Theory
&
Methodology of Dissertation Research
Results
&
Conclusion of Dissertation Research
Results
- Physicians
who utilize the Internet to obtain medical information are more likely
to involve patients in decision–making compared to physicians who
are not Internet users.
- However,
patients who use the Internet to obtain medical and health information
have lower levels of communication with their physician than patients
who do not use the Internet.
- Patients
who use the Internet were found to have higher levels of communication
with their primary care physicians.
- In addition, patients who use the Internet to obtain medical information are more confident in taking a role in their own medical care
Conclusion
Implications for physicians are that patients are more
active in fulfilling their health care needs and therefore should be encouraged
to be involved in medical decision making. For patients, the implications
of this study are that the Internet may be used in addition to meeting
with the physician for obtaining medical information as long as the sites
visited are credible. Recommendation for future research includes examining
whether patients who use the Internet and have higher levels of communication
with their physician and whether these patients are more satisfied with
their care.
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