Distribution of personality, individual characteristics and internet usage in Swedish older adults.

PubMed

Berner, Jessica; Rennemark, Mikael; Jogréus, Claes; Berglund, Johan

2012-01-01

This article investigated factors associated with internet usage in the Swedish older adults ranging in age from 60 to 96. Personality traits and individual characteristics have been previously noted to influence internet usage, where older adults have not been the focus population. In this study, the relationships between personality, individual characteristics and internet usage were investigated. A descriptive analysis of the personality tests of a total of 1402 subjects included in the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care was conducted. Three variables were controlled for: sex, age and education. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, chi-square tests and a logistic regression were used in order to detect the relationships with internet usage. Men differ significantly from women in the personality traits analysis. Those with higher education were more open and neuroticism was lower in the oldest older adults. Internet usage declined significantly with age and those with middle to higher education were using the internet the most. No other associations with internet use were found. Personality traits and individual characteristics do not seem to influence the Swedish older adult and their internet usage. What one needs to account for is the age and education of the person. The more educated and the youngest cohorts were using the internet more frequently.

Problematic Internet Usage of ICT Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunduz, Semseddin

2017-01-01

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have affected all area in a society. Human can learn quickly and accurately from the internet. The aim of this study was to investigate what the problematic internet usage of ICT teachers. Therefore, the present study investigated the problematic internet usage, who worked as an ICT teacher in…

Examining Internet Usage Demographic Differences and the Relationship between Internet Usage and Business Outcomes in Sierra Leone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamara, Mohamed K.

2013-01-01

This study utilized the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to determine Internet users' perceptions and behavioral intentions to accept Wi-Fi technology deployment in Sierra Leone. The study sought to investigate (a) the Internet usage rates before and after Wi-Fi adaption in Freetown; (b) differences in Internet usage…

Association between attitudes towards Internet usage and health practices in high-school students in 2 schools in Turkey: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Kaya, N; Aşti, T; Kaya, I; Yaylaci, S; Kaya, H; Turan, N; Aydin, G Özdemir

2017-02-01

Excessive usage of the Internet can negatively affect health and health practices especially among youth. To examine the issue among Turkish students, this study determined the association between high-school students' attitudes towards Internet usage and their health behaviour. The sample (n = 2043) was randomly drawn from all students at two high schools in Turkey: one in Anatolia and one (a vocational school) in Istanbul. Data were collected using the Structured Questionnaire, Attitude Scale towards Internet Usage (ASTIU) and Adolescent Lifestyle Profile (ALP). The mean age of the students was 16.3 years, 77.7% were male and 96.9% used the Internet; mean duration of Internet use was 18.8 h/week. Female students had more positive attitudes towards Internet usage. Mean scores for ASTIU and ALP were 72.58 (SD 17.64) and 111.34 (SD 16.61) respectively, which were average levels. There was a statistically significant but weak overall negative correlation between adolescents' attitudes towards Internet usage and their health behaviour. Our results concur with studies in different cultures which suggest some negative effects, of heavy Internet use.

Mental health related Internet use among psychiatric patients: a cross-sectional analysis.

PubMed

Kalckreuth, Sophie; Trefflich, Friederike; Rummel-Kluge, Christine

2014-12-24

The Internet is of great importance in today's health sector, as most Internet users utilize online functions for health related purposes. Concerning the mental health care sector, little data exist about the Internet use of psychiatric patients. It is the scope of this current study to analyze the quantity and pattern of Internet usage among mental health patients. Patients from all services of the Department of Psychiatry at a university hospital were surveyed by completing a 29-item questionnaire. The data analysis included evaluation of frequencies, as well as group comparisons. 337 patients participated in the survey, of whom 79.5% were Internet users. Social media was utilized by less than half of the users: social networks (47.8%), forums (19.4%), chats (18.7%), blogs (12.3%). 70.9% used the Internet for mental health related reasons. The contents accessed by the patients included: information on mental disorders (57.8%), information on medication (43.7%), search for mental health services (38.8%), platforms with other patients (19.8%) and platforms with mental health professionals (17.2%). Differences in the pattern of use between users with low, medium and high frequency of Internet use were statistically significant for all entities of social media (p < 0.01), search for mental health services (p = 0.017) and usage of platforms with mental health professionals (p = 0. 048). The analysis of differences in Internet use depending on the participants' type of mental disorder revealed no statistically significant differences, with one exception. Regarding the Internet's role in mental health care, the participants showed differing opinions: 36.2% believe that the Internet has or may have helped them in coping with their mental disorder, while 38.4% stated the contrary. Most psychiatric patients are Internet users. Mental health related Internet use is common among patients, mainly for information seeking. The use of social media is generally less frequent. It varies significantly between different user types and was shown to be associated with high frequency of Internet use. The results illustrate the importance of the Internet in mental health related contexts and may contribute to the further development of mental health related online offers.

A survey on internet usage and online learning behaviour among medical undergraduates.

