Factors associated with using the internet for medical information based on the doctor-patient trust model: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Internet medical care has been advancing steadily, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the development momentum of Internet medical care in China is more vigorous. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with using the Internet for medical information, to examine the popularisation and implementation of Internet medical treatment and feasible strategies, and promote the further development of Internet medical treatment. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 408 medical patients who had used online medical services. The one-way analysis of variance or independent samples t-test was used to compare the differences in the influence of demographic characteristics on behavioural intentions of different people seeking medical care. Pearson's correlation was used to evaluate the correlation between different measurement variables. A mediation regression analysis was used to explore the mediating role of trust in Internet medical care. RESULTS: The difference in the influence of Internet medical use frequency on the behavioural intention of different participants was statistically significant (F = 3.311, P = 0.038). Among the influencing factors, personal trust propensity (r = 0.387, P < 0.01), website credibility (r = 0.662, P < 0.01), hospital credibility (r = 0.629, P < 0.01), doctor's credibility (r = 0.746, P < 0.01), and online patient trust (r = 0.874, P < 0.01) were positively correlated with patients' behavioural intentions. In the analysis of intermediary factors, the total effect of the credibility of the diagnosis and treatment website on the behavioural intention of patients was 0.344. The total effect of the credibility of the diagnosis and treatment hospital on the behavioural intention of patients was 0.312; the total effect of the service doctor's credibility on the patient's behavioural intention was 0.385; the total effect of the personal trust tendency on the patient's behavioural intention was 0.296. CONCLUSIONS: This study found defects in various factors that produce distrust in Internet medical treatment. It also reveals the positive effect of trust factors on the development and implementation of Internet medical treatment and provides some ideas for improving the use of Internet medical treatment by the masses.

Vitamin D receptor protects glioblastoma A172 cells against Coxsackievirus A16 infection induced cell death in the pathogenesis of hand, foot, and mouth disease.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) was one of the most common children illnesses. Coxsackievirus A16 was one of the major pathogens that cause HFMD. However, the role of vitamin D underlying this common illness has not been elucidated. Our study examined that vitamin D levels was significantly lower in 33 HFMD patients, compared to 36 healthy children. Unexpectedly, both mRNA and protein expression of VDR were significantly decreased in CA16 infected glioblastoma A172 cells. And overexpression of VDR or vitamin D treatment in CA16 infected glioblastoma A172 cells could reverse the CA16 infection induced cell death, apoptosis or mitochondrial membrane rupture. Therefore, our study, for the first time, demonstrated that vitamin D and VDR could associate with the pathogenesis of HFMD. Thus might provide useful information for HFMD prevention and treatments.