Abstract

BackgroundGiven 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.ObjectiveThis 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.MethodsData 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.ResultsThe 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).ConclusionsAfter 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.

Highlights

  • In Europe, internet access is democratized with 80% of the households using the internet for personal use [1]

  • This study was aimed at (1) describing the prevalence of internet use for health-related purposes and the characteristics of online health information seekers over time; (2) assessing the evolutions of topics of interest and sources of health-related information found online; and (3) investigating the attention paid to sources of information, the trust in retrieved information, and the potential impact on management of one’s health

  • Our results showed a rapid growth in internet use in the 2010 to 2014 period with a decrease in the year 2017, in parallel with a decreasing trust in the quality and reliability of information found online

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Summary

Introduction

In Europe, internet access is democratized with 80% of the households using the internet for personal use [1]. 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

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