scholarly journals How Caregivers of People With Dementia Search for Dementia-Specific Information on the Internet: Survey Study

JMIR Aging ◽  
10.2196/15480 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. e15480
Author(s):  
Areti Efthymiou ◽  
Evridiki Papastavrou ◽  
Nicos Middleton ◽  
Artemis Markatou ◽  
Paraskevi Sakka
Keyword(s):  
Internet Use ◽  
National Health System ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Internet Survey ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Bivariate Analysis ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Web Based ◽  
People With Dementia

Background During the last decade, more research has focused on web-based interventions delivered to support caregivers of people with dementia. However, little information is available in relation to internet use among caregivers in general, especially those caring for people with dementia. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the dementia-related internet use and factors that may be associated with its use among caregivers of people with dementia in Greece. Methods Secondary data from the Greek Dementia Survey of the Athens Association of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders were collected from April to June 2017. A total of 580 caregivers of people with dementia participated in the study. Results The majority of the caregivers reported that they had used the internet in the previous 3 months (84.1%, 488/580). Nearly half of the caregivers (47.5%, 276/580) reported that they had received dementia services online. Bivariate analysis showed that a dementia-specific search of information was associated with age, education, kinship, and years of care. Age (odds ratio [OR] 2.362, 95% CI 1.05-5.33) and education (OR 2.228, 95% CI 1.01-4.94) were confirmed as predictors, with younger caregivers and those with higher educational attainment being more likely to search for dementia-specific information. Use of the internet to search for dementia information was only related to hours of care. The internet use by caregivers within the previous 3 months was associated with variables such as age, education, occupation, kinship, years of care, and self-reported impact on physical and social health. Conclusions Caregivers of people with dementia in Greece, as in the other southern European countries, are essential agents of the national health system. The existing short- and long-term respite care services are limited or nonexistent. Currently, caregivers receive mostly support and education from memory clinics and municipality consultation centers, which are mainly based in central cities in Greece. Despite the dementia awareness movement in Greece, there is still space to integrate the role of technology in the support and education of caregivers. Development of training programs for enhancing electronic health literacy skills as well as web-based services provision could support Greek caregivers in their everyday caring tasks.

scholarly journals How Caregivers of People With Dementia Search for Dementia-Specific Information on the Internet: Survey Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Areti Efthymiou ◽  
Evridiki Papastavrou ◽  
Nicos Middleton ◽  
Artemis Markatou ◽  
Paraskevi Sakka
Keyword(s):  
Internet Use ◽  
National Health System ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Internet Survey ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Bivariate Analysis ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Web Based ◽  
People With Dementia

BACKGROUND During the last decade, more research has focused on web-based interventions delivered to support caregivers of people with dementia. However, little information is available in relation to internet use among caregivers in general, especially those caring for people with dementia. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the dementia-related internet use and factors that may be associated with its use among caregivers of people with dementia in Greece. METHODS Secondary data from the Greek Dementia Survey of the Athens Association of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders were collected from April to June 2017. A total of 580 caregivers of people with dementia participated in the study. RESULTS The majority of the caregivers reported that they had used the internet in the previous 3 months (84.1%, 488/580). Nearly half of the caregivers (47.5%, 276/580) reported that they had received dementia services online. Bivariate analysis showed that a dementia-specific search of information was associated with age, education, kinship, and years of care. Age (odds ratio [OR] 2.362, 95% CI 1.05-5.33) and education (OR 2.228, 95% CI 1.01-4.94) were confirmed as predictors, with younger caregivers and those with higher educational attainment being more likely to search for dementia-specific information. Use of the internet to search for dementia information was only related to hours of care. The internet use by caregivers within the previous 3 months was associated with variables such as age, education, occupation, kinship, years of care, and self-reported impact on physical and social health. CONCLUSIONS Caregivers of people with dementia in Greece, as in the other southern European countries, are essential agents of the national health system. The existing short- and long-term respite care services are limited or nonexistent. Currently, caregivers receive mostly support and education from memory clinics and municipality consultation centers, which are mainly based in central cities in Greece. Despite the dementia awareness movement in Greece, there is still space to integrate the role of technology in the support and education of caregivers. Development of training programs for enhancing electronic health literacy skills as well as web-based services provision could support Greek caregivers in their everyday caring tasks.

