Factors Associated With E-mail and Internet Use for Health Information and Communications Among Australians and New Zealanders
Research into the use of e-mail and the Internet for health information and communications has predominantly hailed from North America and European Union countries. By drawing on an Australian and New Zealand survey sample (n = 406) of health Internet users, this article expands the field. It explores factors associated with a series of e-mail and Internet use behaviors including use of e-mail to communicate with doctors, presenting Internet information to doctors, perceptions of Internet information reliability, and checking of web site credentials. Regression results reveal a digital divide within the Internet using population; that those who e-mail doctors believe this improves communications; that more frequent Internet searchers had higher odds of finding information not previously provided by their doctor, and of taking Internet information to their doctor; that those expressing difficulty communicating with doctors had higher odds of believing Internet information to be more useful; and that older respondents were more likely to perceive Internet information to be reliable, yet less likely to check web site provider credentials. Implications of these findings are discussed.
internet health information and communications new zealand australia