Interactive Internet use creates challenges for the public health service

In line with the general trend in Internet use, the popularity of the Internet for health purposes is growing, with more and more interactive use. This may present new challenges for the public health service in the coming years. Photo: Jan Fredrik Frantzen, NST.

The survey, with the Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine as the project manager, included almost 15,000 telephone interviews in two stages: spring 2005 and autumn 2007.

People from Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Germany, Greece, Latvia, and Poland were interviewed about their use of the Internet in connection with their health.

Patients demand more

The survey shows that people are using the Internet for health purposes to an ever increasing extent. Web use is also becoming more interactive, and people are communicating more directly with other users, patients, and health staff. A full 22.7% of those who were asked had used the Internet in this way - and not only to read static health information.

"Doctors must be prepared to see their patients using new technology to obtain information about their own health. This means they may also start demanding more interactive, Internet-based communication with the health service," says Per Egil Kummervold at the Norwegian Centre for Integrated Care and Telemedicine.

The result will be new challenges for the public health service. In Denmark, the authorities are now taking this into account. From 2009, it will be compulsory for GPs to offer eHealth services to their patients.

The study also shows that the proportion of Internet users who obtained health information from the Net has increased from 42 to 52 per cent from 2005 to 2007, and young women are the most active.

Scientific reference

eHealth Trends in Europe 2005-2007: A Population-Based Survey. Journal of Medical Internet Research. Volume 10, No 4 (2008): http://www.jmir.org/2008/4/e42

Contact person at the NST

Per Egil Kummervold, email Per.Egil.Kummervold@telemed.no and telephone +47 414 35 795