Use of the internet for health care information: results from a national telephone survey

Objectives: The Internet has attracted considerable attention as a means to improve health and health care delivery, but it is not clear how prevalent internet use for health care really is. Available estimates for Germany don't exist. Without accurate estimates of use, it is difficult to focus policy discussions or design appropriate policy activities. Methods: 2026 individuals aged 16 years or older were interviewed in Germany using computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) in 2001. The sampling frame based on a modified RLD-Design. Results: Approximately 50% of respondents with Internet access reported using the internet to look for advice or information about health or health care. The internet is differently used by the population for the health care information. There is a higher use rate of men, of younger people, of people with high socio-economic status and of the healthy ones. After controlling in multivariate analysis for the user, merely an significant age effect exists. Conclusions: The use of the internet for health care information in Germany is quite different. Questions about consequences remain unanswered. Do the differences increase or do they decrease? And which role does play the health politics? This and other questions could be answered by further studies.