Correction
During the production process for this article [1] some errors were introduced into Table 2. The correct version of Table 2 can be found below; the original article [1] has also been updated with the correct version of Table 2. BMC apologises to the authors and to readers for this error.
Table 2
Overview of the identified studies
Author/Year | Design/ Method | Recruitment setting | Sample size | Population | Study focus | Findings | Critical appraisal | Number of criteria* | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | Sex | Type of DM** (and duration) | Region | ||||||||
Quantitative studies | |||||||||||
Enwald et al. 2012 [22] | Cross-sectional study (questionnaire within an experimental study) | Register of the University of Oulu, medical records of health centres |
n=72 | Mainly >60 | f, m | Risk of T2D (defined as pre-diabetes) | Finland | Relation between physiological measurements (BMI, fitness level) and information needs and information behaviour | BMI and fitness level of pre-diabetic patients are associated with information-seeking behaviour | + | 2pp, 8p, 0m, 0NR, 9NA |
Giménez-Pérez et al. 2015 [38] | Cross-sectional study (questionnaire) | Endocrinology unit of a university hospital |
n=289 | Average 43 | f, m | T1D for at least 1 year | Spain | Health-related use of Internet technologies | Use of new Internet technologies among patients with T1D is low, e-mail preferred channel of communication with HCP | + | 2pp, 8p, 0m, 0NR, 9NA |
Hyman et al. 2012 [10] | Cross-sectional study (questionnaire) | Poster, community health centre, DM education centre, specialized clinic, Canadian Diabetes Association |
n=184 | Average: Immigrants 51,2, Cana-dian-born 52,3 | f, m | Self-reported T2D | Canada (Toronto) | Self-management, health service use and information-seeking behaviour of recent immigrants and Canadian-born | Differences in performing self-management (regular blood glucose and foot checks) and perception of health service between immigrants and Canadian-born | + | 3pp, 6p, 0m, 1NR, 9NA |
Jamal et al. 2015 [36] | Cross-sectional study (questionnaire) | University Medical City (teaching hospitals) |
n=344 | Adults (>16 years old) | f, m | T2D | Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | Online health information-seeking behaviour of people with T2D | Physicians and television preferred sources | + | 3pp, 5p, 0m, 2NR, 9NA |
Kalantzi et al. 2015 [5] | Cross-sectional study (questionnaire) | Outpatient clinic |
n=203 | Adults (>18 years old) | f, m | T1D, T2D | Greece (Athens) | Information-seeking behaviour of people with DM, information needs, Internet use, obstacles to information seeking | Diet and complication are most important needs; the physician is a preferred source; Internet is not that important; most frequently barriers mentioned are costs and lack of time | + | 2pp, 7p, 1m, 0NR 9NA, |
Lui et al. 2014 [41] | Baseline phase of a longitudinal study (questionnaire) | Australian government initiative |
n=3652 | 56-70 | f, m | T2D | Australia (Queensland) | Correlation between health and social characteristics and Internet use | Internet use associated with age, socioeconomic characteristics, duration, poor metabolic control and comorbidities | + | 4pp, 6p, 0m, 0NR, 9NA |
Nordfeldt et al. 2005 [23] | Cross-sectional study (questionnaire) | Paediatric clinics |
n=90 | 5-20 | f, m | T1D for at least 1,5 years | Sweden | Internet health information seeking behaviour of children and adolescents with T1D, motivation, satisfaction | Many use internet for health information seeking and share it with others. ‘Searchers’ with shorter duration. Need for more and better Internet information | + | 4pp, 4p, 0m, 2NR, 9NA |
Robertson et al. 2005 [24] | Cross-sectional study (question-naire) | Diabetes centres |
n=70 | 16-79 | f, m | T1D, T2D | United Kingdom (Glasgow) | Information source of people with DM, satisfaction | Verbal information from healthcare professional is preferred, Internet use connected with age and educational level | +/- | 0pp, 6p, 3m, 1NR, 9NA |
Sayakhot and Carolan-Olah 2016 [42] | Cross-sectional study (questionnaire) | Diabetes clinic |
n=116 | 18-43 | f | GDM | Australia (Victoria) | Information sources and satisfaction of women with GDM | HCP, diabetes groups and Internet preferred sources; correlation between age and place of birth and Internet use; mostly satisfied with process of diagnosis | + | 2pp, 8p, 0m, 0NR, 9NA |
Shaw and Johnson 2011 [25] | Cross-sectional study (questionnaire) | Flyers in primary care clinics and libraries |
n=57 | Adults (>21 years) | f, m | T2D | USA (Sub-urban, rural south-eastern) | Online health information seeking behaviour of people with DM | Majority use Internet for health information seeking; many use social networks like Facebook or MySpace and discuss in chats | - | 0pp, 6p, 4m, 0NR 9NA |
Yamamoto et al. 2011 [26] | Cross-sectional study (questionnaire) | Diabetes clinics |
n=137 | 20-75 | NR | T1D for at least 6 months | Japan | Information about islet transplantation in people with T1D, associated factors, sources | Main sources are magazines and broadcast media; physicians are a preferred source of information, but mostly they do not have sufficient information about islet transplantation | + | 4pp, 5p, 1m, 0NR, 9NA |
Zare-Farashbandi et al 2016 | Cross-sectional study (questionnaire) | Ten health centres under the super-vision of the Deputy of Health of Isfahan Province |
n= 362 | 20-82 | f,m | Risk of T2D (defined as pre-diabetes), GDM, T2DM | Iran (Isfahan) | Effect of contextual factors on the health information–seeking behaviour of people with diabetes | An association between the time passed since diagnosis and information-seeking behaviour. | + | 0pp, 8p, 0m, 2NR, 9NA |
Qualitative studies | |||||||||||
Connolly and Crosby 2014 [27] | Focus group | Qualified health centre |
n=25 | Average 54 | f, m | Not defined | Hawaii | E-health literacy of individuals from a medically underserved area in Hawaii | Low e-health literacy level, often access to Internet without use for health information seeking, often ability to handle when information missing | + | 8/14 |
Fergie et al. 2015 [37] | Interview | Online, organizations for young adults, other participants |
n=20 T2DM n= 40 people with common mental health disorders | 18-30 | f, m | Not defined | United Kingdom (Glasgow) | Online information seeking behaviour of young people with DM or common mental health disorders | Internet preferred source of information for many participants; differences between professionally produced and social media sites | + | 12/14 |
Kilgour et al. 2015 [39] | Interview | Tertiary referral hospital |
n=13 | 29-41 | f | GDM | Australia (Queensland) | Postnatal follow-up and communication experiences of women with GDM | Need for accurate information and possibility to discuss information with HCP | ++ | 13/14 |
Longo et al. 2010 [9] | Focus group (5-8 parti-cipants each session) | Clinic |
n=46 | 48-77 | f, m | T1D, T2D | American midwestern city | Health information seeking and use, information source, active seeking and passive seeking | Passive attainment of information is important; Internet for active seeking, relationships and healthcare professionals help to understand information | + | 12/14 |
Low et al. 2016 [40] | Interview, Focus group | Public and private primary care clinics |
n=12
n=9 family member
n=5 Health care professionals | 50-62 | f, m | T2D | Malaysia | Influence of social networks on help-seeking behaviour of people with T2D | Important influences from family, friends, HCP | ++ | 13/14 |
Meyfroidt et al. 2013 [29] | Focus group (6 groups) | Community health centre, solo and group practices |
n=21 | 41-85 | f, m | T2D | Belgium (Brussels) | Seeking and use of information sources of people with DM, active and passive seeking over time | General practitioner is the most important source, healthcare professionals are most reliable | ++ | 14/14 |
Milewski and Chen 2010 [30] | Interview | Outpatient clinic, flyers |
n=19 | NR | f, m | T2D | USA (Southern California) | Information seeking behaviour of people with DM, barriers of information use | 5 barriers identified: ‘Motivation fade over time’, ‘Passively Seeking Information’, ‘Inconsistency of Information’, ‘Generality of Information’, ‘Loss of Information’ | + | 11/14 |
