Sources used by patients seeking information about peripheral vascular disease: Is the Internet relevant?

Objective: The use of the Internet as a source of information has increased dramatically over the last decade. Patient-orientated vascular surgery websites have been highlighted as a poor overall source of information for such patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the sources of information used by a group of patients with peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and the usage of the Internet as a source by these patients. Method: Questionnaires were distributed to patients with PVD, attending an outpatient clinic at a tertiary centre. Patients were asked about demographic details, Internet access and ranking of their top three most frequently used sources of information. Results: Sixty-one out of eighty questionnaires were completed. There were 40 males and 21 females; age range 34-90 years (mean 67 years). Forty-four participants (72%) were from the lower socioeconomic classes four and five. Eight participants (13%) had access to the Internet, and only one of these had used the Internet to obtain information about their condition. Hospital and community doctors were the sources of information most commonly used by participants and these were also the sources of information perceived as most useful. Conclusion: The results indicate that access to the Internet is limited in this selected group of PVD patients, and this might be due to their age and socioeconomic class distribution. Although refining of current Internet sites will benefit future users, for this group of patients there is still no substitute for good doctor-patient communication.