Internet Searches For Information Research Articles

Memory and Identity in the Time of the Internet

There are moments that define one’s life, and while we never forget them, reflection can lead to new perspectives. In the early 1980s I was part of a long peace march for nuclear disarmament. In 2020, an Internet search for information about this peace march found some documents that provided an impetus for reflection on memory and identity. This autoethnography suggests that unexpected events can provide impetus for critical self-reflection, reflection that honours the search for threads that weave our identity from past to present. This exploration may provide support for future transitions. It also suggests that social movements can be inclusive of a range of people with different levels of knowledge. Finally, it proposes that engagement itself is a source of learning, the impact of which may be understood decades later.

Understanding patient perspectives on health-related searches on the internet: Insights from an online survey of Korean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

With the increasing prevalence of digital devices and internet access, digital resources have become essential for educating patients with chronic diseases. We explored the patient perspective on health-related internet searches among Korean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We collected data through a Google Survey from 344 SLE patients. The survey covered demographics, preferred digital devices and sources, and digital information content, and participants' views on digital resources. We analyzed patient characteristics associated with digital resource usage. Of the 344 patients, 270 reported using the internet to acquire disease-related information, including the association between nutrition and SLE, general information on SLE, and coping strategies for SLE management. SLE-related searches on the internet were more common in patients younger than 40 years (p = 0.002), those with fewer than 15 years of disease duration (p < 0.001), and those with higher education levels (p = 0.022). Disease duration was independently associated with internet use. Patients reported that internet searches for information on SLE improved their understanding of the disease in 181 cases and motivated self-management in 166 cases. In addition, 98 patients found it helpful to make a shared decision with physicians. Health-related searches on the internet are widely used by SLE patients to gather comprehensive information on the disease and to address unmet needs. The positive impact of SLE-related internet searches on disease understanding and self-management emphasizes the importance of developing high-quality digital resources to improve patient education and self-care for the disease.

Web search results processing in an information support system for decision-making processes

Objectives. The problem of the web search results processing in an information support system for decision[1]making is solved in order to create and correct a meaningful description of a problem situation. An approach to solving this problem is proposed based on the use of thematic text corpora (collections of texts on a specific topic) as knowledge about the subject area, as well as a knowledge representation model based on verbal associations. When solving problems of the web search results processing in a decision-making information support system, five main goals are pursued: the formation of an extended description of a problem situation, the synthesis of a search prescription, an Internet search for information about decisions made, the synthesis of a retelling of the information found, and an assessment of the quality of the found analogues of the decisions made.Methods. Methods of set theory, graph theory and mathematical linguistics are used.Results. A mathematical model has been developed for the web search results processing in an information support system for decision making. The concepts of verbal association of words and texts, as well as pragmatically complete lexical structure, are formalized. The proven properties of such structures provide algorithmization of information processes in the model under consideration.Conclusion. The approach to modeling is based on the formalization of the concepts of the informativeness of words, sentences, texts and the informativeness of verbal associations between them. As an implementation of the model proposed in the article, algorithms have been developed for creating a dictionary of pragmatically complete lexical structures, creating structural-lexical templates for sentences, texts and subject areas, synthesizing a brief retelling of the information found, and assessing the quality of the found analogues of the decisions made.

Digital media and maternal healthcare among young women in Kenya: Use, patterns, and perspectives

This study aimed to examine the relationship between digital media use and maternal health care utilization among young pregnant mothers in Kenya. Using a mixed methods approach combining questionnaires and focus group discussions (FGDs), data were collected from pregnant women and new mothers aged 19–35 years in Nairobi. Using Microsoft Excel Data Analysis ToolPak Ver. 2016, primary data were statistically analyzed, while FGD data were subjected to thematic analysis and narrative interpretation. Findings revealed that 88% of participants preferred internet searches for information, 92% used different digital media during pregnancy, 56% used pregnancy apps, and 9% abstained from digital media for maternal health information. The study concludes that, in addition to the continued importance of traditional sources of information, digital media have a significant impact on the use of maternal health services. It recommends that health care providers actively usedigital media, especially apps, as educational tools to disseminate reliable information to young pregnant women and new mothers in Kenya. It also recommends that planners and policymakers incorporate digital media into maternal health interventions to increase their effectiveness.