PubMed

Venkatesh, Soma; Chandrasekaran, Venkatesh; Dhandapany, Gunasekaran; Palanisamy, Soundararajan; Sadagopan, Srinivasan

2017-05-01

To determine the magnitude and pattern of internet usage by undergraduate medical students to retrieve medical information. A pretested questionnaire-based survey was conducted among undergraduate medical students who were willing to participate. The institute ethics committee approved the study. The responses of students to the questionnaire were analysed using VassarStats online statistical programme. Categorical variables were expressed as proportions. To determine the significance of the difference between proportions, the χ 2 test or Fisher's exact test was used. Log-linear analysis was performed for significance of association among interacting variables. A p value <0.05 was considered significant. A total of 115 undergraduate medical students participated in the survey. The response was 100% and involved mainly IX and VIII semester students. Internet usage was found to be 97.4%. Of the students interviewed, 35.7% were frequent internet users and 57.4% used their mobile phones to access the internet. The majority (60.9%) had their own portable 3G internet connection. Monthly expenditure for the majority (82.6%) was less than 1000 Indian Rupees per month. The most popular medical site accessed by students was Medscape, followed by Wikipedia and WebMD. Of the students studied, 8% had attended one or more online continuing medical education programmes. On log-linear analysis, a linear relationship was found for medical time and social time. An encouraging trend is seen in the use of the internet by medical students to access medical information, but this has not translated into improved online learning behaviour. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Internet embeddedness: links with online health information seeking, expectancy value/quality of health information websites, and Internet usage patterns.

PubMed

Leung, Louis

2008-10-01

To see how the Internet is actually embedded in our lives, this exploratory study examines how Internet users search the Web for important information, especially health or medical information, to make critical decisions, and the perception of how intimately our lives are embedded in the Internet intersects with patterns of health information seeking online and the expected quality of health information websites. Data from a probability sample of 569 Internet users found four types of commonly sought health information clusters online which included information on (a) health improvement, (b) medical treatment, (c) family health, and (d) health issues that are difficult to talk about. Results also show that behavior or behavioral intentions in health information seeking are in fact either a function of value expectancy or the evaluation of health information websites. More importantly, people who often go to the Internet for health information and have high expectations of the value and quality of health information websites (especially in terms of reliability, relevance/context, and interaction) tend to be those who are more likely to perceive the Internet as playing an important role in life decisions or rate the Internet as more embedded in their lives.

Internet Use, Depression, and Anxiety in a Healthy Adolescent Population: Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Thom, Robyn Pauline; Bickham, David S; Rich, Michael

2018-05-22

Psychiatric disorders, including conduct disturbances, substance abuse, and affective disorders, emerge in approximately 20% of adolescents. In parallel with the rise in internet use, the prevalence of depression among adolescents has increased. It remains unclear whether and how internet use impacts mental health in adolescents. We assess the association between patterns of internet use and two mental health outcomes (depression and anxiety) in a healthy adolescent population. A total of 126 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 years were recruited. Participants reported their typical computer and internet usage patterns. At baseline and one-year follow-up, they completed the Beck Depression Index for primary care (BDI-PC) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory for Primary Care (BAI-PC). Individual linear regressions were completed to determine the association between markers of internet use at baseline and mental health outcomes at one-year follow-up. All models controlled for age, gender, and ethnicity. There was an inverse correlation between minutes spent on a favorite website per visit and BAI-PC score. No association was found between internet use and BDI-PC score. There is no relationship between internet use patterns and depression in adolescents, whereas internet use may mitigate anxiety in adolescents with higher levels of baseline anxiety. ©Robyn Pauline Thom, David S Bickham, Michael Rich. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 22.05.2018.

Internet access and attitudes toward online personal health information among detained youth.

PubMed

Gaskin, Gregory L; Longhurst, Christopher A; Anoshiravani, Arash

2012-11-01

To assess Internet access and usage patterns among high-risk youth involved in the juvenile justice system, and to determine if health information technology tools might play a useful role in more actively engaging this population in their health care. A sample of 79 youth between the ages of 13 and 18 years old underwent a structured interview while detained in a large, Northern California juvenile detention facility. After an institutional review board-approved assent/consent process, youth discussed their typical Internet use when not detained, as well as their attitudes toward online access to their personal health information (PHI). Detained youth from predominantly underserved, minority communities, reported high levels of access to the Internet while outside of the detention setting, with 97% reporting using the Internet at least once per month and 87% at least weekly. Furthermore, 90% of these youth expressed interest in accessing their PHI online and sharing it with either parents or physicians. Detained adolescents describe unexpectedly high usage of the Internet and online resources when they are outside of the juvenile hall setting. These youth show an interest in, and may benefit from, accessing their PHI online. Further studies are needed to understand the potential health benefits that may be realized by engaging this population through online tools.

Psychometric Validation of Internet Addiction Test with Indian Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dhir, Amandeep; Chen, Sufen; Nieminen, Marko

2015-01-01

The past few years have witnessed great developments in Internet infrastructure, which have led to increased Internet usage among people of various age groups. However, at the same time, there have been some negative implications associated with increased Internet usage for some individuals. "Internet addiction" (IA) is one such negative…

Technology Addiction among Treatment Seekers for Psychological Problems: Implication for Screening in Mental Health Setting.

