The internet is used for things we would have needed a person or a book to tell us not even ten years ago. Today, it is full of information that anyone could use to understand a variety of topics, especially ones that relate to one’s health. The internet as a source of guidance seems to be common among younger generations. It is a quick and easy way to get a general idea on many topics, including health.
Literature Review
The research done on this topic is mostly in regards to the use of the internet as a resource when looking for health related topics. The articles that discuss this topic seem to have common findings that people will often use the internet to look up health problems. This is especially true of people who had experienced or were afflicted by some medical condition, like cancer survivors or people afflicted by AIDS.(Chou; Horvath)
Other articles looked at use of the internet for regarding health in college students, who are commonly assumed to be young adults. Internet usage by college and university students was found to be high in two studies, but they had conflicting results on the usage of the internet for health research by college students, one being more than half and the other being less than a quarter.(Horgan; Escoffery)
Methods
This study will look to see if internet use for health reasons is more common among young adults than among other age demographics or if there is no connection between age and internet usage for health reasons.
The variables used for this research comes from the HINTS website for cancer research. The variable of “What is your age?” is an interval-ratio, independent variable divided into groups: 18-34, 35-49, 50-64, 65-74, 75+, and missing data. The last variable is “In the past 1...
... middle of paper ...
..., & , . (2011). Health-related internet use among cancer survivors: Data from the health information national trends survey, 2003-2008. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 5(3), 263-270.
Escoffery, C., Miner, K. R., Adame, D. D., Butler, S., McCormick, L., & Mendell, E. (2005). Internet Use for Health Information Among College Students. Journal Of American College Health, 53(4), 183-188.
Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). (2012). Retrieved from http://hints.cancer.gov/
Horgan, Á. , & Sweeney, J. (2012). University students' online habits and their use of the internet for health information. Comput Inform Nurs, 30(8), 402-408.
Horvath, K. , Danilenko, G. , Williams, M. , Simoni, J. , Amico, K. , et al. (2012). Technology use and reasons to participate in social networking health websites among people living with hiv in the us. AIDS Behav, 16(4), 900-910.
The internet is no longer just a source for research, as Cascio has said “ the digital systems we rely upon become faster, more sophisticated, and capable too” (Cascio). What he means by this is that we can rely more on technology to help us because it’s developing to become efficient to our daily needs. For example, there are tasks we can now complete on the internet that used to require plenty of time. Things like going to pay rent, purchasing groceries, or going to the bank are all things that can now be done online due to the faster, more capable power of the internet. Once time consuming or complex tasks are now simple to complete with just a few clicks. This is a beneficial concept to those who have busy schedules, have difficulties with transportation, disabilities that don’t allow them to maneuver much, or anyone who just doesn't have the time, patients, or ability to stand in long, never-ending waiting lines. According to the previously mentioned study done by Nanjing University of Science and Technology with the University of South Australia “elderly people are increasingly using mobile devices to conduct online banking, find jobs, access medical help, and obtain entertainment information” (Ma). This research goes to at the least provide an example of one group of people who have benefited from using the internet to make their life
Dr. Marry Marrow has syntheses her findings about Facebook and wrote, “Social media; staying connected.” She mentions that Facebook can bring happiness when you actively connected to our beloveds. Additionally, Facebook gives opportunities to health care as mean to communicate and to instruct communities (Marrow para 3). Social media like Facebook can enhance the relationships between us with organizations. Marry discloses, “There is a certain beauty of staying connected with loved ones and friends, favorite sports teams and performers via social media” (para 2). In other words, she presumes that affixing through Facebook gives off pleasure with one 's family, friends, sports team and performers. Moreover, she introduces that being active on Facebook can give you joyful moments and you won’t be lonely, and nurses can connect with their patients and embrace positive relationships with each
This site was chosen for its popularity and the wealth and breadth of information that are available to anyone with internet access. Tens of millions of people access this website monthly to gain insight and information into their health concerns. WebMD is a resource intended for a wide scope of readers: physicians, nurses, and consumers. The vast majority of users that access WebMD are Caucasian females between the ages of 18-50+ who are college graduates. Literature found on WebMD are: health information, symptom checklist, suggestions for treatment, information on medication, different links to additional information, and a place to store you information for future reference if one desires. All internet users must approach searching for health information through a systematic analytical review process. The evaluation process for a health information Web site should use the same basic principles for evaluation of general Web sites, but since health information can involve ...
Online patient portals are being utilized at health care offices and hospitals across the country. A patient portal is a secured website in which patients can email their providers, view and pay bills, request appointments, research health topics, review personal information, complete medical forms, and update their profiles and contact information (Ellis). In addition, some patient portals offer health monitoring tools, such as food diaries, body mass index calculators, depression screenings, and personalized plans to help patients quit smoking or lose weight (“The Doctor Will E-Mail You Now”). These portals provide a new method for patients to stay connected to their health care professionals ...
