Exploring the factors that influence medication rating Web sites value to older adults: A cross-sectional study

• Patients may receive health information from the Internet.
• Older adults with poor health-related quality of life may value medication-rating Web sites.
• Web sites may be helpful in facilitating communication with health care providers.

In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated factors that affected the perceived value of medication rating Web sites to 284 people aged ≥60 years who were taking prescription medications. The Patient Reviews of Medication Experience (PROMEX) questionnaire score, which assessed participant opinions about the value of online reviews of medications, was positively associated with preference to share health care decision making with the health care provider and negatively associated with the Physical Component Summary (PCS-12) and Mental Component Summary scores of the Short Form 12 health survey. The Primary Care Assessment Survey Communication score, which measured participant satisfaction with the communication from the health care provider, was positively associated with PCS-12 and health literacy. In summary, older adults who had poor physical and mental health-related quality of life were more likely to believe that medication rating Web sites were useful and helpful in facilitating communication with health care providers.