Developing and Evaluating Online Education to Improve Older Adults' Health Inform

描述(申请人提供)：2009年，超过60%的老年人积极使用网络，大多数人每天至少上网一次。随着人口老龄化，这一用途将显著增加。在目前的老年用户中，约66%的人上网获取健康信息。老年人最迫切需要有效的健康信息，但网站质量参差不齐，寻找准确的信息可能会令人望而生畏。最近的一项研究发现，老年人依赖搜索引擎，而不是已知的提供高质量健康信息的网站。这是有问题的，因为搜索引擎经常包含具有误导性且代价高昂的健康相关促销活动的链接。研究表明，四分之三的健康寻求者不会始终如一地检查在线健康信息的来源和日期。本研究的目标是开发和评估一个以理论为基础的在线教育计划，以教老年人提高他们在识别高质量健康网站方面的知识和技能，以及他们与医生沟通的自我效能。该项目将面向55岁及以上的当前互联网用户，以捕捉婴儿潮一代的“银色海啸”，他们的互联网使用与30岁的S相似。根据美国人力资源管理局的说法，“满足患者和照顾者对健康信息日益增长的需求，可能会改善医疗服务提供者、患者和他们的照顾者之间的沟通”，并“增强患者自我管理慢性病的能力，增强他们遵循治疗、用药和监测方案的能力。”这项研究旨在满足老年人的需求，他们中有一半以上可能患有或发展为慢性病，如高血压、糖尿病或抑郁症。这与AHRQ的研究领域是一致的：利用卫生信息技术来改善决策。它的目的是成为一个小型的、试点的医疗信息技术研究项目。具体地说，这项研究的目的是：1)召集焦点小组，确定老年人对在线健康学习的偏好。焦点小组将从Wise&Healthy Aging招募，Wise&Healthy Aging是一个为整个洛杉矶县的低收入老年人服务的多服务非营利组织。以健康信念模式为框架，这些小组将回答有关他们的“感知的信息需求”、学习和使用高质量网站的“潜在障碍”以及在与医生交流时使用互联网提高“自我效能”的问题。2)开发一个互动的在线教育计划，教老年人提高他们在寻找高质量健康网站方面的知识和技能，以及他们与医生有效沟通的能力。该计划将纳入焦点小组确定的健康和信息需求和偏好，并将成为健康行为和成人教育的基础理论。它将是互动的和自定进度的。3)通过对高年级学生的抽样调查，初步验证了该计划的可行性。4)评估新方案与可比替代方案的结果。要研究的结果包括识别高质量健康网站的知识和技能，以及与医生沟通的自我效能。 公共卫生相关性：本研究旨在开发和评估一个以理论为基础的在线教育计划，以教导老年人提高他们在识别高质量健康网站方面的知识和技能，以及他们与医生沟通的自我效能。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In 2009, over 60% of all seniors actively used the web, with the majority going online at least once a day. As the population ages, this use will increase markedly. Of current older users, about 66% go online for health information. The elderly need valid health information most urgently, but websites vary in quality, and finding accurate information can be daunting. A recent study found that older adults rely on search engines rather than on sites known to provide quality health information. This is problematic because search engines often contain links to misleading and costly health-related promotions. Research shows that three-quarters of health seekers do not consistently check the source and date of online health information. The goal of this study is to develop and evaluate a theory-based online educational program to teach older adults to improve their knowledge of and skills in identifying high quality health websites and their self-efficacy for communicating with their physicians. The program will be designed for current internet users who are 55 years of age and older in order to capture the "silver tsunami" of boomers whose internet use resembles that of people in their 30's. According to the AHRQ, "meeting patients' and caregivers' increased need for health information may improve communication between health care providers, patients, and their caregivers" and "enhance patients' abilities to self-manage chronic conditions and enhance their ability to follow treatment, medication, and monitoring regimens." This study aims to meet the needs of older adults, more than half of whom are likely to have or develop chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, or depression. It is consistent with the AHRQ's research area: to use health IT to improve decision making. It is intended to be a small, pilot health IT research project. Specifically, the study aims to: 1) Convene focus groups to identify older adults' preferences for online learning about health. Focus groups will be recruited from Wise & Healthy Aging, a multi-service, non-profit organization serving low-income seniors throughout L.A. County. Using the Health Belief Model as a framework, the groups will answer questions about their "perceived need for information," "potential barriers" to learning about and use of high quality sites and for using the internet to improve "self- efficacy" when communicating with physicians. 2) Develop an interactive online educational program to teach older adults to improve their knowledge and skills in identifying high quality health websites and their ability to communicate efficaciously with their physicians. The program will incorporate the health and information needs and preferences identified by the focus groups and will be grounded theories of health behavior and adult education. It will be interactive and self-paced. 3) Pilot tests the feasibility of the program with a sample of seniors. 4) Evaluate the outcomes of the new program compared to a comparable alternative. The outcomes to be studied include knowledge of and skill in identifying high quality health websites and self-efficacy in communicating with physicians. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This study aims to develop and evaluate a theory-based online educational program to teach older adults to improve their knowledge of and skills in identifying high quality health websites and their self-efficacy for communicating with their physicians.