PubMed

Das, Aswathy; Sharma, Manoj Kumar; Thamilselvan, P; Marimuthu, P

2017-01-01

Technology usage has seen an increase among users. The usage varies from social, personal, and psychological reasons. Users are frequently using to overcome mood states as well as to manage the other psychological states. This work is going to explore the information technology use among subjects with a psychiatric disorder. A total of 75 subjects were assessed using background data sheet, internet addiction impairment index, video game use pattern, pornography addiction screening tool and screening for mobile phone use, from in-patient and out-patient setting of tertiary mental health setting. It showed the presence of addiction to mobile, internet, video game, and pornography. Age was found to be negatively correlated with this addiction. Average usage time had been associated with management of mood states. The addiction to information technology had been associated with a delay in initiation of sleep. This work has implication for screening technology addiction among subjects seeking treatment for psychological problems and motivate them to develop the healthy use of technology.

Problematic Internet Usage: Personality Traits, Gender, Age and Effect of Dispositional Hope Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cetin Gudunz, Hicran; Eksioglu, Subhan; Tarhan, Sinem

2017-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the effect of personality traits, gender, age and effects of dispositional hope level in problematic internet usage of university students. Research Methods: This paper is an example of a descriptive study, which presents the relationship between problematic internet usage of university students…

Student Teachers' Perceptions about the Impact of Internet Usage on Their Learning and Jobs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gialamas, Vasilis; Nikolopoulou, Kleopatra; Koutromanos, George

2013-01-01

This study investigated student teachers' perceptions about the impact of internet usage on their learning and future jobs. The sample consisted of 448 student teachers from the Early Childhood and Primary Education Departments at the National University of Athens, in Greece. Student teachers' perceptions regarding the impact of internet usage on…

Internet use, browsing, and the urban poor: implications for cancer control.

PubMed

Viswanath, K; McCloud, Rachel; Minsky, Sara; Puleo, Elaine; Kontos, Emily; Bigman-Galimore, Cabral; Rudd, Rima; Emmons, Karen M

2013-12-01

Despite the growing penetration of the Internet, little is known about the usage and browsing patterns of those in poverty. We report on a randomized controlled trial that sheds light on the Internet use and browsing patterns among the urban poor. The data come from 312 participants in Boston, Massachusetts, from Click to Connect, a study that examined the impact of an intervention that provided computers, Internet, and training to people from lower socioeconomic position (SEP). Data were gathered through pre- and posttest surveys and Internet use tracking software that generated approximately 13 million network activity files and more than 5.5 million records. Internet use increased among intervention participants, with most of their time spent on social and participatory media sites or Internet portals. Differential patterns of use by gender and race/ethnicity were observed. Purposive searching for health information was low among all participants. Most of the visits to health-related sites were to local hospitals' sites suggesting the influence of possible preexisting relationships and trust. Social networking sites were frequently visited, with three sites enjoying similar popularity among all groups. Our data show that the availability of Internet can lead to significant increase in its use among low SEP groups. Low SEP members used the Internet for participation and engagement, but the sites visited differed by group. Harnessing the power of social networking sites and shareware sites may be a way to increase access to health information.

Internet Use, Browsing, and the Urban Poor: Implications for Cancer Control

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Despite the growing penetration of the Internet, little is known about the usage and browsing patterns of those in poverty. We report on a randomized controlled trial that sheds light on the Internet use and browsing patterns among the urban poor. Methods The data come from 312 participants in Boston, Massachusetts, from Click to Connect, a study that examined the impact of an intervention that provided computers, Internet, and training to people from lower socioeconomic position (SEP). Data were gathered through pre- and posttest surveys and Internet use tracking software that generated approximately 13 million network activity files and more than 5.5 million records. Results Internet use increased among Intervention participants, with most of their time spent on social and participatory media sites or Internet portals. Differential patterns of use by gender and race/ethnicity were observed. Purposive searching for health information was low among all participants. Most of the visits to health-related sites were to local hospitals’ sites suggesting the influence of possible preexisting relationships and trust. Social networking sites were frequently visited, with three sites enjoying similar popularity among all groups. Conclusions Our data show that the availability of Internet can lead to significant increase in its use among low SEP groups. Low SEP members used the Internet for participation and engagement, but the sites visited differed by group. Harnessing the power of social networking sites and shareware sites may be a way to increase access to health information. PMID:24395992

