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Table 4 Type of health information sought by search time, value and usefulness

From: Consumer access to health information on the internet: health policy implications

Information sought

Number seeking

Search time

Value

Usefulness

 

N

%

Hours

 

$

Score (a)

General health and nutrition

57

45.2%

0.45

 

65

3.19

A specific illness

53

42.1%

0.52

(b)

65

3.19

Medicine

51

40.5%

0.55

 

62

3.19

Health product other than a medicine

27

21.4%

0.41

 

66

3.43

Alternative medical treatment

25

19.8%

0.47

 

64

3.38

New treatments

23

18.3%

0.57

 

60

3.17

Sports/ fitness related health

18

14.3%

0.34

(b)

72

3.47

Diagnosis

6

4.8%

0.46

 

58

3.00

Support group

6

4.8%

0.67

 

66

3.75

A second opinion

4

3.2%

0.44

 

64

3.25

Other

5

4.0%

    

Total sample

126

218.3%

0.46

 

61

3.19

  1. (a) Usefulness (mean score) Five point scale where; 1 = no use at all, 2 = somewhat useful, 3 = useful, 4 = very useful, 5 = extremely useful. Respondents were not restricted to whole numbers.
  2. (b) Statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) based on non-overlap of the 95% confidence intervals calculated using t values and standard errors.
  3. Responses add to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer.