Perceptions of infertility information and support sources among female patients who access the Internet
Received 18 July 2007; received in revised form 31 October 2007; accepted 6 November 2007. published online 13 February 2008.
Objective
To evaluate perceived helpfulness of and reliance on infertility information and support sources and correlates of online information and support seeking among infertile women.
Design
Cross-sectional survey.
Setting
Web site of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.
Patient(s)
A total of 567 infertile women responded to an invitation.
Intervention(s)
Self-administered online questionnaire.
Main Outcome Measure(s)
Sense of being informed, perceived helpfulness of online information, perceived helpfulness of online support, perceived helpfulness of infertility specialist for information, perceived helpfulness of infertility specialist for support.
Result(s)
The Internet is the most heavily relied-upon source, followed by books and infertility specialists. Sense of being informed was related to patient history, comfort level with doctor, doctor's encouragement of Internet use, and reliance on infertility specialists, but not related to Internet use. Perceived helpfulness of online information was negatively related to reliance on infertility specialists for information and support.
Conclusion(s)
Providers should consider patients' perceptions of the Internet as an information and support source. Encouraging Internet use may help women feel comfortable talking with providers and asking questions, two major factors that contributed significantly to ratings of specialists and to these women's sense of being informed about their infertility.
aCenter for Women's and Gender Studies, and Department of Advertising and Public Relations, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
bCenter for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, School of Nursing, and Department of Advertising and Public Relations, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
Reprint requests: LeeAnn Kahlor, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin, College of Communication, Mail Code A1200, Austin, TX 78712-1092 (FAX: 512-471-7018).
Supported through funding from the Center for Women's and Gender Studies at the University of Texas at Austin and research assistance from RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.
ABSTRACT