Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28733300›Full record

Observational studyBMJ open2017

Exploring the relationship between frequent internet use and health and social care resource use in a community-based cohort of older adults: an observational study in primary care.

Caroline S Clarke, Jeff Round, Stephen Morris, Kalpa Kharicha, John Ford, Jill Manthorpe, Steve Iliffe, Claire Goodman, Kate Walters

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMJ open, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Caroline S ClarkeResearch Department of Primary Care & Population Health, University College London (UCL), London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4676-1257
Jeff RoundSchool of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Stephen MorrisDepartment of Applied Health Research, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Kalpa KharichaResearch Department of Primary Care & Population Health, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
John FordDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Jill ManthorpeSocial Care Workforce Research Unit, King's College London, London, UK.
Steve IliffeResearch Department of Primary Care & Population Health, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
Claire GoodmanCentre for Research in Primary and Community Care, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK.
Kate WaltersResearch Department of Primary Care & Population Health, University College London (UCL), London, UK.

Funding

Department of Health DRF-2014-07-083Medical Research Council G1001822
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesGiven many countries' ageing populations, policymakers must consider how to mitigate or reduce health problems associated with old age, within budgetary constraints. Evidence of use of digital technology in delaying the onset of illness and reducing healthcare service use is mixed, with no clear consensus as yet. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between frequent internet use and patterns of health or social care resource use in primary care attendees who took part in a study seeking to improve the health of older adults.

methodsParticipants recruited from primary care, aged >65 and living in semirural or urban areas in the south of England, were followed up at 3 and 6 months after completing a comprehensive questionnaire with personalised feedback on their health and well-being. We performed logistic regression analyses to investigate relationships between frequent internet use and patterns of service use, controlling for confounding factors, and clustering by general practitioner practice. Four categories of service use data were gathered: use of primary National Health Service (NHS) care; secondary NHS care; other community health and social care services; and assistance with washing, shopping and meals.

resultsOur results show, in this relatively healthy population, a positive relationship (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.33 to 2.23) between frequent internet use and use of any other community-based health services (physiotherapist, osteopath/chiropractor, dentist, optician/optometrist, counselling service, smoking cessation service, chiropodist/podiatrist, emergency services, other non-specific health services) and no relationship with the other types of care. No causal relationship can be postulated due to the study's design.

conclusionsNo observed relationship between frequent internet use and primary or secondary care use was found, suggesting that older adults without internet access are not disadvantaged regarding healthcare use. Further research should explore how older people use the internet to access healthcare and the impact on health.

Indexed as

Primary Health CareSecondary Health CareActivities of Daily LivingAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsAgingCohort StudiesCommunity Health ServicesEnglandFemaleHealth ResourcesHumansInternetLogistic ModelsMalehealth service resource useinternet uselogistic regressionOlder adultspanel dataprimary care

Identifiers

PMID28733300
PMCPMC5642753

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.