Problematic Internet Use in High School Students in Guangdong Province, China

PubMed Central

Lu, Ciyong; Wu, Jie; Deng, Xueqing; Hong, Lingyao

2011-01-01

Background Problematic Internet Use (PIU) is a growing problem in Chinese adolescents. There are many risk factors for PIU, which are found at school and at home. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of PIU and to investigate the potential risk factors for PIU among high school students in China. Methodology/Principal Findings A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 14,296 high school students were surveyed in four cities in Guangdong province. Problematic Internet Use was assessed by the 20-item Young Internet Addiction Test (YIAT). Information was also collected on demographics, family and school-related factors and Internet usage patterns. Of the 14,296 students, 12,446 were Internet users. Of those, 12.2% (1,515) were identified as problematic Internet users (PIUs). Generalized mixed-model regression revealed that there was no gender difference between PIUs and non-PIUs. High study-related stress, having social friends, poor relations with teachers and students and conflictive family relationships were risk factors for PIU. Students who spent more time on-line were more likely to develop PIU. The habits of and purposes for Internet usage were diverse, influencing the susceptibility to PIU. Conclusions/Significance PIU is common among high school students, and risk factors are found at home and at school. Teachers and parents should pay close attention to these risk factors. Effective measures are needed to prevent the spread of this problem. PMID:21573073

What is harmful for male fertility: cell phone or the wireless Internet?

PubMed

Yildirim, Mehmet Erol; Kaynar, Mehmet; Badem, Huseyin; Cavis, Mucahıt; Karatas, Omer Faruk; Cimentepe, Ersın

2015-09-01

In this study, we aimed to assess the potential harmful effects of radiofrequency-electromagnetic radiation on sperm parameters. We requested semen for analyses from the male patients coming to our infertility division and also asked them to fill out an anonymous questionnaire. We queried their mobile phone and wireless Internet usage frequencies in order to determine their radiofrequency-electromagnetic radiation exposure. A total of 1082 patients filled the questionnaire but 51 of them were excluded from the study because of azoospermia. There was no significant difference between sperm counts and sperm morphology excluding sperm motility, due to mobile phone usage period, (p = 0.074, p = 0.909, and p = 0.05, respectively). The total motile sperm count and the progressive motile sperm count decreased due to the increase of internet usage (p = 0.032 and p = 0.033, respectively). In line with the total motile sperm count, progressive motile sperm count also decreased with wireless Internet usage compared with the wired Internet connection usage (p = 0.009 and p = 0.018, respectively). There was a negative correlation between wireless Internet usage duration and the total sperm count (r = -0.089, p = 0.039). We have also explored the negative effect of wireless Internet use on sperm motility according to our preliminary results. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

Online Social Networking and Addiction—A Review of the Psychological Literature

PubMed Central

Kuss, Daria J.; Griffiths, Mark D.

2011-01-01

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are virtual communities where users can create individual public profiles, interact with real-life friends, and meet other people based on shared interests. They are seen as a ‘global consumer phenomenon’ with an exponential rise in usage within the last few years. Anecdotal case study evidence suggests that ‘addiction’ to social networks on the Internet may be a potential mental health problem for some users. However, the contemporary scientific literature addressing the addictive qualities of social networks on the Internet is scarce. Therefore, this literature review is intended to provide empirical and conceptual insight into the emerging phenomenon of addiction to SNSs by: (1) outlining SNS usage patterns, (2) examining motivations for SNS usage, (3) examining personalities of SNS users, (4) examining negative consequences of SNS usage, (5) exploring potential SNS addiction, and (6) exploring SNS addiction specificity and comorbidity. The findings indicate that SNSs are predominantly used for social purposes, mostly related to the maintenance of established offline networks. Moreover, extraverts appear to use social networking sites for social enhancement, whereas introverts use it for social compensation, each of which appears to be related to greater usage, as does low conscientiousness and high narcissism. Negative correlates of SNS usage include the decrease in real life social community participation and academic achievement, as well as relationship problems, each of which may be indicative of potential addiction. PMID:22016701

Online social networking and addiction--a review of the psychological literature.

PubMed

Kuss, Daria J; Griffiths, Mark D

2011-09-01

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are virtual communities where users can create individual public profiles, interact with real-life friends, and meet other people based on shared interests. They are seen as a 'global consumer phenomenon' with an exponential rise in usage within the last few years. Anecdotal case study evidence suggests that 'addiction' to social networks on the Internet may be a potential mental health problem for some users. However, the contemporary scientific literature addressing the addictive qualities of social networks on the Internet is scarce. Therefore, this literature review is intended to provide empirical and conceptual insight into the emerging phenomenon of addiction to SNSs by: (1) outlining SNS usage patterns, (2) examining motivations for SNS usage, (3) examining personalities of SNS users, (4) examining negative consequences of SNS usage, (5) exploring potential SNS addiction, and (6) exploring SNS addiction specificity and comorbidity. The findings indicate that SNSs are predominantly used for social purposes, mostly related to the maintenance of established offline networks. Moreover, extraverts appear to use social networking sites for social enhancement, whereas introverts use it for social compensation, each of which appears to be related to greater usage, as does low conscientiousness and high narcissism. Negative correlates of SNS usage include the decrease in real life social community participation and academic achievement, as well as relationship problems, each of which may be indicative of potential addiction.