scholarly journals Health-Related Internet Use by Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eunhee Park ◽  
Misol Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Health Related

BACKGROUND The internet is widely used by children and adolescents, who generally have a high level of competency with technology. Thus, the internet has become a great resource for supporting youth self-care and health-related services. However, few studies have explored adolescents’ internet use for health-related matters. OBJECTIVE The objective of this systematic literature review was to examine the phenomenon of children and adolescents’ health-related internet use and to identify gaps in the research. METHODS A total of 19 studies were selected from a search of major electronic databases: PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and PsycINFO using the following search terms: “health-related internet use,” “eHealth,” “Internet use for health-related purpose,” “Web-based resource,” “health information seeking,” and “online resource,” combined with “child,” “adolescent,” “student,” “youth,” and “teen.” The children’s and adolescents’ ages were limited to 24 years and younger. The search was conducted from September 2015 to October 2017. The studies identified to contain youth (<24 years) health-related internet use were all published in peer-reviewed journals in the past 10 years; these studies examined general internet use seeking health care services, resources, information, or using the internet for health promotion and self-care. Studies were excluded if they explored the role of the internet as a modality for surveys, recruitment, or searching for relevant literature without specifically aiming to study participants’ health-related internet use; focused solely on quality assurance for specific websites; or were designed to test a specific internet-based intervention. RESULTS Interesting patterns in adolescents’ health-related internet use, such as seeking preventative health care and specific information about medical issues, were identified. Quantitative studies reported rates of the internet use and access among youth, and the purpose and patterns of health-related internet use among youth were identified. A major objective of health-related internet use is to gain information, but there are inconsistencies in adolescents’ perceptions of health-related internet use. CONCLUSIONS This study’s findings provide important information on how youth seek information and related support systems for their health care on the internet. The conceptual and methodological limitations of the identified studies, such as the lack of a theoretical background and unrepresentative samples, are discussed, and gaps within the studies are identified for future research. This review also suggests important features for potential Web-based health interventions for children and adolescents.

Kaitan Akses Internet dan Penyelesaian Tugas Sekolah Berdasarkan Regresi Kuantil Menuju Masyarakat 5.0

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 342-350
Author(s):  
Suparna Parwodiwiyono
Keyword(s):  
Quantile Regression ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Internet Access ◽  
The Internet ◽  
School Work ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Use Of The Internet ◽  
Good Learning ◽  
The Relationship

Abstrak: Bagi generasi pasca milenial penggunaan internet sangat akrab tetapi dengan berbagai tujuan penggunaan. Penelitian ini ingin melihat keterkaitan penggunaan internet oleh penduduk yang sedang sekolah untuk kepentingan penyelesaian tugas sekolah di Indonesia untuk mendapatkan hasil belajar yang baik. Analisis berdasarkan data sekunder dari Survei Sosial Ekonomi Nasional tahun 2018. Hanya saja data yang didapatkan tidak simetris dengan adanya pencilan. Regresi kuantil digunakan untuk meminimumkan pengaruh dari pencilan yang ada. Penelitian mendapatkan hasil bahwa terdapat kaitan yang erat antara akses internet dari penduduk yang sedang sekolah dengan penyelesaian tugas sekolah.  Hasil regresi kuantil menunjukkan bahwa proporsi akses internet untuk penyelesaian tugas sekolah berbeda antar golongan proporsi penggunaan internet. Proporsi penggunaan internet yang tinggi akan digunakan untuk penyelesaian tugas sekolah yang lebih tinggi pula. Abstract: For the post millennial generation the use of the internet is very familiar but with various purposes of use. This study wants to look at the relationship between the use of the internet by residents who are currently in school for the sake of completing school work in Indonesia to get good learning outcomes. Analysis based on secondary data from the 2018 National Socio-Economic Survey. It's just that the data obtained is not symmetrical with outliers. Quantile regression is used to minimize the effect of outliers. The study found that there was a close relationship between internet access from residents who were in school and completion of school work. The quantile regression results show that the proportion of internet access for completing school work differs between groups of proportions of internet use. A high proportion of internet use will be used for completing higher school work.

