Profiling Patients Who Use the Internet for Health Information: Implications for Health-Care Providers

Abstract

This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to determine the prevalence of patients who use the Internet seeking health information and whether such information has an impact on their health seeking behavior. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses revealed that patients with poor health conditions were more likely to search the Internet for health information. Respondents indicated that the Internet has acquired them with more information than they received from other sources and that such information has influenced their health seeking decisions. Measures should be taken to ensure that the public have access to more reliable health information.