Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
TURKISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY, cilt.24, sa.3, ss.156-159, 2008 (ESCI)
Purpose: The study evaluated the frequency of internet utilization among the patients and their relatives who were treated in a clinic. Materials and Method: 700 patients and 700 of their relatives were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their internet utilization and sociodemographic features. Results: There were 673 [%48] males and 727 [%52] females, aged between 16-75 years [median, 52]. There were 657 [%46.9] literate patients and their relatives, who had minimum high school degrees and 743 [%53.1] who had lower education degrees. There were 504 [%36] patients and relatives with internet access at home and 418 [%29] of them used internet in their daily lives. It was found out that 385 [27.5] of them who have high education degrees and 33 [%2.3] of them who have lower education degrees used internet in their daily lives. When the frequency of internet usage about their illnesses was assessed, it was found that 234 [%16.7] of them searched knowledge on internet, but only 109 [%7.7] of them could find adequate Turkish resources. 65 [%4.6] of them knew specific health sites on the web. Conclusion: Patients and their relatives attending to the study had a significantly low internet utilization. It is essential that health facilities should familiarize themselves with these resources and should attempt to provide relevant, clear and up to date information that patients could readily identify and access.