Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine (대한예방의학회)
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Factors Affecting Comsumer's Usage of Health Information on the Internet

소비자의 인터넷 건강정보 활용에 영향을 미치는 요인

  • Park, Jong-Hyock (National Cancer Center) ;
  • Lee, Jin-Seok (Department of Health Policy and Management, Seoul National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Jang, Hye-Jung (Department of Health Services Management, Kyung Hee University College of Business Administration) ;
  • Kim, Yoon (Department of Health Policy and Management, Seoul National University College of Medicine)
  • 박종혁 (국립암센터) ;
  • 이진석 (서울대학교 의과대학 의료관리학교실) ;
  • 장혜정 (경희대학교 경영대학 의료경영학) ;
  • 김윤 (서울대학교 의과대학 의료관리학교실)
  • Published : 2008.07.31
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Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to identify a gap between consumer characteristics and utilization of health information on the Internet. Methods: A telephone survey of nationally representative samples was conducted using structured questionnaires, and 1,000 of the 1,189 responses obtained were included in our analysis. The following variables were included in the analysis as potential predictors of health information use on the Internet: predisposing factors such as gender, age, and education status; enabling factors such as region and monthly household income; consumer need for health information; and attitude to health. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between utilization rate and the potential predictors. Results: Thirty-nine percent of consumers had obtained health information on the Internet over a one-year period. The utilization rates were higher for consumers who were young, educated, worked in the office setting, had higher incomes, wanted health information, and were able to use the Internet. The utilization rate was 5.35 times higher in the younger group (20-30 years) than in the elderly group (95% CI=2.21-12.97); 2.21 times higher for office workers than for manual workers (95% CI=1.16-4.20); 3.61 times higher for college graduates than for middle school graduates and below (95% CI=1.07-11.59); 1.99 times higher for people with monthly household incomes over 3,000,000 won than for those with monthly household incomes below 1,500,000 won (95% CI=1.01-3.92). Conclusions: There needs to be a paradigm shift, with consideration of not only Internet accessibility in the digital age, but also consumer ability and attitudes toward utilization of health information.

Keywords

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