Healthcare non-adherence decisions and internet health information

While the internet is emerging as an important transforming mechanism for health care and public health, questions remain about its limitations. Growing evidence indicates that a significant proportion of internet health information consumers is engaging treatment strategies inconsistent with professional recommendations. This study aimed to distinguish internet users who report non-adherence behavior from their counterparts based on several personal and environmental determinants. Using information obtained via the internet to refuse or discontinue treatment recommended by a doctor or dentist proved to be a widespread (11.2%) behavior. Internet health information bolstered non-adherence appears strongly linked with personal determinants such as anxiety, diminishing health, and gender – a pattern consistent with prior adherence research – and with environmental determinants including the perceived importance of both internet health information and internet-facilitated interpersonal interactions as well as using the internet as a social support vehicle.