[Internet use by teenagers from Gijón (Asturias) as a source of health information]. / Uso de Internet por parte de los adolescentes de Gijón (Asturias) como fuente de información sobre salud.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the use of Internet as a source of health information by adolescents, its reliability and the acceptability of an email service for their questions. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Secondary schools. Gijón (Asturias). PARTICIPANTS: 475 students (1st and 4th Secondary, and 1st High School) selected by two-stage cluster sampling. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-administered questionnaire of ten items. VARIABLES: Age, sex, availability of Internet at home, daily time use, subjects consulted, source health consultation, information obtained reliability, willingness to use e-mail health consultations. RESULTS: A total of 468 valid questionnaires, of which 88.5% had Internet at home, 42.5% use more than one hour daily on weekdays and 74% during the weekend. The most accessed topics were physical exercise (29.5%), self-image (23.3%) and piercing, and tattoos (18.4%). Internet is the fourth resource used for health concerns (13.9%), behind family, doctor and friends. The majority, 56%, gave a very low reliability to health information obtained on Internet. A total of 70.5% would use an email address that provided answers to health questions. CONCLUSIONS: Availability of Internet at home is above the national average. High usage but low for health information, which gives low credibility. It would be advisable to start a mail service for adolescents treated by a multidisciplinary team from Primary Care.

Uso de Internet por parte de los adolescentes de Gijón (Asturias) como fuente de información sobre salud / Internet use by teenagers from Gijón (Asturias) as a source of health information

ObjetivosValorar el uso de Internet como fuente de información sobre salud por parte de los adolescentes y la fiabilidad que otorgan a ésta, así como la aceptabilidad de un servicio de correo electrónico para resolver sus dudas.DiseñoEstudio descriptivo transversal.EmplazamientoCentros de enseñanza secundaria. Gijón (Asturias).ParticipantesCuatrocientos setenta y cinco alumnos (1.o y 4.o de ESO, y 1.o de Bachillerato) seleccionados por muestreo por conglomerados bietápico.Mediciones principalesCuestionario autocumplimentado de 10 preguntas.VariablesEdad, sexo, disponibilidad de Internet en casa, tiempo diario de uso, temas consultados, fuente de consulta de salud, fiabilidad de la información obtenida, disposición para utilizar un correo electrónico de consultas de salud.ResultadosCuatrocientos sesenta y ocho cuestionarios válidos. El 88,5% tiene Internet en casa; el 42,5% lo usa más de una hora diaria entre semana, y el 74% lo usa durante el fin de semana. Los temas más consultados fueron ejercicio físico (29,5%), imagen personal (23,3%) y piercing-tatuajes (18,4%). Internet es el cuarto recurso utilizado para dudas de salud (13,9%), por detrás de la familia, el médico y los amigos. El 56% otorga escasa fiabilidad a la información sobre salud obtenida en Internet. El 70,5% utilizaría una dirección de correo electrónico en la que se ofreciesen respuestas a dudas de salud.ConclusionesDisponibilidad de Internet en domicilio por encima de la media nacional. Alta utilización pero escasa para información de salud, a la que se otorga baja credibilidad. Sería recomendable la puesta en marcha de un servicio de correo electrónico para adolescentes atendido por un equipo multidisciplinario desde Atención Primaria(AU)

ObjectivesTo evaluate the use of Internet as a source of health information by adolescents, its reliability and the acceptability of an email service for their questions.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingSecondary schools. Gijón (Asturias).Participants475 students (1st and 4th Secondary, and 1st High School) selected by two-stage cluster sampling.Main outcome measuresSelf-administered questionnaire of ten items.VariablesAge, sex, availability of Internet at home, daily time use, subjects consulted, source health consultation, information obtained reliability, willingness to use e-mail health consultations.ResultsA total of 468 valid questionnaires, of which 88.5% had Internet at home, 42.5% use more than one hour daily on weekdays and 74% during the weekend. The most accessed topics were physical exercise (29.5%), self-image (23.3%) and piercing, and tattoos (18.4%). Internet is the fourth resource used for health concerns (13.9%), behind family, doctor and friends. The majority, 56%, gave a very low reliability to health information obtained on Internet. A total of 70.5% would use an email address that provided answers to health questions.ConclusionsAvailability of Internet at home is above the national average. High usage but low for health information, which gives low credibility. It would be advisable to start a mail service for adolescents treated by a multidisciplinary team from Primary Care(AU)