Icelanders and trust in the Internet as a source of health and life-style information

Introduction. The development in Icelander's evaluation of health and life-style information from the media, health specialists and the Internet, between 2002 and 2007, is examined. Method. Data were gathered as postal surveys in 2002 and 2007. The data were re-analysed to examine trends in the evaluation of the usefulness and reliability of the information. Analysis. Cluster analysis was used to draw participants in four clusters: passive, moderately passive, moderately active and active. Evaluation of information was examined by analysis of variance and post-hoc test (Tukey) conducted to examine significant differences across the clusters. For each cluster 95% confidence intervals were used to examine differences across the information channels. Results. Health specialists were considered more useful and reliably than either the media or the Internet in 2002 and 2007. In 2002, passive and moderately active clusters considered Internet as less useful and reliable than the media. For active and moderately passive clusters there was no significant difference across the channels. In 2007, no significant difference was found betwee the media and the Internet. Conclusions. The results indicate that the Internet may be well on its way to establish itself as equivalent to the more traditional information channels in respect of information relating to health care and life-style.