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June 27, 2006

Why promote health online? (and why not)

A recently published article reviews why 37 research teams chose to do health interventions online. The content below is from the article. --BJ Fogg


Reasons for Internet delivery:

Reducing cost and increasing convenience for users
Reduction of health service costs
Reduction of isolation of users
The need for timely information
Reduction of stigma
Increased user and supplier control of the intervention

Possible drawbacks of Internet interventions:

Potential for reinforcing the problems the intervention was designed to help
May overcome isolation of time, mobility, and geography, but may be no substitute for face-to-face contact

Elements of future evaluations:

Incorporate the cost not just to the health service, but also to users and their social networks
Be alert to unintended effects of Internet delivery of health interventions, and include a comparison with more traditional modes of delivery

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Why Are Health Care Interventions Delivered Over the Internet? A Systematic Review of the Published Literature

Frances Griffiths1, PhD, FRCGP; Antje Lindenmeyer1, PhD; John Powell1, PhD, MFPHM; Pam Lowe2, PhD; Margaret Thorogood1, PhD, FFPH

1Health Sciences Research Institute, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
2Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham, UK

Posted by BJ Fogg at June 27, 2006 04:35 PM

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