Health related internet use in 2024: predictors of use, experiences and relation with mental wellbeing
Theme: Mental health in a digital age
Type of research: Quantitative or qualitative research
Description
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) diagnosis 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 or emotional self-management of chronic (physical or mental) disease (eg tools for symptom monitoring, mobile apps for mental health, or apps for coping with disease, online peer support).
Whereas health related internet use may have benefits and improve patient empowerment, it may also have negative consequences such as ‘cyberchondria’ , and may even decrease well being in some cases Negative consequences may occur especially in people who have low digital health literacy skills.
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. More in depth (quantitative or qualitative) research, on people’s experiences with and attitudes towards a specific type of health related internet tools, for example self-tests via internet (see RIVM rapport), Fit-bits, or apps for mental health, is also possible.
Who are we looking for?
Students who are:
- interested in the topic of health-related internet and apps-for-health
- motivated to conduct a quantitative or qualitative study and collect their own data