Internet health behaviors of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and assessment of two disease websites

Abstract

Background: Little is known about patients' use of the internet to search for information about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and their perspectives on disease content on websites. Objectives: To determine the interests and behavior of patients with COPD who search the internet for disease information and to assess their perspectives about 2 COPD educational websites. Methods: Individuals with COPD who had registered for a consumer panel were invited electronically to participate in a survey which included general use of the internet, online health behaviors about COPD, and assessment of 2 COPD educational websites. Results: A total of 445 respondents completed the survey in 23±12 minutes (72% response rate). A total of 95% reported that physicians were the primary source of information about COPD followed by internet searches about the disease (76%). The 3 major information priorities were "symptom control" (82%), "how COPD is affecting my body" (60%), and "treatments that might work better for me" (59%). Overall ratings (range, 1 - 10) were 7.4±1.5 for the American Lung Association and 6.8±1.8 for the COPD Foundation websites. Ratings by respondents were higher for all 5 impression attributes and for 8 of 9 content attributes on the American Lung Association website compared with the COPD Foundation website. Conclusions: This report describes, for the first time, information priorities of patients with COPD about their disease and their assessment of 2 educational websites. Our survey results can be used by health care professionals to recommend online resources to their patients.