ArticleBMC public health2015
Sociodemographic and health-(care-)related characteristics of online health information seekers: a cross-sectional German study.
Article in BMC public health, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 94 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
94 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- eHealth Literacy Instruments: Systematic Review of Measurement Properties.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Pooled it
- Health Equity in the Effectiveness of Web-Based Health Interventions for the Self-Care of People With Chronic Health Conditions: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2020Pooled it
- Engagement with a Web-Based Health Promotion Intervention among Vocational School Students: A Secondary User and Usage Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Trial
- Knowledge of Syphilis and Human Papillomavirus and Associated Factors in a Japanese University Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study.Health science reports · 2026Article
- Factors influencing vaccination willingness in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: data from the CoCo-Fakt study.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Acceptability of Sharing Internet Browsing History for Cancer Research: Think-Aloud and Interview Study.JMIR cancer · 2026Article
- An Organized Approach to Using Large Language Models for Medical Information.The western journal of emergency medicine · 2025Article
- Performance of AI-Chatbots to Common Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMDs) Patient Queries: Accuracy, Completeness, Reliability and Readability.Orthodontics & craniofacial research · 2025Article
- Sources of dietary recommendations and adherence to clinical guidelines in pregnant women in Germany.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Analysis of Social Media Perceptions During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Kingdom: Social Listening Study (2019-2022).JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Who is Getting the Message? Sociodemographic Factors and Gambling Behavior Associated with Awareness of the Swedish National Self-Exclusion Registry Spelpaus.se.Journal of gambling studies · 2025Article
- Tracking Public Interest in Rare Diseases and Eosinophilic Disorders in Germany: Web Search Analysis.JMIR infodemiology · 2025Article
- Cyberchondria, somatic symptoms, and internet-based self-diagnosis among the Saudi population.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Factors affecting health-seeking behavior in sports climbers in Metro Manila: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2025Article
- Perceived Experiences and Needs of Digital Resources Among Postpartum Women in the United Arab Emirates: Qualitative Focus Group Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Article
- Article
- Evaluating variations in the barriers to colorectal cancer screening associated with telehealth use in rural U.S. Pacific Northwest.Cancer causes & control : CCC · 2024Article
- Unleashing the potential of eHealth in outpatient cancer care for patients undergoing immunotherapy-a quantitative study considering patients' needs and current healthcare challenges.Frontiers in digital health · 2024Article
- Article
- Socio-demographic influence on the pregnant women's comprehension of maternal health information in Tanzania.Heliyon · 2023Article
34 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAlthough the increasing dissemination and use of health-related information on the Internet has the potential to empower citizens and patients, several studies have detected disparities in the use of online health information. This is due to several factors. So far, only a few studies have examined the impact of socio-economic status (SES) on health information seeking on the Internet. This study was designed to identify sociodemographic and health-(care-)related differences between users and non-users of health information gleaned from the Internet with the aim of detecting hard-to-reach target groups.
methodsThis study analyzed data from the NRW Health Survey LZG.NRW 2011 (n = 2,000; conducted in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, via telephone interviews). Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the determinants of online health information seeking behavior.
results68% of Internet users refer to the Internet for health-related purposes. Of the independent variables tested, SES proved to exert the strongest influence on searching the Internet for health information. The final multivariate regression model shows that people from the middle (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.6-3.2) and upper (OR: 4.0, 95% CI: 2.7-6.2) social classes are more likely to seek health information on the Internet than those from the lower class. Also, women are more likely to look for health information on the Internet than men (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1-2.1). Individuals with a migration background are less likely to conduct health searches on the Internet (OR: 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-0.8). Married people or individuals in a stable relationship search the Internet more often for health information than do singles (OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2-2.9). Also, heavy use of health-care services compared to non-use is associated with a higher likelihood of using the Internet for health-related matters (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2-2.5).
conclusionsIn order to achieve equity in health, health-related Internet use by the socially deprived should be promoted through measures to increase their level of e-health literacy. Furthermore, longitudinal studies are needed in order to gain reliable data/results on determinants of health-related Internet use.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.