Sectie Psychologie, Gezondheid & Technologie

Health related internet use in 2023: predictors of use and relation with mental wellbeing

Additional information

Type of assignment:                     BSc. thesis

Internal/external:                         Internal

How many students?                    1

Includes data collection?             Yes

Type of research:                          Quantitative research

Number of ECTS?                          15 ECTS

Research assignment

The internet is an important source for health-related information, and health related online tools and apps are becoming increasingly available for the various phases of the “illness journey”. These phases include [1] prevention and healthy life style (eg diet apps, fitbits),  [2] early detection of symptoms and symptom interpretation (eg smartwatches to detect cardiac arrhythmias, symptom checkers), [3] deciding about treatments or care (eg patient decision aids, physician rating sites) [4] medical self-management of chronic disease (eg tools for symptom monitoring, or tele-monitoring) and [5] emotional self management and adaptation to disease (eg mobile apps for mental health, or coping with disease, online peer support ).  Furthermore, (internet)technology is increasingly being used for communication with care providers (eg  online access to Electronic Health Record, videocalls with care professionals)

Whereas health related internet use may have benefits, it may also have negative consequences such as ‘cyberchondria’ , and may even decrease well being.

In this assignment students will examine in a quantitative survey  to what extent people currently make use of these tools, which factors influence this use (eg age, education level, current health), and to what extent (various types of) health related internet use is associated with mental well being.

Who are we looking for?

Students who are interested in the topic of health-related internet use; motivated to conduct a quantitative study and collect their own data.