Griffiths, Frances, Lindenmeyer, Antje, Powell, John, Lowe, Pam and Thorogood, Margaret (2006) Why are health care interventions delivered over the internet? : a systematic review of the published literature. Journal of Internet Medical Research, Vol.8 (No.2). doi:10.2196/jmir.8.2.e10 ISSN 1438-8871.

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Abstract

Background: As Internet use grows, health interventions are increasingly being delivered online. Pioneering researchers are
using the networking potential of the Internet, and several of them have evaluated these interventions.
Objective: The objective was to review the reasons why health interventions have been delivered on the Internet and to reflect
on the work of the pioneers in this field in order to inform future research.
Methods: We conducted a qualitative systematic review of peer-reviewed evaluations of health interventions delivered to a
known client/patient group using networked features of the Internet. Papers were reviewed for the reasons given for using the
Internet, and these reasons were categorized.
Results: We included studies evaluating 28 interventions plus 9 interventions that were evaluated in pilot studies. The interventions
were aimed at a range of health conditions. Reasons for Internet delivery included low cost and resource implications due to the
nature of the technology; reducing cost and increasing convenience for users; reduction of health service costs; overcoming
isolation of users; the need for timely information; stigma reduction; and increased user and supplier control of the intervention.
A small number of studies gave the existence of Internet interventions as the only reason for undertaking an evaluation of this
mode of delivery.
Conclusions: One must remain alert for the unintended effects of Internet delivery of health interventions due to the potential
for reinforcing the problems that the intervention was designed to help. Internet delivery overcomes isolation of time, mobility,
and geography, but it may not be a substitute for face-to-face contact. Future evaluations need to incorporate the evaluation of
cost, not only to the health service but also to users and their social networks. When researchers report the outcomes of
Internet-delivered health care interventions, it is important that they clearly state why they chose to use the Internet, preferably
backing up their decision with theoretical models and exploratory work. Evaluation of the effectiveness of a health care intervention
delivered by the Internet needs to include comparison with more traditional modes of delivery to answer the following question:
What are the added benefits or disadvantages of Internet use that are particular to this mode of delivery?

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences > Social Science & Systems in Health (SSSH)
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Community health and health planning, Medicine -- Great Britain -- Information services -- Evaluation
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Internet Medical Research
Publisher:	Journal of Internet Medical Research
ISSN:	1438-8871
Official Date:	2006
Dates:	Date Event 2006 UNSPECIFIED
Volume:	Vol.8
Number:	No.2
DOI:	10.2196/jmir.8.2.e10
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access (Creative Commons)

Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge

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