Perception of the impact on the doctor-patient relationship of internet use by patients to seek information about their illness.

Abstract

Introduction: The broad access to health information in the internet can empower patients and might affect the doctor-patient relationship. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the perception of medical students and their teachers of the impact on the doctor-patient relationship of patients use of the internet to obtain health information. Methodology: Cross-sectional study with 215 medical students from the 3rd and 6th grades from Unifenas–BH and 30 ambulatory care teachers. Participants responded to a questionnaire to assess the perception of Internet use by the patient and filled out the subscale sharing power of the PPOS (patient-practitioner orientation scale). Results: The influence of the of the internet on the doctor-patient relationship was perceived in a similar way between students from the 3rd and 6th year (3.37 ± 0.64 and 3.22 ± 0.57 p = 0.052), being less favorable than that observed among teachers (3.86 ± 0.64 p <0.001). The power sharing attitude was also similar among 3rd and 6th grade students (4.17 ± 0.69 vs. 4.16 ± 0.68 p = 0.974) and lower than that observed among teachers (4.51 ± 0.65 p = 0,036). There was a direct correlation between a favorable attitude towards power sharing and perception of the impact of the internet, being weak among students (r = 0.31 p <0.05) and moderate among teachers (r = 0.53 p = 0.003). Conclusion: The perception of the impact of internet use by patients to obtain health information was considered more favorable by teachers when compared to students, correlating positively with the attitude of power sharing in the doctor-patient relationship.