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. 2023 May 17;9:e39246. doi: 10.2196/39246

Table 2.

The extent and purpose of patients’ use of the internet during their clinical stay and at home (N=279).

Participant characteristics Setting, n (%)

During clinic stay At home
Frequency of internet use

Daily 198 (71) 237 (84.9)

>Once a week 16 (5.7) 22 (7.9)

>Once a month 0 (0) 5 (1.8)

Rarely 23 (8.2) 11 (3.9)

Never 30 (10.8) 2 (0.7)

Missing values 12 (4.3) 2 (0.7)
Daily time spent on the web in minutes

>120 7 (2.5) 28 (10)

60-120 20 (7.2) 56 (20)

30-60 84 (30.1) 118 (36.5)

0-30 119 (44.4) 71 (42.3)

None 38 (13.6) 3 (1.1)

Missing values 11 (3.9) 3 (1.1)
Devices used to access the interneta

Smartphone 219 (78.5) 215 (77.1)

Tablet 69 (24.7) 118 (42.2)

Laptop 62 (22.2) 152 (54.5)

PC 4 (1.4) 130 (46.6)

None 26 (9.3) 4 (1.4)

Other 7 (1.4) 5 (1.8)

Missing values 4 (1.4) 1 (0.3)
Web-based activitiesa

Using social media 192 (68.9) 208 (74.6)

Communication with relatives 148 (53) 154 (55.2)

Writing emails 143 (51.3) 228 (81.7)

Other (news, web-based games, shopping on eBay or Amazon, erotic, etc) 106 (38) 205 (73.5)

Searching for health-related information 68 (24) 173 (62)

Reading 54 (19.4) 92 (33)

Working 14 (5.0) 74 (26.5)

Learning or studying 12 (4.3) 88 (31.5)

Looking for treatment support 11 (3.9) 22 (7.9)

Participation in web-based courses for private education and qualification 3 (1.1) 22 (7.9)

Other 12 (4.3) 25 (9)

Missing values 7 (2.5) 2 (0.7)

aMultiple selection; percentages of respondents.