Author/Authors :
Pazarcı, Özhan Reyhanlı State Hospital - Orthopaedics and Traumatology Clinic, Turkey , Gölge, Umut Hatay Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversity - School of Medicine - Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Turkey , Çamurcu, Yalkın Devrek State Hospital - Orthopaedics and Traumatology Clinic, Turkey , Saygılı, Hakan Kozan State Hospital - Orthopaedics and Traumatology Clinic, Turkey , Kılınç, Seyran Cumhuriyet Üniversity - School of Medicine - Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Turkey , Keskinbıçkı, Mehmet Vakıf Şırnak State Hospital - Orthopaedics and Traumatology Clinic, Turkey , Korkmaz, Murat Bozok Üniversity - School of Medicine - Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Turkey
Abstract :
Objective: Internet and social media are used at a significant rate in the decision process related to health of patients. In our study we aimed to investigate the socio-demographic characteristics, and internet use, attitude and behavior oforthopedics and traumatology patients according to diagnosis. Method: Patients filled in a face-to-face survey form during clinical examination. The surveys were completed in the following provinces, from east to west, Şırnak, Sivas, Yozgat, Hatay, Adana and Çanakkale.According to diagnosis patients were divided into subgroups of arthroplasty, arthroscopic knee surgery, ankle surgery, shoulder and elbow surgery, spinal surgery, trauma, pediatric orthopedic, hand surgery and microsurgery, and soft tissue and bone tumor patients. Additionally patients were asked whether they had internet at home and whether they were social media users. The patients were asked if they had researched their disease or doctor on the internet. Results: 600 patients who participated in the study 287 were male (47.8%) and 313 were female (52.2%). The mean age of patients was 40.4 ± 21.6 years (0-91 years) with the mean age of males 37.9 ± 21.1 (0-85) years and mean age of females 42.6 ± 21.9 (0-91) years.Evaluating the relationship between internet use; disease group (arthroplasty, arthroscopy, spine, pediatric orthopedic, etc.), type of hospital (university, provincial state, county state), place of residence, educational level, age and gender are examined, there were a statistically difference all of groups. Of the 600 patients participating in the research 304 (50.7%) had a home internet connection and 234 people (39%) said they actively used social media. Of the 600 patients, 107 (17.8%) reported they researched their disease with the help of the internet and only 56 patients (9.3%) reported researching their doctor with the help of the internet. Conclucion: Popularity of internet use has increased the internet use to obtain information about healthcare. Knowing the frequency of internet use by patients will aid in developing resources to inform patients. In the future developing social media and the internet will continue to be integrated into health services and orthopedics to guide patient decisions. It appears that the most important source of information about health remains health personnel.