scholarly journals The Effect Of Internet Use Habit Toward English Achievement: Survey Study In Smp Al Azhar 8 Bekasi

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. 431
Author(s):  
Okfida Yani Syaf
Keyword(s):  
Internet Use ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Media ◽  
International Language ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Class Viii ◽  
English Achievement

Students nowadays interact more frequently through the internet using English. As an international language, English is used by most internet users, both by application companies and social networks, as well as by users. Internet usage can be more easily obtained, especially in big cities. This affects the students’ way of thinking, learning and behaving because they can learn everything easily and quickly through online media available at the internet. The aim of this research is to show the effect of internet use habit on English achievement for class VIII students at SMPI Al Azhar 8 in Bekasi. This research based on survey methods using technical correlational analysis. While the data and information were obtained by a questionnaire. The sample is taken with purposive sampling technique that is 44 students. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that: There is a significant effect of the habit of interacting through the internet on the English achievement. This is evidenced by the acquisition of the results of the Sig. 0,000 <0,05dan t value = 4,365 which means there is a significant effect.

The relationship between daily Internet use time and school performance in Korean adolescents

Open Medicine ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 444-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong-Hyun Kim ◽  
Wi-Young So
Keyword(s):  
School Performance ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
First Grade ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Performance Levels ◽  
Korean Adolescents ◽  
Average School

AbstractThis study investigates whether daily Internet use time is related to the school performance of Korean adolescents. We therefore analyzed raw data from the 2009 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey-V (KYRBWS-V), in which 75,066 students from the middle-school first grade to the high-school third grade participated. We assessed the association between daily Internet use time and school performance by using multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, body mass index, education level of parents, and economic status of the family. For boys, the odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] for recording ≥ average school performance and daily time spent on Internet use was 1.876 (1.752–2.008, p < 0.001) for ≤1 hour, 1.564 (1.467–1.667, p < 0.001) for >1–≤2 hours, 1.158 (1.079–1.242, p < 0.001) for >2–≤3 hours, and 0.759 (0.695–0.828, p < 0.001) for over 4 hours, when compared to those who never used the Internet. For girls, the OR (95% CI) for recording ≥ average school performance and daily Internet use time was 1.729 (1.607–1.860, p < 0.001) for ≤1 hour, 1.503 (1.399–1.616, p < 0.001) for >1–≤2 hours, 1.193 (1.100–1.293, p < 0.001) for >2–≤3 hours, and 0.809 (0.725–0.903, p < 0.001) for over 4 hours, when compared to those who never used the Internet. It was concluded that Korean adolescents who spend ≤3 hours per day on the Internet are predisposed to an increase in performance levels at school, whereas those who spend over 4 hours per day on the Internet are predisposed to a decrease in school performance levels.

scholarly journals Web-Based Health Information Seeking Among Students at Kuwait University: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

10.2196/14327 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. e14327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasan Ashkanani ◽  
Rabab Asery ◽  
Fajer Bokubar ◽  
Noor AlAli ◽  
Shahad Mubarak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Kuwait University ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
The Web

Background Owing to the revolution in technology, the internet has become an important aspect of people’s lives. Modern technology is enabling people from diverse educational backgrounds to use the internet for several purposes, one of which is health information seeking. Recently, Web-based health information has become more popular among patients all over the world and among the general public. Objective This study aimed to investigate the use of Web-based health resources among undergraduate students from different faculties at Kuwait University. Methods The study employed a cross-sectional design with students selected from 8 faculties of Kuwait University, 4 faculties of Literature and 4 faculties of Science. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, and analysis was done using a chi-square test and binary logistic regression to determine the factors associated with seeking health information on the Web. Results The sample size obtained was 1132 with a response rate of 90.27% (1132/1254). Overall, the prevalence of students seeking Web-based health information was 92.66%. (1049/1132) The most significant factors associated with seeking health information on the Web were age, gender, faculty, year of study, primary source of internet, and level of experience with internet use. In total, 90.0% (325/361) of students who were aged older than 21 years used Web-based health information compared with 82.8% (275/332) of those who were aged 18 years. In addition, female students showed a higher prevalence (829/934, 88.8%) of Web-based health information seeking than males (210/270, 77.8%). Students who majored in faculties of Science were more likely to seek health information than those who majored in faculties of Literature. All the differences found in the study were statistically significant (P<.05). Conclusions The study concluded that many people use the internet for seeking health information. Sociodemographic factors have a significant association with Web-based health information seeking. Therefore, doctors must educate the public about the health information websites that can be trusted.

