FALL-RELATED INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOR OF SENIORS ON THE WEB - PDF document

FALL-RELATED INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOR OF SENIORS ON THE WEB Marjan E-mail: Askari m . askari@amc . uv Saied Eslami a . nl Stephanie Medlock Sophia de Rooij Ameen Abu-hanna

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Background • Falls form a major health problem for older persons • 30% of seniors fall once per year • Multifactorial • Serious consequences in terms of care and costs • Growth in elderly population in western countries

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Background • Need to develop feasible and easy-to- apply strategies • Internet is a possible suitable platform for empowerment • Providing tailored information • Information needs of seniors about falls is not known

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Aim • To investigate how elderly Internet users: • … use the Internet to get fall-related information • … learn what kind of fall-related information is of interest to them • … are willing and prepared to undertake self-assessment tests vs . solely receiving information

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Design • Survey: • Weblink sent per e-mail • 298 members of an association of Internet-using elders • > 60 years old

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Survey • 4 main sections: • Demographics • Fall-related information • Health related Internet use • A section designed for those who were interested in using the Internet to find or receive fall-related information

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Data analysis • Dichotomous or 5-point Likert scale questions • Analysis in the whole respondent group • Subgroups analysis: • Fallers vs . non-fallers • With vs . without experience in seeking fall- related information ! !

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Results: whole respondent group • Response rate: 33% (97 out of 298) • Average age: 72 (SD = 7 . 7) • 32% sustained one or more falls • Reasons of being afraid of falling: • Own pervious fall (50%) • A fall sustained by a friend or family (21%) !

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Results: whole respondent group • 85% use Internet for seeking health-related information • 55% search regularly • 64% were interested in using the Internet for falls • 13% had experience with searching fall- related information

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Results • 66%, 69% and 57% felt not informed about causes, prevention and consequences of falls • In general more interest in receiving information than undertaking an assessment test • Expressed interest of seniors in Receiving information: • Image and video information considered more important than other functionalities

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Subgroup analysis • Fall-information seekers significantly better informed than non- seekers . Mean Likert scale, respectively: • Causes: 3 . 8 vs . 3 . 1 (p = 0 . 01) • Consequences: 4 . 1 vs . 3 . 2 (p = 0 . 0015) • Prevention: 3 . 6 vs . 3 . 0 (p = 0 . 06) • Having had a fall not associated with seeking fall-related information • No di fg erence between fallers and non-fallers in being well- informed about falls • Significantly higher odds of having more interest in undertaking self-assessment tests for fallers vs . non-fallers (OR=4 . 12; CI: 1 . 39-12 . 3; p=0 . 01)

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Discussion 85% searched health related information, but few did that for • falls In general they felt not informed • Less interest in undertaking tests on the web • Given the considerable risk of falling for elders, one should investigate why online assessment tests do not receive more interest from senior Internet users .

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Recommendations • Websites should aim at o fg ering information about: • Conditions that increase fall risk • Safety at home • Possible exercises • Medications • Websites should consider the requested functionalities

Fall$related)Informa/on)seeking)behavior)of)seniors)on)the)web Thank you!