Use Of Medical Social Media BLOGS in Communites of Color and Low Level Literacy Individuals to Engage and Empower Them in Healthcare Discussions About Individual Health Issues.
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Abstract
Abstract:
Background:
Two recent surveys, one by the Pew project in 2012 and another by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in late 2010, confirm gaps in broadband use among demographic groups remain. People who are poor, disabled, elderly, less-educated, single, unemployed, from a minority group or who live in rural areas lag behind in Internet access at home and broadband specifically.
Information from the Web is often the basis for making health decisions and is thus an influential force. Of persons surveyed in 2000 by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 41% said that the Internet affected their decisions about going to a doctor, treating an illness, or questioning their doctor. This online phenomenon is occurring while a huge population segment, the postwar "baby boomers," is moving, like a tsunami, through the American health care system.
A Harris Online poll found that patients who use the Internet to look for health information are more likely to ask more specific and informed questions of their doctors and to comply with prescribed treatment plans. This was a survey and not a formal study. Further research is necessary to understand effects the Internet has on the patient-physician relationship. For example, are patients more compliant with prescribed therapy because they discussed it more with their physician or because they read it on the Web?
Objective:
To provide medically related information via an internet blog and promote health knowledge in an urban community based clinic with a largely minority and lower literacy level population.
Methods:
A blog was designed to provide medical information and commentary at a low literacy level as determined by an editorial panel. Consumers of an urban based community primary care clinic were made aware of the Blog by advertisement in the clinic and from designated primary care providers. The clinic staff at the time of registration for the visit made individuals aware of the blog. We will provide data from focus groups with representative end-users, and survey results after visiting the blog site. If the consumer viewed the Blog, they were given a survey to evaluate their level of ease navigating the website and knowledge acquisition from the information presented.
Results: The utilization rates, frequency of website visits and information accessed will be quantified and data presented. Information from follow up focus groups of end users will be reviewed and feasibility of design changes considered.
Conclusion: Internet access and utilization rates of the Blog (WalkertalksMD.com) will be monitored in an urban community based primary care clinic with a population significant for minorities and low level literacy users. The impact of blog information will be assessed in the focus groups and monitored overtime with changes in health knowledge. This may serve as an innovative model for linking identified populations to blogs to become more proactive in their own healthcare.
Background:
Two recent surveys, one by the Pew project in 2012 and another by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in late 2010, confirm gaps in broadband use among demographic groups remain. People who are poor, disabled, elderly, less-educated, single, unemployed, from a minority group or who live in rural areas lag behind in Internet access at home and broadband specifically.
Information from the Web is often the basis for making health decisions and is thus an influential force. Of persons surveyed in 2000 by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 41% said that the Internet affected their decisions about going to a doctor, treating an illness, or questioning their doctor. This online phenomenon is occurring while a huge population segment, the postwar "baby boomers," is moving, like a tsunami, through the American health care system.
A Harris Online poll found that patients who use the Internet to look for health information are more likely to ask more specific and informed questions of their doctors and to comply with prescribed treatment plans. This was a survey and not a formal study. Further research is necessary to understand effects the Internet has on the patient-physician relationship. For example, are patients more compliant with prescribed therapy because they discussed it more with their physician or because they read it on the Web?
Objective:
To provide medically related information via an internet blog and promote health knowledge in an urban community based clinic with a largely minority and lower literacy level population.
Methods:
A blog was designed to provide medical information and commentary at a low literacy level as determined by an editorial panel. Consumers of an urban based community primary care clinic were made aware of the Blog by advertisement in the clinic and from designated primary care providers. The clinic staff at the time of registration for the visit made individuals aware of the blog. We will provide data from focus groups with representative end-users, and survey results after visiting the blog site. If the consumer viewed the Blog, they were given a survey to evaluate their level of ease navigating the website and knowledge acquisition from the information presented.
Results: The utilization rates, frequency of website visits and information accessed will be quantified and data presented. Information from follow up focus groups of end users will be reviewed and feasibility of design changes considered.
Conclusion: Internet access and utilization rates of the Blog (WalkertalksMD.com) will be monitored in an urban community based primary care clinic with a population significant for minorities and low level literacy users. The impact of blog information will be assessed in the focus groups and monitored overtime with changes in health knowledge. This may serve as an innovative model for linking identified populations to blogs to become more proactive in their own healthcare.
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