The accessibility of computer-based health information for patients: Kiosks and the web

Ray B. Jones; Fay Balfour; Michelle Gillies; David Stobo; Alison J. Cawsey; Kerr Donaldson

doi:10.3233/978-1-60750-928-8-1469

The accessibility of computer-based health information for patients: Kiosks and the web

Ray B. Jones^*
, Fay Balfour
, Michelle Gillies
, David Stobo
, Alison J. Cawsey
, Kerr Donaldson

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceedings published in a book › peer-review

Abstract

The Internet is a rich source of health information but it is not as accessible as many claim. This paper brings together three projects to illustrate technical and cost barriers and some options to overcome them. (1) A survey amongst a representative sample of 180 patients in rural Spain showed a marked age gradient in computer access. None over the age of 50 had, and less than 10% planned, access to the Internet whereas a quarter were prepared to use health centre based touchscreen kiosks. (2) Half the commonly used search engines did not include the two most relevant websites for Glasgow colorectal cancer patients in the first ten documents listed, showing the difficulty facing patients in finding relevant information. Selection of information would help patients avoid being overwhelmed with information. (3) One method to improve accessibility is to download websites to kiosks but two projects showed that considerable work is required to reformat the information. Public access computing, such as kiosks, could help make the Internet more accessible. We discuss whether Web sites which structure their information according to method of access, place and person provide a way forward.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	MEDINFO 2001 - Proceedings of the 10th World Congress on Medical Informatics
Editors	VM Patel, R Rogers, R Haux
Publisher	IOS Press
Pages	1469-1473
Number of pages	5
ISBN (Print)	1586031945, 9781586031947
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-60750-928-8-1469
Publication status	Published - 2001
Externally published	Yes
Event	10th World Congress on Medical Informatics, MEDINFO 2001 - London, United Kingdom Duration: 2 Sept 2005 → 5 Sept 2005

Publication series

Name	Studies in Health Technology and Informatics
Volume	84
ISSN (Print)	0926-9630
ISSN (Electronic)	1879-8365

Conference

Conference	10th World Congress on Medical Informatics, MEDINFO 2001
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	London
Period	2/09/05 → 5/09/05

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Biomedical Engineering
Health Informatics
Health Information Management

Keywords

Access
Consumer health informatics
Health information kiosks
World Wide Web

Access to Document

10.3233/978-1-60750-928-8-1469

Cite this

Jones, R. B., Balfour, F., Gillies, M., Stobo, D., Cawsey, A. J., & Donaldson, K. (2001). The accessibility of computer-based health information for patients: Kiosks and the web. In VM. Patel, R. Rogers, & R. Haux (Eds.), MEDINFO 2001 - Proceedings of the 10th World Congress on Medical Informatics (pp. 1469-1473). (Studies in Health Technology and Informatics; Vol. 84). IOS Press. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-60750-928-8-1469

@inproceedings{da17f2c2b3034dd6b63da542ffe46d21,

title = "The accessibility of computer-based health information for patients: Kiosks and the web",

abstract = "The Internet is a rich source of health information but it is not as accessible as many claim. This paper brings together three projects to illustrate technical and cost barriers and some options to overcome them. (1) A survey amongst a representative sample of 180 patients in rural Spain showed a marked age gradient in computer access. None over the age of 50 had, and less than 10\% planned, access to the Internet whereas a quarter were prepared to use health centre based touchscreen kiosks. (2) Half the commonly used search engines did not include the two most relevant websites for Glasgow colorectal cancer patients in the first ten documents listed, showing the difficulty facing patients in finding relevant information. Selection of information would help patients avoid being overwhelmed with information. (3) One method to improve accessibility is to download websites to kiosks but two projects showed that considerable work is required to reformat the information. Public access computing, such as kiosks, could help make the Internet more accessible. We discuss whether Web sites which structure their information according to method of access, place and person provide a way forward.",

keywords = "Access, Consumer health informatics, Health information kiosks, World Wide Web",

author = "Jones, \{Ray B.\} and Fay Balfour and Michelle Gillies and David Stobo and Cawsey, \{Alison J.\} and Kerr Donaldson",

