Evaluation of the Heart Failure in Internet Patient Information: Descriptive Survey Study.

Kyoung Suk Lee,Mi Sook Jung,Ju Young Yoon,Yoo Mi Cho,Sung Hee Oh

doi:10.3390/ijerph18031047

Abstract

Patients with heart failure (HF) may not receive enough HF education from their clinicians throughout the course of the illness. Given that information is readily accessible on the Internet, patients with HF may seek HF information online. However, the relevance of online information for patients, the health literacy demand, and quality of the information is unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare the HF topics available online with topics HF patients perceived to be important and to evaluate the health literacy demand and quality of online HF information. The most popular search engines and a website that ranks the popularity of the websites were searched to identify websites with HF information. The health literacy demand and quality of the information were evaluated using the Patient Education Material Evaluation Tool for Print Materials and the DISCERN tool, respectively. First, the HF Patients’ Learning Needs Inventory (HFPLNI) was used to determine whether the websites included the 46 topics identified in this inventory. Patients with HF (n = 126) then completed the HFPLNI to rate the perceived importance on each topic. A chi-square test was used to compare the differences between the topics on the websites and those patients perceived to be important. Of the 46 topics, 39 were less likely to be included on the websites even though patients perceived that they were important topics. Information on the websites (n = 99) was not written could not be easily understood by patients and did not meet the overall health literacy demands of 58.0% and 19.8% of the patients, respectively. Only one-fifth of the websites were rated as fair to good quality. Online HF information had high health literacy demand and was poor quality with mostly generic HF information, which did not meet patients’ information needs. Websites need to be developed reflecting patients’ learning needs with low health literacy demand and good quality.

Highlights

With information readily on the Internet, it has become common practice for individuals to seek health information online [1,2]
Websites published by government or professional organizations provided heart failure information requiring relatively low health literacy demand and was rated as higher quality compared to websites by others
The results of this study suggest that online information is not sufficient to fulfill patients’ learning needs, and much of the information is not written so patients can understand and take action to manage their condition based on high quality information

Summary

Introduction

With information readily on the Internet, it has become common practice for individuals to seek health information online [1,2]. People may seek online information to learn more about health conditions for themselves or others and/or to clarify information given by their healthcare providers [1,3]. Mobile health applications have become widely available to support self-care with features that track activities and provide relevant information [4]. This information can influence patients’ decisions about their health behaviors [5,6]. Given that heart failure is a chronic condition, patients with heart failure should adhere to recommended self-care regimens, which entail a number of life-long, complex activities [7,8].

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Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion