@article{ref1,
title="Health information seeking and technology use among veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders",
journal="PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation",
year="2015",
author="Hogan, Timothy P. and Hill, Jennifer N. and Locatelli, Sara and Weaver, Frances M. and Thomas, Florian P. and Nazi, Kim M. and Goldstein, Barry and Smith, Bridget M.",
volume="8",
number="2",
pages="123-130",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Access to health information is crucial to individuals living with a spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D). Although previous research has provided insights on computer and Internet use among individuals with SCI/D as well as how and where individuals with SCI/D gather health information, few studies have focused on U.S. Veterans with SCI/D. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: To characterize health information seeking among Veterans with SCI/D and to examine the association between technology use and the characteristics of Veterans with SCI/D. <br><br>DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Veterans Health Administration (VHA). PARTICIPANTS: Sample of 290 Veterans with SCI/D who utilize services at two VHA SCI/D Centers. <br><br>METHODS: Postal mail survey MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Extent of computer, Internet, and text messaging use, information source use, eHealth literacy rates RESULTS: The survey response rate was 38%. The majority of respondents were male (97.2%), under age 65 (71.0%), and white (71.7%). Of the respondents, 64.8% indicated that they use a computer, 62.9% reported use of the Internet, and 26.2% reported use of text messaging. The mean overall eHEALS score was 27.3 (sd=7.2). Similar to findings reported in studies focused outside the Veteran population, the most frequent source that Veterans turned to for information about SCI/D was a health professional (85.1%); this was also the most frequent source that Veterans indicated they would turn to first to get information about SCI/D (75.9%). Other frequently reported sources of information included others with SCI/D (41.0%), Internet resources (31.0%), and family and friends (27.9%). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Fairly high levels of computer and Internet use exist among Veterans with SCI/D. Veterans with SCI/D also have a strong preference for people - particularly health professionals and to a lesser extent peers and family and friends - as sources of information about SCI/D. These findings highlight the importance of combining technology and human interaction to meet the information needs of this population.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1934-1482",
doi="10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.06.443",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.06.443"
}