Moonaghi et al. 2014 [28] | Interview | NR |
n=15 | Average 51 | f, m | T2D for at least a year | Iran (Tabriz) | Health information-seeking behaviour of Iranian DM patients | Social context important for decision making and information seeking behaviour | ++ | 13/14 |
Newton et al. 2012 [31] | Interview (N=25), focus group (N=12), questionnaire (N=6) | DM support group |
n=37 | Mainly >60 | f, m | T2D | England/UK (Inner London district) | Information seeking and use of mainly older people with DM from a structurally lacking area, motivation, sources | Seeking and use is influenced by social resources and context, which are important for effective and high quality care. Second most important factor is the duration of disease | + | 9/14 |
Wilson 2013 [32] | Survey (questionnaire) | Email of insulin pump therapy group |
n=30 | 22-64 | f,m | T1D, T2D | United Kingdom (Glasgow) | Internet health information seeking of people with long-term DM | Internet used for general questions, healthcare professionals for more specific needs | - | 5/14 |
Mixed-methods studies | |||||||||||
Morgan and Trauth 2013 [33] | Interviews | Database of Pennsylvania State University Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, investigator contacts |
n=30 | Adults (>18 years) | f, m | T1D, T2D for at least a year | USA (Central Pennsylvania and Southern Maryland) | Online health information seeking and the demographic influence using a theoretical model | Seeking behaviour is influenced by different factors such as access to healthcare providers, seeking success or the social network | + | 9/21 (8NA, 1NR) |
Sparud-Lundin et al. 2011 [34] | Survey (question-naire) | Antenatal clinics |
n=105 | 30-36 | f | T1D | Sweden | Online health information seeking behaviour, use and information needs of childbearing women, expectations for future online possibilities | Many women with T1D seek health information online, particularly during pregnancy, precise expectations of web-based support | + | 8/21 (8NA) |
St Jean 2012 [12] | Question-naire, interviews, card-sorting techniques | University websites, flyers at clinics and support group meetings |
n=34 | 32-81 | f, m | T2D | USA, (Michigan) | Information behaviour of people with DM, associated factors, that facilitate or hinder their diabetes-related information seeking and use | Participants often did not know their information needs until they found information about it. Some mentioned avoidance in the beginning. Different factors, time included, influencing information seeking behaviour | ++ | 11/21 (8NA) |
St Jean 2014 [13] | Question-naire, interviews, card-sorting techniques | University websites, flyers at clinics and support group meetings |
n=34 | 32-81 | f, m | T2D | USA, (Michigan) | Information behaviour of people with DM, associated factors, that facilitate or hinder their diabetes-related information seeking and use | The new type of card-sorting technique was well accepted by the study participants; the combination of the card-sorting technique and think aloud protocol within this technique generated contextually rich data about people's diabetes course | + | 7/21 (13NA) |
St Jean 2016 [35] | Question-naire, interviews, card-sorting techniques | University websites, flyers at clinics and support group meetings |
n=34 | 32-81 | f, m | T2D | USA, (Michigan) | Information behaviour of people with DM, associated factors, that facilitate or hinder their diabetes-related information seeking and use | This study showed several types of factors (physical, social, affective, and cognitive) that may facilitate, hinder, or impede the health-related information seeking | + | 6/21 (12NA) |
Weymann et al. 2016 [43] | Semi-structured interviews, questionnaire | University Hospital, self-help groups, self-help associations |
n=10 (interviews)
n=178 (questionnaire) | 36-86 | f, m | T2D | Germany | Internet use, knowledge and information and support needs of people with T2D | Majority uses internet, no correlation between age and internet use, diabetes knowledge low, desire for shared decision-making | + | 6/21 (8NA, 3NR) |
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