Health Preserving Practices of Russians with Post-COVID-19 Syndrome

Introduction: Post-COVID-19 syndrome, its symptoms, duration and treatment are the subject of discussion not only within the professional medical community, but also among various groups of the population. Health-related narratives of Internet users about post-COVID-19 syndrome help understand what behavioral strategies can be implemented in people facing this condition and increase the effectiveness of health-preserving measures. Objective: To characterize health preserving practices of the Russians suffering from post-COVID syndrome based on the analysis of digital narratives about the disease, rehabilitation methods and therapies. Materials and methods: This qualitative research explored health practices in narratives of a sample of 23 Russian Internet users that struggled with post-COVID-19 syndrome. Results: Narratives about post-COVID-19 syndrome include documenting a) symptoms of the disease, b) ways of searching for and maintaining information about treatment methods, c) details of communication with representatives of the medical community and the social environment (including medical gaslighting), and d) health care practices (in terms of therapy and rehabilitation) and their efficiency. The narrator’s initial focus on formal/traditional medicine or selftreatment largely determined the behavioral strategy in the context of post-COVID conditions. Three types of strategies have been identified: 1) a strategy of maximum institutionalized health care, which involves responsible behavior (visiting a doctor for the first symptoms, complying with recommendations), 2) a strategy of independent health care based on the importance of one’s own opinion (following “habitual algorithms”), and 3) a strategy of independent health care focused on the opinion of the social environment (Internet search for information about post-COVID-19 conditions, discussions with friends and acquaintances). For all types of strategies, health care practices included taking medications, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and striving for psycho-emotional balance. Conclusion: The study of narratives about post-COVID-19 syndrome made it possible to describe human behavior in the face of a new health challenge, systematize basic health preserving practices, raise questions related to the functioning of the health care system, and establish certain manifestations of social attitudes towards health.

Young people are not blameworthy: the generation\u2019s awareness of COVID-19 and behavioral responses

At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has been ongoing for more than a year, young people have been the subject of vigilant scrutiny and criticism regarding their active engagement in social activities. We posed the question of whether young people's response to COVID-19 was different from that of other generations and analyzed awareness and behavior to investigate this question. Specifically, we examined internet searches for information on COVID-19 and credit card consumption in South Korea among young people in their 20s and compared them to a reference group of people in their 50s. Our research has confirmed that there was no statistically significant difference between young people and the reference group in this regard. Furthermore, in the 25 sub-sectors of industry we examined, young people's consumption activities recovered significantly faster than the reference group in only three sub-sectors. This study demonstrated that young people showed stronger interest than the reference group in their response to COVID-19, and that they cooperated with the government’s social distancing policy by reducing their activities. Through this study, we presented a scientific approach for evaluating young people in regard to their response to COVID-19, offering useful implications for designing appropriate policies for public health.

Spanish population trends in Internet searches for information on different diets

ObjectiveTo use Google Trends to explore the trends of interest of the Spanish population regarding information related to different types of diets, focused on those that are popular and with evidence-based studies, over the last 10 years. Material and methodsThe search trends referred to the terms “Mediterranean diet”, “ketogenic diet”, “low fat diet”, “intermittent fasting” and “vegan diet” were analyzed. The relative search volumes (RSV) of the terms were compared. The direction of the trend was studied using the Spearman's correlation coefficient (SC). Results“Mediterranean diet” was the most widely searched term, with a median RSV of 16 (interquartile range [IQR] 6; range 8–100), though it exhibited a decreasing chronological trend (SC = −0.216). It was followed by “ketogenic diet”, with an RSV of 8 (IQR 9; range 1–57); “vegan diet”, with an RSV of 4 (IQR 5; range 0–16); “intermittent fasting”, with an RSV of 2 (IQR 5; range 0–27), and “low fat diet”, with an RSV of 1.16 (IQR 0; range 0–2). The term with the best correlation over time was “intermittent fasting” (SC = 0.96), followed by “ketogenic diet” (SC = 0.91) and “vegan diet” (SC = 0.85). ConclusionsIn Spain, the interest of the population in information about the Mediterranean diet is greater than for other diets. However, in recent years there has been a progressive increase in interest (measured as RSV) in other diets such as the ketogenic diet, vegan diet or intermittent fasting, and there has been a decrease in interest in the Mediterranean diet. The low fat diet does not generate interest in the Spanish population.