scholarly journals Web-Based Medical Information Searching by Chinese Patients With Breast Cancer and its Influence on Survival: Observational Study

10.2196/16768 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. e16768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Li ◽  
Shan Ye ◽  
Yidong Zhou ◽  
Feng Mao ◽  
Hailing Guo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Chinese Patients ◽  
Cancer Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Information Searching ◽  
Web Based

Background The internet allows patients to easily look for health information. However, how Chinese patients with breast cancer use the internet has rarely been investigated, and there is a scarcity of information about the influence of internet use on survival. Objective This observational study aimed to investigate the details of online medical information searching by Chinese patients with breast cancer and to determine whether internet use has any survival benefits. Methods Patients who were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2014 and December 2015 were enrolled. We obtained information on their internet-searching behavior and gathered data from the patients’ medical and follow-up records. The associations between internet use and other clinic-pathological factors were analyzed. A Cox proportional-hazards model and the Kaplan-Meier method were used for disease-free survival (DFS) analyses. Results A total of 973 patients with invasive breast cancer who underwent definitive surgery took part in the study. Among them, 477 cases (49.0%) performed web-based breast cancer information searching before the initial treatment. A multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that web-based breast cancer information searching was significantly associated with younger age (odds ratio [OR] 0.95, 95% CI 0.94-0.97, P<.001), higher education level (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.01–1.86, P=.04), and breast conserving surgery (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.04-1.77, P=.03). Baidu (73.4%, 350/477) and WeChat (66.7%, 318/477) were the two most popular online information sources for breast cancer; however, only 44.9% (214/477) felt satisfied with the online information. In contrast to the nonweb searching group, the web-using patients who were satisfied with online information showed significantly improved DFS (hazard ratio 0.26; 95% CI 0.08-0.88, P=.03). Conclusions The patients who were most likely to search the internet for breast cancer information were younger and well-educated, and they were more likely to have breast conserving therapy. Web-using patients who were satisfied with the internet information showed significantly improved DFS. Patients should browse credible websites offering accurate and updated information, and website developers should provide high-quality and easy-to-understand information to better meet the needs of patients with breast cancer.

scholarly journals Self-Reported Compliance With Personal Preventive Measures Among Chinese Factory Workers at the Beginning of Work Resumption Following the COVID-19 Outbreak: Cross-Sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yihang Pan ◽  
Yuan Fang ◽  
Meiqi Xin ◽  
Willa Dong ◽  
Liemin Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Factory Workers ◽  
Web Based ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Work Resumption

