The aim of Digital Health Information for the Consumer is to provide a detailed
understanding of the use and impact of key digital heath platforms and services
offered to the general public in the UK during the period 2000-2005, many of which
are still running. We believe this to be the largest, most exhaustive and detailed
account of the use and impact of digital consumer health services ever provided.
A user-orientated evaluation covering hundreds of thousands of people is provided
employing robust evidence based techniques, which means that it sits very well in
the general health field, where such techniques are widely employed. The origins
of this book are to be found in what is, arguably, the biggest consumer information
health research project ever conducted in Europe. The five year-long investigation
was funded by the Department of Health (DoH) during the period 2000-2005 and
undertaken by the research group, CIBER,1 now based at University College London
(UCL).
The book provides an extensive reference source on how health consumers
behave when online, whether this differs according to digital platform or type
of user, how they perceive digital health services and what health benefits these
services deliver. The data are of particular relevance to policy makers and health
professionals who are typically in the dark as to how the digital health consumer
behaves and, as a consequence, make many mistakes when rolling digital services
out to the general public, as even a cursory glance of any newspaper will soon reveal.
The data provided in the book are unique. While the services covered were largely
located in the UK in the case of the Internet services covered the audience is, of
course, international.