IngentaConnect Use of the internet by patients undergoing elective hernia repair...

Authors: Tamhankar, A.P.¹; Mazari, F.A.K.²; Everitt, N.J.³; Ravi, K.³

Source: Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, Volume 91, Number 6, September 2009 , pp. 460-463(4)

Publisher: The Royal College of Surgeons of England

Abstract:

INTRODUCTION: Patient-directed information available on the internet is not always regulated; it may be confusing and sometimes just overwhelming. We aimed to establish the proportion of patients undergoing two common surgical procedures, who searched the internet for information about their operations and to assess the usefulness of the information they received.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 105 consecutive patients undergoing elective abdominal wall hernia repair (n = 54) or laparoscopic cholecystectomy (n = 51) in a single surgical firm were included in the study. Patients were counselled about their operation in pre-operative assessment clinics and standard trust information leaflets were provided without any mention of this study. Patients were then asked to complete a questionnaire on the morning of their operation.

RESULTS: All patients completed the questionnaire. Of the patients, 59% stated that they had access to the internet and 77% of these accessed the internet over 2 h a week. Of the patients with internet access, 31% used it to acquire additional information about their operations and 58% used internet search engines. Of the patients who searched the internet regarding their operations, 26% were confused and/or worried by the information they received.

CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of patients undergoing common surgical procedures used the internet and about one-third of them specifically sought information about their operation on the internet. Such information can cause worry and confusion in patients. Our study highlights the need for regulated, comprehensible, patient information on hospital websites to which patients should be directed.

Keywords: INTERNET; HERNIA; CHOLECYSTECTOMY

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1308/003588409X432121

Affiliations: 1: Department of General Surgery, Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Armthorpe Road, Doncaster DN2 5LT, UK. aptamhankar@hotmail.com 2: Academic Vascular Surgery Unit, Hull Royal Hospital, Hull, UK 3: Department of Surgery, Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Chesterfield, UK

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Use of the internet by patients undergoing elective hernia repair or cholecystectomy