Table 2.
Purposes of digital health engagementa.
| Purpose | Use, n (%) | ||
|
|
Yes, I used it in the last 12 months | Not yet, but maybe in the future | I did not use it, nor do I intend to in the future |
| ...to look for a health care provider (n=1997) | 979 (49) | 564 (28.2) | 455 (22.8) |
| ...to look for health or medical information for yourself (n=1990) | 925 (46.5) | 496 (24.9) | 570 (28.6) |
| ...to look for health or medical information for someone else (n=1990) | 660 (33.1) | 547 (27.4) | 786 (39.4) |
| ...to make appointments with a health care provider (n=1995) | 656 (32.9) | 682 (34.2) | 658 (33) |
| …to watch a health-related video (n=1996) | 608 (30.5) | 622 (31.2) | 764 (38.3) |
| …to buy medicine or vitamins online (n=1998) | 586 (29.3) | 341 (17.1) | 1071 (53.6) |
| …to prevent health problems or to treat themb (n=1994) | 550 (27.6) | 592 (29.7) | 853 (42.8) |
| ...to help you decide how to treat an illness or condition (n=1996) | 548 (27.5) | 631 (31.6) | 816 (40.9) |
| ...to find out whether you have a health problemb (n=1998) | 530 (26.5) | 479 (24) | 989 (49.5) |
| …to track your progress on a health-related goal such as quitting smoking, losing weight, or increasing physical activity (n=1985) | 504 (25.4) | 511 (25.7) | 970 (48.9) |
| ...to fill out forms or paperwork related to your health care (n=1995) | 483 (24.2) | 658 (33) | 854 (42.8) |
| ...to communicate with a physician, a physician’s office, or other health professionals (via email, WhatsApp, etc) (n=1994) | 461 (23.1) | 682 (34.2) | 852 (42.7) |
| ...to learn how to get along in the health care system betterb (n=1990) | 396 (19.9) | 697 (35) | 897 (45.1) |
| ...to help you in discussions with your health care provider (n=1990) | 395 (19.9) | 656 (33) | 939 (47.2) |
| ...to continuously record and evaluate information about your health (n=1994) | 354 (17.8) | 547 (27.4) | 1093 (54.8) |
| ...to look up test results (n=1993) | 347 (17.4) | 785 (39.4) | 860 (43.2) |
| ...to track health care charges and costs (n=1993) | 338 (17) | 709 (35.6) | 946 (47.5) |
| ...to share health information or talk with people having similar health or medical issues (n=1993) | 280 (14.1) | 571 (28.6) | 1142 (57.3) |
| ...to share health information from either an electronic monitoring device or smartphone with a health professional? This includes data on your blood pressure or your heart rate, for example (n=1995) | 203 (10.2) | 704 (35.3) | 1089 (54.6) |
aQuestion: “Meanwhile, there is a whole range of digital health services you can use on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. The reasons for people to engage with these services can vary. I will now read out possible reasons and you please tell me, whether you have used an offer for this reason in the last 12 months or whether you can imagine using it in the future.”
bItems added after comparing the US Health Information National Trends Survey instrument with the classification [8].