Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Among adults, 73% use the internet regularly, and the most frequent searches for information concern health. Increased patient involvement in their health-care decisions is reflected in an unprecedented demand for consumer health information that focuses on health problems, disease prevention, health-care services and self-care. In spite of its importance, little is known about the use and outcomes of online consumer health information, with few studies and no literature reviews about information-use and its negative outcomes in primary health care. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative research study is to identify the negative outcomes (pitfalls) associated with online consumer health information use in a primary health care setting, and to explore whether there may be methods of preventing these negative outcomes from the viewpoint of consumers', primary care practitioners' and health librarians'. The study will be conducted in 2 stages, first interviews with consumers of online health information, and then interviews with health practitioners and librarians. This will be the first study on this important topic, and the first to examine it from the viewpoint of consumers and providers of information. It will produce a list of negative outcomes associated with online health information-use, and suggest potential preventive measures.