Table 2.
Participant internet use sorted by age group (N=406).
| Characteristic | Age 18 to 40 years (n=61), n (%) | Age 41 to 70 years (n=255), n (%) | Age ≥71 years (n=89), n (%) | Totala, n (%) | |||||
| Searches the internet for diseases in general | |||||||||
|
|
Yes | 56 (93.3) | 181 (71.8) | 29 (34.1) | 266 (67) | ||||
|
|
No | 4 (6.7) | 69 (27.4) | 55 (64.7) | 128 (32.2) | ||||
|
|
Not known | 0 (0) | 2 (0.8) | 1 (1.2) | 3 (0.8) | ||||
|
|
Total | 60 (100) | 252 (100) | 85 (100) | 397 (100) | ||||
| Searches for web-based information about current illness | |||||||||
|
|
Yes | 38 (63.3) | 116 (47) | 26 (31.3) | 180 (46.2) | ||||
|
|
No | 22 (36.7) | 131 (53) | 57 (68.7) | 210 (53.8) | ||||
|
|
Total | 60 (100) | 247 (100) | 83 (100) | 390 (100) | ||||
| Learning to use computers or smartphonesb | |||||||||
|
|
Self-taught | 57 (93.4) | 169 (66.3) | 23 (25.8) | 249 (61.3) | ||||
|
|
Internet research | 8 (13.1) | 17 (6.7) | 0 (0) | 25 (6.2) | ||||
|
|
Family or friends | 17 (27.9) | 108 (42.4) | 23 (25.8) | 148 (36.5) | ||||
|
|
Adult education center | 0 (0) | 5 (2) | 4 (4.5) | 9 (2.2) | ||||
|
|
Other | 3 (4.9) | 18 (7.1) | 9 (10.1) | 30 (7.4) | ||||
|
|
Total | 61 (100) | 255 (100) | 89 (100) | 406 (100) | ||||
| DSLc or broadband connection at home | |||||||||
|
|
Yes | 52 (88.1) | 178 (71.2) | 38 (46.9) | 268 (68.7) | ||||
|
|
No | 4 (6.8) | 55 (22) | 37 (45.7) | 96 (24.6) | ||||
|
|
Not known | 3 (5.1) | 17 (6.8) | 6 (7.4) | 26 (6.7) | ||||
|
|
Total | 59 (100) | 250 (100) | 81 (100) | 390 (100) | ||||
aIncludes questionnaire responses without information on the age group provided, which are therefore only counted in the Total column.
bMultiple answers were possible, and the percentage refers to the respective total.
cDSL: digital subscriber line.