Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study investigated the health information such as the general health information, the health product information, and the hospital information, and we wanted to identify the association between internet health information and the health related behavior by analyzing the process after people search the Internet. METHODS: A telephone survey with structured questionnaire was performed by trained surveyors. The respondents were sampled proportionate to the Korean demographic distribution with considering the city size and the populations' ages and gender. The survey was conducted from October 2006 to November 2006. RESULTS: Out of 3,758 successfully connected persons of age 20 or more, 871(23.2%) respondents had used Internet health information during the last year. The purposes of searching the Internet for health was, 1) to get general health information (717 cases, 81.0%), 2) shopping for health product (109 cases, 12.3%) and 3) seeking information about hospital selection (59 cases, 6.7%). Our research showed that the process after searching the Internet for health information depends on the purpose of the search. 68.8% of the searchers for general health information, 67% of the searchers for health product shopping and 64.4% of the searchers seeking information to guide hospital selection were satisfied with their Internet search. However one third of the respondents reported not being satisfied with the result of the search. CONCLUSIONS: Unsatisfied consumers with internet health information tended to ask lay referrals from others or they gave up seeking health information. The health information system should be improved to increase the accessibility and to provide reliable and effective information. Also, a more user-centric community is needed in order to strengthen the effective role of lay referrals among the internet users.

• Keywords: Internet;Health information;Health related behavior