The Use of Internet to Access Health Information among Adults with Asthma in California
Background: The internet is widely used to locate health care information worldwide. The internet has limited health care information, providing a new means of communicating and facilitating interaction between patients and their healthcare providers. The knowledge gained through the internet can help patients with self-management of acute and chronic conditions as well as provide them with prevention and health promotion guidelines. Little is known however, about the variation in the access to the internet, its use for health information, and the effect of having a regular source of health care information via the internet among the asthmatic population in California.
Methods: We analyzed data from the 2011-2012 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). The survey is a cross-sectional survey using telephone interview of adult population. Asthma status and internet use for health information were self-reported. We analyzed the data using the survey module in STATA 11 taking into consideration the sample design and the sample weight.
Results: of the 42,935 participants, 14% were asthmatic. Ever used the internet were reported by 82% and varied by asthma status where it was 88% in asthmatics compared to 81% in non-asthmatics (p=0.01). Overall, 65% of the participants used the internet last year to access health information. It was 70% among asthmatics compared to 64% in non-asthmatics (p<0.01). In the adjusted multivariate model, adjusting for socio-demographics, access to care, behavioral variables and co-morbidities, asthmatics had higher odds of having access to the internet relative to non-asthmatics (adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=1.3; 95% Confidence level (CI)=1.1-1.5); p<0.003). In addition, asthmatics had higher odds of using the internet for health information relative to non-asthmatics (AOR=1.2; 95% CI=1.1-1.3; p<0.001). White, young married females, with high income and high education, who self-perceived their health as fair/poor, had co-morbidities and had regular source of health care had higher odds of using the internet for health information compared to the other groups (p<0.05).
Implications: Access and use of internet for health information was high among adult with asthma living in California relative to non-asthmatics. Those with a regular source of care had higher use of internet to locate health information compared to the other groups. Locating culturally and linguistically appropriate health promotion on the internet easily assessable and accurate for the patients, the health care providers, as well as the community might benefit asthmatic population. Dissemination of health education to patients through the internet can be an effective and cost efficient way for health care providers to have direct contact with the patients regarding asthma.