Decision making; Internet; Need for information; Postpartum; Web-based survey
Abstract :
[en] OBJECTIVE: the aims of this survey were: (a) to evaluate the need of information after childbirth and what questions do 'new' mothers ask themselves; (b) to assess why and how women use the Internet to meet their need of information; (c) to describe how the respondents evaluate the reliability of the information found; (d) to understand how the information found on the Internet affects women's decision-making; and (e) to appreciate how health professionals react to the information found by the women. DESIGN: this study used a large web-based survey that was widely broadcasted on various websites and social networks. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: belgian women who had a child under 2 years old and who agreed to participate were included in the study. FINDINGS: 349 questionnaires were valid for analyses. After childbirth, 90.5% of women admitted to using the Internet to seek information about themselves or about their baby, regardless of socioeconomic status or age. There were various reasons for seeking information on the Internet, but the most frequent reason the women expressed was to find information 'on their own' (88.1%). The most searched for topic was breastfeeding. The women believed that the information was quite useful (82.7%) but they assigned an average score of 5.3 out of 10 for the quality of the information they found on the Internet. Approximately 80% of the women felt that the Internet helped them control a decision that they made 'a little', 'often' or 'very often'. Professionals are not always willing to talk about information found on the Internet with mothers. Therefore, many women believed that health professionals should suggest reliable Internet websites for new mothers. CONCLUSIONS: the integration of the Internet and new technologies could be a useful tool during postpartum management.
Disciplines :
Public health, health care sciences & services Reproductive medicine (gynecology, andrology, obstetrics)
Author, co-author :
Slomian, Justine ; Université de Liège > Département des sciences de la santé publique > Epidémiologie clinique
Bruyère, Olivier ; Université de Liège > Département des sciences de la santé publique > Santé publique, Epidémiologie et Economie de la santé
Reginster, Jean-Yves ; Université de Liège > Département des sciences de la santé publique > Santé publique, Epidémiologie et Economie de la santé
Emonts, Patrick ; Université de Liège > Département des sciences cliniques > Gynécologie - Obstétrique
Language :
English
Title :
The internet as a source of information used by women after childbirth to meet their need for information: A web-based survey.
Publication date :
May 2017
Journal title :
Midwifery
ISSN :
0266-6138
Publisher :
Churchill Livingstone, United States
Volume :
48
Pages :
46-52
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Commentary :
Copyright (c) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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