Patient requests for radiological services: An Australian study of patient agency and the impact of online health information.
Health Promot J Austr
; 34(2): 437-442, 2023 Apr.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36054419
ABSTRACT
ISSUE ADDRESSED The Internet has been instrumental in patients' knowledge about health and medicine through increasing consultation of online sources that advocate self-management. For example, those patients who request referrals from their doctors for tests and procedures in radiology. Such patient-initiated referral requests can devolutionise the traditional model of health care. This study aimed to understand individuals who sought online health information (OHI) and whether requests for radiological referrals were the result of OHI seeking. METHODS:
The individuals targeted were those who have had a radiological procedure in the past 5 years. Using an online survey tool, individuals completed a 20-min anonymous survey. Included in the survey was a validated digital health literacy measurement scale, eHEALS.RESULTS:
Those who scored higher on the eHEALS measure were likely to be under 55 years of age and were more inclined to request radiological referrals. Though they were not concerned with the credibility of sourced websites, most secured the desired outcome from their requests.CONCLUSION:
Overall, this study indicates that patients are consulting online sites for health information, and individuals with higher digital literacy scores are asking doctors for referrals for radiological tests and procedures. These findings confirm our anecdotal experience in radiology departments. So what? In conducting this study, we hope to better inform radiology and other health practitioners of the way OHI is impacting clinical practice.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Telemedicina
/
Letramento em Saúde
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
Oceania
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Health Promot J Austr
Assunto da revista:
SAUDE PUBLICA
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Austrália