year = "2001",

doi = "10.3233/978-1-60750-928-8-1469",

language = "English",

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}

Jones, RB, Balfour, F, Gillies, M, Stobo, D, Cawsey, AJ & Donaldson, K 2001, The accessibility of computer-based health information for patients: Kiosks and the web. in VM Patel, R Rogers & R Haux (eds), MEDINFO 2001 - Proceedings of the 10th World Congress on Medical Informatics. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, vol. 84, IOS Press, pp. 1469-1473, 10th World Congress on Medical Informatics, MEDINFO 2001, London, United Kingdom, 2/09/05. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-60750-928-8-1469

The accessibility of computer-based health information for patients: Kiosks and the web. / Jones, Ray B.; Balfour, Fay; Gillies, Michelle et al.
MEDINFO 2001 - Proceedings of the 10th World Congress on Medical Informatics. ed. / VM Patel; R Rogers; R Haux. IOS Press, 2001. p. 1469-1473 (Studies in Health Technology and Informatics; Vol. 84).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceedings published in a book › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - The accessibility of computer-based health information for patients

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AU - Jones, Ray B.

AU - Balfour, Fay

AU - Gillies, Michelle

AU - Stobo, David

AU - Cawsey, Alison J.

AU - Donaldson, Kerr

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - The Internet is a rich source of health information but it is not as accessible as many claim. This paper brings together three projects to illustrate technical and cost barriers and some options to overcome them. (1) A survey amongst a representative sample of 180 patients in rural Spain showed a marked age gradient in computer access. None over the age of 50 had, and less than 10% planned, access to the Internet whereas a quarter were prepared to use health centre based touchscreen kiosks. (2) Half the commonly used search engines did not include the two most relevant websites for Glasgow colorectal cancer patients in the first ten documents listed, showing the difficulty facing patients in finding relevant information. Selection of information would help patients avoid being overwhelmed with information. (3) One method to improve accessibility is to download websites to kiosks but two projects showed that considerable work is required to reformat the information. Public access computing, such as kiosks, could help make the Internet more accessible. We discuss whether Web sites which structure their information according to method of access, place and person provide a way forward.

AB - The Internet is a rich source of health information but it is not as accessible as many claim. This paper brings together three projects to illustrate technical and cost barriers and some options to overcome them. (1) A survey amongst a representative sample of 180 patients in rural Spain showed a marked age gradient in computer access. None over the age of 50 had, and less than 10% planned, access to the Internet whereas a quarter were prepared to use health centre based touchscreen kiosks. (2) Half the commonly used search engines did not include the two most relevant websites for Glasgow colorectal cancer patients in the first ten documents listed, showing the difficulty facing patients in finding relevant information. Selection of information would help patients avoid being overwhelmed with information. (3) One method to improve accessibility is to download websites to kiosks but two projects showed that considerable work is required to reformat the information. Public access computing, such as kiosks, could help make the Internet more accessible. We discuss whether Web sites which structure their information according to method of access, place and person provide a way forward.

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M3 - Conference proceedings published in a book

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AN - SCOPUS:70949088290

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SN - 9781586031947

T3 - Studies in Health Technology and Informatics

SP - 1469

EP - 1473

BT - MEDINFO 2001 - Proceedings of the 10th World Congress on Medical Informatics

A2 - Patel, VM

A2 - Rogers, R

A2 - Haux, R

PB - IOS Press

Y2 - 2 September 2005 through 5 September 2005

ER -

Jones RB, Balfour F, Gillies M, Stobo D, Cawsey AJ, Donaldson K. The accessibility of computer-based health information for patients: Kiosks and the web. In Patel VM, Rogers R, Haux R, editors, MEDINFO 2001 - Proceedings of the 10th World Congress on Medical Informatics. IOS Press. 2001. p. 1469-1473. (Studies in Health Technology and Informatics). doi: 10.3233/978-1-60750-928-8-1469

The accessibility of computer-based health information for patients: Kiosks and the web

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

UN SDGs

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

Access to Document

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Cite this