Uncovering patterns of technology use in consumer health informatics

PubMed Central

Hung, Man; Conrad, Jillian; Hon, Shirley D.; Cheng, Christine; Franklin, Jeremy D.; Tang, Philip

2014-01-01

Internet usage and accessibility has grown at a staggering rate, influencing technology use for healthcare purposes. The amount of health information technology (Health IT) available through the Internet is immeasurable and growing daily. Health IT is now seen as a fundamental aspect of patient care as it stimulates patient engagement and encourages personal health management. It is increasingly important to understand consumer health IT patterns including who is using specific technologies, how technologies are accessed, factors associated with use, and perceived benefits. To fully uncover consumer patterns it is imperative to recognize common barriers and which groups they disproportionately affect. Finally, exploring future demand and predictions will expose significant opportunities for health IT. The most frequently used health information technologies by consumers are gathering information online, mobile health (mHealth) technologies, and personal health records (PHRs). Gathering health information online is the favored pathway for healthcare consumers as it is used by more consumers and more frequently than any other technology. In regard to mHealth technologies, minority Americans, compared with White Americans utilize social media, mobile Internet, and mobile applications more frequently. Consumers believe PHRs are the most beneficial health IT. PHR usage is increasing rapidly due to PHR integration with provider health systems and health insurance plans. Key issues that have to be explicitly addressed in health IT are privacy and security concerns, health literacy, unawareness, and usability. Privacy and security concerns are rated the number one reason for the slow rate of health IT adoption. PMID:24904713

Use of the computer and Internet among Italian families: first national study.

PubMed

Bricolo, Francesco; Gentile, Douglas A; Smelser, Rachel L; Serpelloni, Giovanni

2007-12-01

Although home Internet access has continued to increase, little is known about actual usage patterns in homes. This nationally representative study of over 4,700 Italian households with children measured computer and Internet use of each family member across 3 months. Data on actual computer and Internet usage were collected by Nielsen//NetRatings service and provide national baseline information on several variables for several age groups separately, including children, adolescents, and adult men and women. National averages are shown for the average amount of time spent using computers and on the Web, the percentage of each age group online, and the types of Web sites viewed. Overall, about one-third of children ages 2 to 11, three-fourths of adolescents and adult women, and over four-fifths of adult men access the Internet each month. Children spend an average of 22 hours/month on the computer, with a jump to 87 hours/month for adolescents. Adult women spend less time (about 60 hours/month), and adult men spend more (over 100). The types of Web sites visited are reported, including the top five for each age group. In general, search engines and Web portals are the top sites visited, regardless of age group. These data provide a baseline for comparisons across time and cultures.

Exploring the relationship between parental worry about their children's health and usage of an internet intervention for pediatric encopresis.

PubMed

Magee, Joshua C; Ritterband, Lee M; Thorndike, Frances P; Cox, Daniel J; Borowitz, Stephen M

2009-06-01

To investigate whether parental worry about their children's health predicts usage of a pediatric Internet intervention for encopresis. Thirty-nine families with a child diagnosed with encopresis completed a national clinical trial of an Internet-based intervention for encopresis (www.ucanpooptoo.com). Parents rated worry about their children's health, encopresis severity, current parent treatment for depression, and parent comfort with the Internet. Usage indicators were collected while participants utilized the intervention. Regression analyses showed that parents who reported higher baseline levels of worry about their children's health showed greater subsequent intervention use (beta =.52, p =.002), even after accounting for other plausible predictors. Exploratory analyses indicated that this effect may be stronger for families with younger children. Characteristics of individuals using Internet-based treatment programs, such as parental worry about their children's health, can influence intervention usage, and should be considered by developers of Internet interventions.

Variations of Perspectives of Junior High School Students Who Have Participated in Smartphone Summit for Appropriate Usage of the Internet and Smartphones

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miyake, Motoko; Takeuchi, Kazuo; Toda, Yuichi

2018-01-01

This study investigated the variations of perspectives of junior high school students who had participated in Smartphone Summit for appropriate usage of the Internet and smartphones. Smartphone Summit is an educational project designed to empower junior high school students to advocate appropriate usage of the Internet and smartphones among older,…

Usage Patterns of Communication Interfaces for Social Support among At-Risk Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Passig, David

2014-01-01

Social and interpersonal support has mostly been carried out face-to-face. However, the internet was able, in the last couple of decades, to facilitate social interactions through a range of computer-mediated communication (CMC) interfaces--from email applications, chat-rooms, forums, instant messages (IM), short text messages (SMS), social…

The Influence of Internet Usage, Social Support, Life Satisfaction, and Depression in the Second Year of College on Student's Intention to Continue Enrollment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jimenez, Joel R.

2017-01-01

Internet usage allows for a level of interaction with individuals from all over the world, to research virtually anything, and to engage in constant exploration to a degree that is not possible within a traditional college setting. To better understand college retention trends, it is important to understand the relationship between Internet usage,…

Predictors and the distal outcome of general Internet use: The identification of children's developmental trajectories.

