Marketing Intelligence
Palavras-chave
Online Information Health information European Medicines Agency National Health Service Health literacy