Health Groups on the Internet

For the online community report that you have to do, some of you may be looking at groups based around chronic disease. There is an interesting article on BBC online, 17/10/04, "Warning on internet health advice"

"People with chronic disease should think twice before relying on the internet for health advice, research suggests. A University College London study found many would be in a better condition if they had simply listened to their doctor's advice.

The study found interactive computer tools do improve medical knowledge. But there was no evidence they change behaviour positively, and some that they left people in worse health.
The UCL team reviewed the effect of interactive web tools - known technically as Interactive Health Communication Applications (IHCAs) - on people with long-term conditions such as diabetes and asthma. In total they looked at 28 studies covering 4,042 participants.

Lead researcher Dr Elizabeth Murray said she was surprised that the tools seemed to boost medical knowledge, but, if anything, have a negative effect on the users' health.

Dr Murray said one reason for this apparent paradox may be that titbits of information may lull users into a false sense of security. Thus they become less motivated to control their condition in the way they would be if faced with a blunt instruction from a doctor. Alternatively, users may become so steeped in information that they make treatment choices on their own, contradicting advice from their doctors.

The UCL team defined an IHCA as a computer-based information source combined with one or more additional services, such an on-line support group, chat room or tailored advice based on data provided by the user"