According to Li, O’Brien, Snyder, and Howard (2016), problematic internet use may lead to serious psychosocial dysfunction and has resulted in a proposed diagnostic criterion for the DSM-5 in order to assess the disorder. In the United States, 6% to 11% of internet users are problematic internet users. Researchers, in fact, compare problematic internet use to the assessed criteria for gambling and internet gaming disorder. They have also concluded that college-aged teens and young adults are at most risk due to the availability of internet access around them and the direct relationship between the internet and education. Symptoms include impaired physical health such as obesity or sleep disorders, psychological distress, and behavioral problems. Students may also experience more interpersonal problems and worse school and work performance.
Tyler, R. T. (2002). Is the Internet Changing Social Life? Journal of Social Issues, 58 (1), 195-205.
To evaluate the credibility of a website and support as a credible source for inclusion in a scholarly assignment, the student chose to evaluate www.CDC.gov. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a component of the Department of Health and Human Services that conducts critical science and provides important health information that protects the nation against dangerous health threats. This website was chosen by the student for a personal and professional interest in health information provided by the CDC. A Google search was performed to locate the website domain CDC.gov, resulting in web address http://www.cdc.gov/. The credibility of the website is evaluated using specific criteria and supported by empirical evidence. Using examples, the importance of evaluating internet-based information for a professional nurse is discussed.
Paul J., Seib R., Prescott T. The internet and clinical trials: background, online resources, examples and issues. J Med Internet Res. 2005; 7(1):e5
The internet is an essential tool in everyday life. The age of a person does not matter, because whether they are a teen, an adult, or an elderly person in order to stay in contact with others they will need the internet. However, the internet is dangerously addictive. Some studies say that the internet is not the addiction, but the means of getting to the addiction. The more believable of the two studies are the ones that discuss the internet being the addiction. Curtis stated in 2012 that reports on the brain are showing that people who excessively use the internet show abnormalities similar to people who suffer from substance addiction. Curtis also stated that internet addiction was becoming
Article by Beato is targeting college students because most of the examples he gives in the article are about college students. He thinks that college students get more affected from internet addiction. In third paragraph he says that “ University of Maryland went on a 24- hour media fast for a group study,” he says that students felt “anxious” “miserable” and “crazy” without Twitter, Facebook and their iPods.
Social networking has made its way into American culture quickly and is more prevalent now than ever before. Many people have different views on the relevance and benefits of social networking, whether they are positive or negative standpoints. Nevertheless, social media and networking is a part of our American lifestyles as a whole. As a Computer Information Systems major and studying the foundations and composition of computer applications, I would like to research the effects that social networks have on underclassmen undergraduate students attending an Historically Black College or University. In order to conduct this research, a study and survey must be held to determine whether social networking positively or negatively affects grade point averages by recording the number of social networks students are actively using and the number of hours spent on these applications in comparison to grade point averages. This research is important because there are many individuals who do not know the effects of their social networking, or lack thereof, has on their grades, sleeping patterns, health, and lifestyles in general. Although this research will focus on grade point averages of students, it will also determine if social networking has effects on other aspects of the college life such as sleeping patterns, health, and awareness.
First and foremost, health problems due to the increase in technology usage is becoming a bigger issue than one might think. With technology becoming a bigger factor in everyday life, diseases and other health issues that used to be less prevalent are now becoming epidemics (Rowan). For example, obesity, which is a condition in which a person is very fat or overweight. Obesity is caused by not getting a proper diet and exercise. Technology is causing this to become an epidemic in children, because children need at least sixty minutes of physical exercise a day and when they are watching TV, on the computer, or playing video games, they are not physically active (Loop). Also, when children are less active and on electronics, they are more likely to eat food that is not healthy for them, such as high calorie junk foods (Martin). With obesity can come many other diseases or health problems. For example, people who are obese are more likely to develop heart problems, diabetes, or high bl...
Since the Internet was created it has always had an effect on education. After military establishments Universities were the first real contributors to the Internet's structure. The Internet has vastly improved education. There are so many ways that education and the Internet are connected these days. Almost every textbook has a corresponding Internet sight including the one for this course. [http://www.scsite.com/dc2002/
The traditional education environment is starting to implement new ways to teach students with the rapid development of technology. One strategy is the use of the internet to communicate, listen, and share ideas among students and professors alike; specifically the use of the internet realm in wikis, blogs, and podcasts. Blogs are either a website in itself or a part of a website where something like an interactive journal is being used; a person can write about anything they wish, link or show images, and decide whether other people can comment on the blog entry. Wikis are websites or webpages dedicated to providing information about a topic and can be edited by either the members of that site. Podcasts are digital files in the form of audio, video, or both that can be downloaded online onto computers, MP3 players, certain phones, and many more devices. Wikis, blogs, and podcasts could positively alter the educational format of lectures for students.
their dorm room or apartment is sit down at their computer and go online. They proceed to either, read their e-mail, check their online courses for new assignments, or go on one of the many communication websites or programs that are available currently to this generation. None of this would be possible without the readily available Internet access that we often take for granted. The Internet has proven not only useful for entertainment purposes, but has also dramatically changed the educational approach, for both students and educators, and the way knowledge is being obtained.