PubMed

Yu, Jeong Jin; Park, Su Jung

2017-11-01

This study examined the predictors and distal outcome in relation to the frequency of online activities and investigated the presence of prototypical trajectories following different patterns of general Internet use over 5 years. The data set consisted of a nationally representative sample of 2,840 fourth graders (M age  = 9.86 years) in South Korea at baseline. Analyses revealed rank-order stability in general Internet use with four latent classes: high stable (5.8%), high quadratic (20.3%), moderate stable (32.7%), and low stable (41.2%). Youth with higher levels of perceived parental monitoring knowledge, friendship closeness, and depressed mood at baseline were more likely to belong to the high stable class, while girls were more likely to be in the high quadratic or moderate stable classes relative to the low stable class. The high stable class had the greatest odds of reporting alcohol use at grade eight, whereas the low stable class had the lowest odds. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Internet usage increases as children progress through to early adolescence and then levels off Longitudinal data have shown that adolescents' greater Internet use is predictive of their higher levels of drinking What does this study add? To explore different developmental pathways of Internet use in relation to its antecedents and distal outcome Early adolescents who spend more time on the Internet have a greater chance of starting to drink The interindividual rank-order stability of general Internet usage exists at least before late childhood. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Gender and the Internet. Working Paper 2002-10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ono, Hiroshi; Zavodny, Madeline

2002-01-01

This article examines whether there are differences in men's and women's use of the Internet and whether any such gender gaps have changed in recent years. The authors use data from several surveys during the period 1997 to 2001 to show trends in Internet usage and to estimate regression models of Internet usage that control for individuals'…

Geography Teachers' Usage of the Internet for Education Purposes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sezer, Adem

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine geography teachers' use of the Internet for education purposes and the extent to which Turkish Internet sites can fulfill the needs and requirements of geography teachers' Internet usage. Research is carried out using the screening method. Data were collected by means of a measurement tool that was…

Analysis of pathology department Web sites and practical recommendations.

PubMed

Nero, Christopher; Dighe, Anand S

2008-09-01

There are numerous customers for pathology departmental Web sites, including pathology department staff, clinical staff, residency applicants, job seekers, and other individuals outside the department seeking department information. Despite the increasing importance of departmental Web sites as a means of distributing information, no analysis has been done to date of the content and usage of pathology department Web sites. In this study, we analyzed pathology department Web sites to examine the elements present on each site and to evaluate the use of search technology on these sites. Further, we examined the usage patterns of our own departmental Internet and internet Web sites to better understand the users of pathology Web sites. We reviewed selected departmental pathology Web sites and analyzed their content and functionality. Our institution's departmental pathology Web sites were modified to enable detailed information to be stored regarding users and usage patterns, and that information was analyzed. We demonstrate considerable heterogeneity in departmental Web sites with many sites lacking basic content and search features. In addition, we demonstrate that increasing the traffic of a department's informational Web sites may result in reduced phone inquiries to the laboratory. We propose recommendations for pathology department Web sites to maximize promotion of a department's mission. A departmental pathology Web site is an essential communication tool for all pathology departments, and attention to the users and content of the site can have operational impact.

Relationship between Symptoms of Disruptive Behavior Disorders and Unsafe Internet Usage in Early Adolescence

PubMed Central

VURAL, Pınar; UNCU, Yeşim; KILIÇ, Emine Zinnur

2015-01-01

Introduction Children and adolescents are at the highest risk for negative effects of internet usage. Risk taking and erroneous decision making have been described as major behavioral characteristics of patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD and its association particularly with oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder are correlated with risk-taking behaviors. This study was conducted to evaluate how disruptive behavior disorder symptoms are associated with internet usage, particularly unsafe internet usage, in early adolescents. Methods A sample of 1389 secondary school students was invited to the survey. All children were given an invitation letter and Conners’ Parent Rating Scale (CPRS) forms were sent to their parents. The accepted participants filled in questionnaire forms, which consisted of questions interrogating demographic information and internet usage habits. Results Responses indicated that 27.4% (n=249) of the participants encountered unwanted content unintentionally and nearly one-third (n=280, 30.4%) had chatted online with people they did not know. Additionally, respondents who had more severe ADHD symptoms were more likely to report surfing online mainly for the purpose of chatting than respondents with milder ADHD symptoms. Students with comparatively higher attention deficit scores were also significantly more likely to report meeting in person with strangers they knew only from internet chatting. Analyses have demonstrated the presence of a significant difference between study participants with and without conduct disorder as for internet overusage or meeting with their internet acquaintances. Conclusion This study suggests that there may be a significant relation between ADHD symptoms, conduct disorder and pathological and unsafe internet usage. Evaluating adolescents with ADHD and conduct disorder with this risk in mind is important in the development of both preventive and interventional strategies. PMID:28360717

The Usage and Impact of Internet Enabled Phones on Academic Concentration among Students of Tertiary Institutions: A Study at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ezemenaka, Emeka

2013-01-01

The usage of Internet enabled phones has been a 21st century phenomenon that spreads for different purposes and functions. This study looks into the usage and perceived effect implications internet enabled phones have on the academic performance of the tertiary students using University of Ibadan students in Nigeria as a case study. The study was…

Exploring the Relationship between Parental Worry about their Children's Health and Usage of an Internet Intervention for Pediatric Encopresis

PubMed Central

Magee, Joshua C.; Thorndike, Frances P.; Cox, Daniel J.; Borowitz, Stephen M.

