Qualitative Research Studies Addressing Patient-Practitioner Communication about Online Health Information

Abstract

Modern healthcare is becoming increasingly technologized, knowledge-intensive, and specialized, which has consequences for communication between patients and practitioners in clinical encounters. Health information is increasingly accessible to patients through online resources. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of existing studies that address how patients communicate with practitioners about online health information and to identify the key topics raised in these studies. With the concept of eHealth literacy as its point of departure, this paper specifically highlights the eHealth literacy topic of how patients comprehend, appraise and communicate online health information before and during the encounter with the healthcare professionals. In the literature search, we focus on qualitative studies that consider patients’ and/or practitioners’ reflections on online health information. We searched PUBMED, SCOPUS and Web of Science to capture research from various fields. Sixteen studies were included that met the following criteria: Qualitative study, focus on patient-practitioner communication, eHealth literacy and online information. The results show that the vast majority of studies were based on qualitative interviews, addressing patients’ and practitioners’ perspectives. Key topics in studies addressing patient perspectives were: reasons for seeking online information; calibrating understanding of online information with the practitioner; and barriers to discussing online information with practitioners. Key topics raised in studies focusing on practitioners were: trust in the patient and the online health information he/she presented as well as strategies to respond to patients who referred to online health information. The review highlights the need for further qualitative studies, preferably observational studies from authentic clinical communication situations, in order to capture how patients and practitioners communicate about online health information.