Table 1 Characteristics of the web search for health information
Advantages | Downsides |
|---|---|
Ubiquity | Unequal quality of information |
Immediacy | An identified source cannot always be found |
Ability to access specific population segments | The date when the content was updated cannot always be found |
Automation of messages | Need to adapt the message to the targeted population |
Possibility of contact and learning among peers | Risk of information overload for the patient |