2009-01-01

Objective To investigate whether parental worry about their children's health predicts usage of a pediatric Internet intervention for encopresis. Methods Thirty-nine families with a child diagnosed with encopresis completed a national clinical trial of an Internet-based intervention for encopresis (www.ucanpooptoo.com). Parents rated worry about their children's health, encopresis severity, current parent treatment for depression, and parent comfort with the Internet. Usage indicators were collected while participants utilized the intervention. Results Regression analyses showed that parents who reported higher baseline levels of worry about their children's health showed greater subsequent intervention use (β =.52, p =.002), even after accounting for other plausible predictors. Exploratory analyses indicated that this effect may be stronger for families with younger children. Conclusions Characteristics of individuals using Internet-based treatment programs, such as parental worry about their children's health, can influence intervention usage, and should be considered by developers of Internet interventions. PMID:18772228

Is rapid growth in Internet usage environmentally sustainable for Australia? An empirical investigation.

PubMed

Salahuddin, Mohammad; Alam, Khorshed; Ozturk, Ilhan

2016-03-01

This study estimates the short- and long-run effects of Internet usage and economic growth on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions using annual time series macro data for Australia for the period 1985-2012. Autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) bounds and Gregory-Hansen structural break cointegration tests are applied. ARDL estimates indicate no significant long-run relationship between Internet usage and CO2 emissions, which implies that the rapid growth in Internet usage is still not an environmental threat for Australia. The study further indicates that higher level of economic growth is associated with lower level of CO2 emissions; however, Internet usage and economic growth have no significant short-run relationship with CO2 emissions. Financial development has both short-run and long-run significant positive association with CO2 emissions. The findings offer support in favor of energy efficiency gains and a reduction in energy intensity in Australia. However, impulse response and variance decomposition analysis suggest that Internet usage, economic growth and financial development will continue to impact CO2 emissions in the future, and as such, this study recommends that in addition to the existing measures to combat CO2 emissions, Australia needs to exploit the potential of the Internet not only to reduce its own carbon footprint but also to utilize information and communication technology (ICT)-enabled emissions abatement potential to reduce emissions in various other sectors across the economy, such as, power, renewable energy especially in solar and wind energy, agriculture, transport and service.

Process Evaluation of an Innovative Healthy Eating Website Promoting the Mediterranean Diet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papadaki, A.; Scott, J. A.

2006-01-01

The Internet offers a promising medium for delivering nutrition education. This study aimed to evaluate user perceptions and usage patterns of an innovative healthy eating website promoting the Mediterranean diet. The website was evaluated over a 6-month period by female employees of University of Glasgow, aged 25-55 years. User satisfaction with…

The Prevalence of Problematic Internet Use and the Related Factors in Medical Students, Kerman, Iran

PubMed Central

Mazhari, Shahrzad

2012-01-01

Background Although problematic Internet use (PIU) is a growing problem among adolescents, few studies have examined its prevalence among university students in Iran. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of PIU and its potential risk factors among students at Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. Methods In a cross-sectional study, data was collected from 976 university students. PIU was assessed by the 18-item Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire. In addition, information on demographics and Internet usage pattern was also collected. Findings A total of 920 students completed the survey (response rate = 94.8%). Of them, 98% were Internet users. Overall, 21% of the students were identified as problematic Internet users. Logistic regression analysis showed that spending more time online, having a history of psychiatric disorders, and using the Internet for chatting and playing games were risk factors for PIU. Conclusion PIU is a common problem among university students. These results suggest the need for preventive and interventional strategies for this vulnerable group. PMID:24494141

[Usage patterns of internet and computer games : Results of an observational study of Tyrolean adolescents].

PubMed

Riedl, David; Stöckl, Andrea; Nussbaumer, Charlotte; Rumpold, Gerhard; Sevecke, Kathrin; Fuchs, Martin

2016-12-01

The use of digital media such as the Internet and Computer games has greatly increased. In the western world, almost all young people regularly use these relevant technologies. Against this background, forms of use with possible negative consequences for young people have been recognized and scientifically examined. The aim of our study was therefore to investigate the prevalence of pathological use of these technologies in a sample of young Tyrolean people. 398 students (average age 15.2 years, SD ± 2.3 years, 34.2% female) were interviewed by means of the structured questionnaires CIUS (Internet), CSV-S (Computer games) and SWE (Self efficacy). Additionally, socio demographic data were collected. In line with previous studies, 7.7% of the adolescents of our sample showed criteria for problematic internet use, 3.3% for pathological internet use. 5.4% of the sample reported pathological computer game usage. The most important aspect to influence our results was the gender of the subjects. Intensive users in the field of Internet and Computer games were more often young men, young women, however, showed significantly less signs of pathological computer game use. A significant percentage of Tyrolean adolescents showed difficulties in the development of competent media use, indicating the growing significance of prevention measures such as media education. In a follow-up project, a sample of adolescents with mental disorders will be examined concerning their media use and be compared with our school-sample.

