Teens struggle to find accurate, useful health informat...( ANN ARBOR Mich. In a study of how tee...),Health

The study, published today in the online Journal of Medical Internet Research, suggests the importance of teaching teens better search strategies as well as encouraging Web site designers to target teens.

"I think a lot of people don't understand how important the Internet has become in terms of health care delivery," says Caroline Richardson, M.D., a study author and physician in the Family Medicine Department at the University of Michigan Health System.

"Web-based health care content is becoming more and more sophisticated every day and physicians are beginning to rely on the Internet to deliver detailed, tailored information to patients about their particular medical problems. Often in my own clinical practice, patients come in to me only after seeking information on the Internet about their particular problem or symptom. It is critically important that we learn more about the barriers patients of all ages are facing in accessing relevant health information so that we can continue to improve access to health content on the Internet."

The study asked 12 middle school and high school students in southeastern Michigan to search the Internet for answers to six health-related questions. Video cameras recorded the computer screen and the students' voices, while tracking software installed on the computer took screen pictures twice per second. Students were asked to talk out loud while they searched so the researchers could get a better idea of the reasons behind their searching behavior.

The six questions were chosen as popular topics for adolescents but avoided any controversial issues. One question asked the students to find info
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Contact: Nicole Fawcett
nfawcett@umich.edu
734-764-2220
University of Michigan Health System
17-Oct-2003