Strategies for Online Information Search by University Students: the Relationship between Educational Use of the Internet and Cognitive Styles

The paper presents the results of experimental study of students’ information searching strategies on the Internet. The study was aimed to analyze the relationship between university students’ strategies of information Internet search for educational tasks and style characteristics of their cognitive activities (styles of information coding, styles of information processing and styles of cognitive regulation). The study was based on the Level model of cognitive-style characteristics (Kholodnaya, 2002). Main methods of study were experimental modelling of educational situations and testing for assessment of students’ styles of information coding, information processing and cognitive regulation. The results of experimental study allowed to identify two strategies of educational online searching (“direct online searching” and “improving online searching”) and their relationship with students’ cognitive characteristics and academic achievements: students’ strategies of educational online search are determined primarily by the characteristics of cognitive regulation. The results did not reveal a direct link between strategies educational online search and academic achievement.

Seasonality of Ankle Swelling: Population Symptom Reporting Using Google Trends.

In our experience, complaints of ankle swelling are more common in summer, typically from patients with no obvious cardiovascular disease. Surprisingly, this observation has never been reported. To objectively establish this phenomenon, we sought evidence of seasonality in the public's Internet searches for ankle swelling. Our data, obtained from Google Trends, consisted of all related Google searches in the United States from January 4, 2004, to January 26, 2016. Consistent with our expectations and confirmed by similar data for Australia, Internet searches for information on ankle swelling are highly seasonal (highest in midsummer), with seasonality explaining 86% of search volume variability.

Evaluation of French-language internet sites dealing with multiple sclerosis.

BackgroundInformation available on the internet has changed patient–neurologist relationships. Its evaluation for multiple sclerosis is only partial, regardless of the language used.ObjectiveWe aim to evaluate the content quality and ranking indexes of French-language sites dealing with multiple sclerosis.MethodsTwo French terms and three search engines were used to identify the sites whose ranking indexes were calculated according to their positions on each page designated by the search engines. Three evaluators used the DISCERN questionnaire to assess the content quality of the 25 selected sites. The sites were classified according to the mean of the evaluators’ grades. Grading agreement between evaluators was calculated. Ranking indexes were computed as a rank/100.ResultsContent level was deemed mediocre, with poor referencing of the information provided. The naïve and two expert evaluators’ grades differed. Content quality disparity was found within the different website categories, except for institutional sites. No correlation was found between content quality and ranking index.ConclusionThe information available was heterogeneous. Physicians should guide patients in their internet searches for information so that they can benefit from good-quality input which is potentially able to improve their management.

Psychiatrists' Comfort Using Computers and Other Electronic Devices in Clinical Practice.

This report highlights findings from the Study of Psychiatrists' Use of Informational Resources in Clinical Practice, a cross-sectional Web- and paper-based survey that examined psychiatrists' comfort using computers and other electronic devices in clinical practice. One-thousand psychiatrists were randomly selected from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile and asked to complete the survey between May and August, 2012. A total of 152 eligible psychiatrists completed the questionnaire (response rate 22.2%). The majority of psychiatrists reported comfort using computers for educational and personal purposes. However, 26% of psychiatrists reported not using or not being comfortable using computers for clinical functions. Psychiatrists under age 50 were more likely to report comfort using computers for all purposes than their older counterparts. Clinical tasks for which computers were reportedly used comfortably, specifically by psychiatrists younger than 50, included documenting clinical encounters, prescribing, ordering laboratory tests, accessing read-only patient information (e.g., test results), conducting internet searches for general clinical information, accessing online patient educational materials, and communicating with patients or other clinicians. Psychiatrists generally reported comfort using computers for personal and educational purposes. However, use of computers in clinical care was less common, particularly among psychiatrists 50 and older. Information and educational resources need to be available in a variety of accessible, user-friendly, computer and non-computer-based formats, to support use across all ages. Moreover, ongoing training and technical assistance with use of electronic and mobile device technologies in clinical practice is needed. Research on barriers to clinical use of computers is warranted.

The Best Answers? Think Twice: Identifying Commercial Campagins in the CQA Forums

In an emerging trend, more and more Internet users search for information from Community Question and Answer (CQA) websites, as interactive communication in such websites provides users with a rare feeling of trust. More often than not, end users look for instant help when they browse the CQA websites for the best answers. Hence, it is imperative that they should be warned of any potential commercial campaigns hidden behind the answers. Existing research focuses more on the quality of answers and does not meet the above need. Textual similarities between questions and answers are widely used in previous research. However, this feature will no longer be effective when facing commercial paid posters. More context information, such as writing templates and a user’s reputation track, needs to be combined together to form a new model to detect the potential campaign answers. In this paper, we develop a system that automatically analyzes the hidden patterns of commercial spam and raises alarms instantaneously to end users whenever a potential commercial campaign is detected. Our detection method integrates semantic analysis and posters’ track records and utilizes the special features of CQA websites largely different from those in other types of forums such as microblogs or news reports. Our system is adaptive and accommodates new evidence uncovered by the detection algorithms over time. Validated with real-world trace data from a popular Chinese CQA website over a period of three months, our system shows great potential towards adaptive detection of CQA spams.

An internet search for information on the 6000 books in D.M. Golitsyn’s library: The origin of this legend and determination of the possible size of the library

This paper describes the information that permits one to determine the origin of the legend that there were 6000 books in D.M. Golitsyn's library. Fragmentary information was found using the Internet directly on sites, in digitized book editions and the descriptions of archival file, as well as in printed publications, whose bibliographic descriptions were found on the Internet. An attempt was made to determine the possible size of D.M. Golitsyn's library. The article describes how the Internet was used to reveal little-known information from the history of Russian private libraries while subsequently gaining new information on them by complex data analysis.

Problematic internet use and internet searches for medical information: the role of health anxiety.

Individuals frequently use the Internet to search for medical information. For some individuals, repeated searches for medical information on the Internet exacerbate health anxiety. Researchers have termed this phenomenon "cyberchondria" and have suggested that cyberchondria might relate to the excessive use of the Internet for other purposes as well. The present study examined associations among Internet searches for medical information, health anxiety, and problematic Internet use (PIU) using a large sample of medically healthy community adults located in the United States (N=430). As predicted, respondents who experienced increased health anxiety following Internet searches for medical information reported significantly greater PIU than respondents for whom such searches either had no impact on or decreased their health anxiety. This effect was not attributable to the frequency of health-related online searching behavior or negative affect. Conceptual and therapeutic implications are discussed.

Quantifying Canadians' use of the Internet as a source of information on behavioural risk factor modifications related to cancer prevention

The purpose of this study was to quantify the frequency and timing of Canadians' Internet searches for information on modifying cancer prevention-related behavioural risk factors. We used the Google AdWords Keyword tool to estimate the number of Internet searches in Canada from July 2010 to May 2011 for content associated with the keywords "physical activity / exercise," "healthy eating / weight loss" and "quit smoking." For "physical activity / exercise," 663 related keywords resulted in 117 951 699 searches. For "healthy eating / weight loss," 687 related search terms yielded 98 277 954 searches. "Quit smoking" was associated with 759 related keywords with 31 688 973 searches. All search patterns noticeably peaked in January 2011. Many Canadians are actively searching for information on the Internet to support health behaviour change associated with cancer prevention, especially during the month of January. To take advantage of this opportunity, key stakeholders in cancer prevention need to identify knowledge translation priorities and work with health agencies to develop evidence-based strategies to support Internet-facilitated behaviour change.

EHealth Literacy Among College Students: A Systematic Review With Implications for eHealth Education