BACKGROUND Maintaining compliance with personal preventive measures is important to achieve a balance of COVID-19 pandemic control and work resumption. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate self-reported compliance with four personal measures to prevent COVID-19 among a sample of factory workers in Shenzhen, China, at the beginning of work resumption in China following the COVID-19 outbreak. These preventive measures included consistent wearing of face masks in public spaces (the workplace and other public settings); sanitizing hands using soap, liquid soap, or alcohol-based hand sanitizer after returning from public spaces or touching public installations and equipment; avoiding social and meal gatherings; and avoiding crowded places. METHODS The participants were adult factory workers who had resumed work in Shenzhen, China. A stratified two-stage cluster sampling design was used. We randomly selected 14 factories that had resumed work. All full-time employees aged ≥18 years who had resumed work in these factories were invited to complete a web-based survey. Out of 4158 workers who had resumed work in these factories, 3035 (73.0%) completed the web-based survey from March 1 to 14, 2020. Multilevel logistic regression models were fitted. RESULTS Among the 3035 participants, 2938 (96.8%) and 2996 (98.7%) reported always wearing a face mask in the workplace and in other public settings, respectively, in the past month. However, frequencies of self-reported sanitizing hands (2152/3035, 70.9%), avoiding social and meal gatherings (2225/3035, 73.3%), and avoiding crowded places (1997/3035, 65.8%) were relatively low. At the individual level, knowledge about COVID-19 (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] from 1.16, CI 1.10-1.24, to 1.29, CI 1.21-1.37), perceived risk (AORs from 0.58, CI 0.50-0.68, to 0.85, CI 0.72-0.99) and severity (AOR 1.05, CI 1.01-1.09, and AOR 1.07, CI 1.03-1.11) of COVID-19, perceived effectiveness of preventive measures by the individual (AORs from 1.05, CI 1.00-1.10, to 1.09, CI 1.04-1.13), organization (AOR 1.30, CI 1.20-1.41), and government (AORs from 1.14, CI 1.04-1.25, to 1.21, CI 1.02-1.42), perceived preparedness for a potential outbreak after work resumption (AORs from 1.10, CI 1.00-1.21, to 1.50, CI 1.36-1.64), and depressive symptoms (AORs from 0.93, CI 0.91-0.94, to 0.96, CI 0.92-0.99) were associated with self-reported compliance with at least one personal preventive measure. At the interpersonal level, exposure to COVID-19–specific information through official media channels (AOR 1.08, CI 1.04-1.11) and face-to-face communication (AOR 0.90, CI 0.83-0.98) were associated with self-reported sanitizing of hands. The number of preventive measures implemented in the workplace was positively associated with self-reported compliance with all four preventive measures (AORs from 1.30, CI 1.08-1.57, to 1.63, CI 1.45-1.84). CONCLUSIONS Measures are needed to strengthen hand hygiene and physical distancing among factory workers to reduce transmission following work resumption. Future programs in workplaces should address these factors at multiple levels.

scholarly journals Self-Reported Compliance With Personal Preventive Measures Among Chinese Factory Workers at the Beginning of Work Resumption Following the COVID-19 Outbreak: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

10.2196/22457 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. e22457
Author(s):  
Yihang Pan ◽  
Yuan Fang ◽  
Meiqi Xin ◽  
Willa Dong ◽  
Liemin Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Factory Workers ◽  
Web Based ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Work Resumption

Background Maintaining compliance with personal preventive measures is important to achieve a balance of COVID-19 pandemic control and work resumption. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate self-reported compliance with four personal measures to prevent COVID-19 among a sample of factory workers in Shenzhen, China, at the beginning of work resumption in China following the COVID-19 outbreak. These preventive measures included consistent wearing of face masks in public spaces (the workplace and other public settings); sanitizing hands using soap, liquid soap, or alcohol-based hand sanitizer after returning from public spaces or touching public installations and equipment; avoiding social and meal gatherings; and avoiding crowded places. Methods The participants were adult factory workers who had resumed work in Shenzhen, China. A stratified two-stage cluster sampling design was used. We randomly selected 14 factories that had resumed work. All full-time employees aged ≥18 years who had resumed work in these factories were invited to complete a web-based survey. Out of 4158 workers who had resumed work in these factories, 3035 (73.0%) completed the web-based survey from March 1 to 14, 2020. Multilevel logistic regression models were fitted. Results Among the 3035 participants, 2938 (96.8%) and 2996 (98.7%) reported always wearing a face mask in the workplace and in other public settings, respectively, in the past month. However, frequencies of self-reported sanitizing hands (2152/3035, 70.9%), avoiding social and meal gatherings (2225/3035, 73.3%), and avoiding crowded places (1997/3035, 65.8%) were relatively low. At the individual level, knowledge about COVID-19 (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] from 1.16, CI 1.10-1.24, to 1.29, CI 1.21-1.37), perceived risk (AORs from 0.58, CI 0.50-0.68, to 0.85, CI 0.72-0.99) and severity (AOR 1.05, CI 1.01-1.09, and AOR 1.07, CI 1.03-1.11) of COVID-19, perceived effectiveness of preventive measures by the individual (AORs from 1.05, CI 1.00-1.10, to 1.09, CI 1.04-1.13), organization (AOR 1.30, CI 1.20-1.41), and government (AORs from 1.14, CI 1.04-1.25, to 1.21, CI 1.02-1.42), perceived preparedness for a potential outbreak after work resumption (AORs from 1.10, CI 1.00-1.21, to 1.50, CI 1.36-1.64), and depressive symptoms (AORs from 0.93, CI 0.91-0.94, to 0.96, CI 0.92-0.99) were associated with self-reported compliance with at least one personal preventive measure. At the interpersonal level, exposure to COVID-19–specific information through official media channels (AOR 1.08, CI 1.04-1.11) and face-to-face communication (AOR 0.90, CI 0.83-0.98) were associated with self-reported sanitizing of hands. The number of preventive measures implemented in the workplace was positively associated with self-reported compliance with all four preventive measures (AORs from 1.30, CI 1.08-1.57, to 1.63, CI 1.45-1.84). Conclusions Measures are needed to strengthen hand hygiene and physical distancing among factory workers to reduce transmission following work resumption. Future programs in workplaces should address these factors at multiple levels.

scholarly journals Habits and Attitudes of Video Gaming and Information Technology Use in People with Schizophrenia: Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
William TH Choi ◽  
Dan KS Yu ◽  
Terry Wong ◽  
Tella Lantta ◽  
Min Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Video Games ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Video Gaming ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Web Based

BACKGROUND Information technology and video gaming have potential advantages in the treatment of schizophrenia. However, information regarding the habits and attitudes related to internet use and video gaming in people with schizophrenia is limited. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to explore the habits and attitudes regarding video gaming and information technology usage and their associated factors in people with schizophrenia in Hong Kong. METHODS In this cross-sectional survey, service users with schizophrenia were recruited from 6 halfway hostels and 7 integrated centers for mental wellness in Hong Kong. A 79-item self-report questionnaire was utilized to explore the habits of internet use and video gaming in these people with schizophrenia. The attitude toward video gaming was assessed using the Gaming Attitudes, Motivations, and Experiences Scales. Of the 148 individuals in a convenience sample who were invited to participate in this study, 110 willingly participated (a response rate of 74.3%). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a two-tailed independent t test, Pearson correlation, and principal analysis with 3 methods of rotation (varimax, equimax, and promax). RESULTS Most participants (100/110, 90.9%) had access to the internet and half of them (54/110, 49.1%) used the internet daily mostly to watch videos (66/110, 60.0%) or read news or books, etc (42/110, 38.2%). One-third of the participants (36/110, 32.7%) used the internet to play web-based games, and most of them (88/110, 80.0%) had played a video game in the past year. The most favorable gaming platforms were cellular phones (43/88, 49%) followed by computers (19/88, 22%) and arcade cabinets (6/88, 7%). The most favorable game genre was action games (34/145, 23.4%). Those who had a bachelor’s degree or higher scored lower in social interaction than those with a lower education level (<i>P</i>=.03). Those who played video games daily scored higher in the category of story than those who did not play daily (t<sub>86</sub>=2.03, <i>P</i>=.05). The most popular gaming category was autonomy and the least popular categories were violent catharsis and violent reward. Two motives, “social playing” and “evasive playing,” were formed to describe the characteristics of playing video games. CONCLUSIONS Our data showed a high internet utilization rate among people with schizophrenia in Hong Kong. Only a few of them used the internet to search for health-related information. Our study also exemplified the unique habits of gaming among the participants. Health care professionals could utilize video games to engage people with schizophrenia and promote coping with stress and provide social skills training to such people with schizophrenia. Identification of the gaming attitudes can contribute to the development of serious games for the schizophrenic population. Further investigation is vital for the promotion of mental health through web-based platforms.

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