BackgroundeHealth literacy refers to the ability of individuals to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic resources and apply such knowledge to addressing or solving a health problem. While the current generation of college students has access to a multitude of health information on the Internet, access alone does not ensure that students are skilled at conducting Internet searches for health information. Ensuring that college students have the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct advanced eHealth searches is an important responsibility particularly for the medical education community. It is unclear if college students, especially those in the medical and health professions, need customized eHealth literacy training for finding, interpreting, and evaluating health- and medical-related information available on the Internet.ObjectiveThe objective of our review was to summarize and critically evaluate the evidence from existing research on eHealth literacy levels among college students between the ages of 17 and 26 years attending various 4-year colleges and universities located around the world. MethodsWe conducted a systematic literature review on numerous scholarly databases using various combinations of relevant search terms and Boolean operators. The records were screened and assessed for inclusion in the review based on preestablished criteria. Findings from each study that met inclusion criteria were synthesized and summarized into emergent themes. ResultsIn the final review we analyzed 6 peer-reviewed articles and 1 doctoral dissertation that satisfied the inclusion criteria. The number of participants in each reviewed study varied widely (from 34 to 5030). The representativeness of the results from smaller studies is questionable. All studies measured knowledge and/or behaviors related to college student ability to locate, use, and evaluate eHealth information. These studies indicated that many college students lack eHealth literacy skills, suggesting that there is significant room for improvement in college students’ ability to obtain and evaluate eHealth information.ConclusionAlthough college students are highly connected to, and feel comfortable with, using the Internet to find health information, their eHealth literacy skills are generally sub par. College students, especially in the health and medical professions, would be well served to receive more customized college-level instruction that improves general eHealth literacy.

Second Graders Learn Animal Adaptations through Form and Function Analogy Object Boxes

This study examined the use of form and function analogy object boxes to teach second graders (n = 21) animal adaptations. The study used a pretest–posttest design to examine animal adaptation content learned through focused analogy activities as compared with reading and Internet searches for information about adaptations of animals followed by making an informative puppet play. Students participated in six week‐long lesson sets, each addressing adaptations of two animals, which alternated between the two conditions. In the analogy condition, students matched cards explaining form and function analogies of animal body parts or homes to analogous manufactured items. They mapped analogies, thought of alternate manufactured items, and created new analogies. Students scored similarly on material to be taught through both conditions on the pretest, but made significantly higher posttest mean scores (76.1% analogy versus 57.2% traditional condition) with large effect size (partial η2 = 0.58) on animal adaptation content learned through the analogy activities. This study shows the usefulness of form and function analogies in teaching product innovations to second‐grade students, indicating that early childhood students are able to successfully engage in sophisticated analogy activities. Efficacy of the analogy activities was related to objects that focused attention, motivated, and gave concrete representations of concepts; to cards and graphic organizers for organization, connections, and memory; and to complex thinking activities that challenged students and promoted peer interaction.

Information about infantile hemangiomas on the Internet: How accurate is it?

We sought to measure the type, content, and quality of World Wide Web sites retrieved when conducting an Internet search for infantile hemangiomas. Fifty World Wide Web sites from a Google search for "hemangioma" were examined. Relevant sites were characterized, and content was evaluated by 8 pediatric dermatologists. The most accurate subjects were the description of risk factors and natural history, whereas the least accurate areas were photographic representation of the disease and presentation of treatment options. Four sites were considered accurate, and the majority of raters would recommend these sites to parents. Internet sites and search results change. An Internet search for information about infantile hemangiomas yields few sites that accurately depict the full disease spectrum from innocuous to severe. Online educational resources containing a broader overview of the real disease spectrum of infantile hemangiomas are needed. Such sites should include large numbers of photographs, evidence-based content, and resources for parental support.

Work-related stress

Murdoch & Eagles ( Psychiatric Bulletin , April 2007, 31 , 128–131) list a number of stress factors identified by consultant psychiatrists. Conspicuous by its absence is any reference to stressful relationships with colleagues. Are we a profession in denial? Any internet search for information

Teaching the Nitrogen Cycle and Human Health Interactions

An overview of components of the nitrogen cycle with Internet resources for students to explore is presented to discuss the ways this important cycle affects life. Beneficial uses include fertilizers, explosives, aerosol propellants and food packaging, and anesthetics; problems associated with nitrogen include NOx emissions, water pollution, and potential health effects. A learning cycle lesson on the nitrogen cycle is provided, along with pretest-posttest data (N-cycle drawings and responses to a 25-question test) from rural sixth grade students and urban high school students who participated in the activities. Both groups were enthusiastic about the lessons and showed significant improvement, although final scores of the sixth graders were low. Results of an additional experimental group-control group pretest-posttest study with undergraduate preservice elementary teachers indicated that students learned more when using the hands-on nitrogen cycle cards with objects and by writing related poetry (experimental condition) than by creating a nitrogen cycle diagram online through Internet searches for information and writing summary essays of cycle interactions. The high school and college students were highly motivated by the lessons and showed larger gains than sixth graders, indicating that the lessons are most appropriate for older students.