Incidence and correlates of Internet usage among adolescents in North Cyprus.

PubMed

Bayraktar, Fatih; Gün, Zübeyit

2007-04-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Internet usage among adolescents in Northern Cyprus. A total of 686 adolescents (mean age of 14.4 years, range of 12-17 years) were recruited from elementary and high schools. Results showed that the Internet was used primarily by male students. Adolescents used the Internet generally for entertainment and communication. The quality of chat on the Internet was studied, and it was found that adolescents generally introduce themselves differently while chatting. Also, the type of games on the Internet and the correlation between playing these games and aggression was studied in this research. It was found that mostly violent games were played on the Internet and playing these games were related to anti-social aggression and aggression toward the self. Research findings indicated that 1.1% of the students who used the Internet were pathological Internet users. These pathological Internet users visited significantly more chat sites, mp3 sites, pornographic sites, and shopping sites than other users. Also, it was found that students' grade point average (GPA) decreased when pathological Internet usage increased.

Quantifying Wikipedia Usage Patterns Before Stock Market Moves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moat, Helen Susannah; Curme, Chester; Avakian, Adam; Kenett, Dror Y.; Stanley, H. Eugene; Preis, Tobias

2013-05-01

Financial crises result from a catastrophic combination of actions. Vast stock market datasets offer us a window into some of the actions that have led to these crises. Here, we investigate whether data generated through Internet usage contain traces of attempts to gather information before trading decisions were taken. We present evidence in line with the intriguing suggestion that data on changes in how often financially related Wikipedia pages were viewed may have contained early signs of stock market moves. Our results suggest that online data may allow us to gain new insight into early information gathering stages of decision making.

Quantifying Wikipedia Usage Patterns Before Stock Market Moves

PubMed Central

Moat, Helen Susannah; Curme, Chester; Avakian, Adam; Kenett, Dror Y.; Stanley, H. Eugene; Preis, Tobias

2013-01-01

Financial crises result from a catastrophic combination of actions. Vast stock market datasets offer us a window into some of the actions that have led to these crises. Here, we investigate whether data generated through Internet usage contain traces of attempts to gather information before trading decisions were taken. We present evidence in line with the intriguing suggestion that data on changes in how often financially related Wikipedia pages were viewed may have contained early signs of stock market moves. Our results suggest that online data may allow us to gain new insight into early information gathering stages of decision making.

Examining the Level of Internet Addiction of Adolescents in Terms of Various Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayaz, Mehmet Fatih; Karatas, Kasim

2016-01-01

The aim of the research is to examine the internet addiction of adolescents according to their genders, the type of their high-schools and class level, the time interval that they use internet most widely, their internet usage duration and usage purpose. For that, it is studied with 335 high-school students in Elazig city of Turkey in 2015. The…

Internet addiction is related to attention deficit but not hyperactivity in a sample of high school students.

PubMed

Yılmaz, Savaş; Hergüner, Sabri; Bilgiç, Ayhan; Işık, Ümit

2015-03-01

To assess the effects of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptom dimensions on Internet addiction (IA) after controlling for Internet usage features among high school students. This study consisted of 640 students (331 females and 309 males) ranging from 14 to 19 years of age. The Internet Addiction Scale, the Conners-Wells' Adolescent Self-Report Scale-Short Form, and a personal information form were completed by the participants. Statistical analyses were conducted for both sexes and the total sample. According to the logistic regression analysis, attention deficit and playing online games were significant predictors of IA in both sexes. Other predictors of IA included behavioral problems for females, total weekly Internet usage time, and lifelong total Internet use for males. Hyperactivity and other Internet usage features did not predict IA. These results suggest that attention deficit and playing online games are important determinants of IA in this age group.

A malicious pattern detection engine for embedded security systems in the Internet of Things.

PubMed

Oh, Doohwan; Kim, Deokho; Ro, Won Woo

2014-12-16

With the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), a large number of physical objects in daily life have been aggressively connected to the Internet. As the number of objects connected to networks increases, the security systems face a critical challenge due to the global connectivity and accessibility of the IoT. However, it is difficult to adapt traditional security systems to the objects in the IoT, because of their limited computing power and memory size. In light of this, we present a lightweight security system that uses a novel malicious pattern-matching engine. We limit the memory usage of the proposed system in order to make it work on resource-constrained devices. To mitigate performance degradation due to limitations of computation power and memory, we propose two novel techniques, auxiliary shifting and early decision. Through both techniques, we can efficiently reduce the number of matching operations on resource-constrained systems. Experiments and performance analyses show that our proposed system achieves a maximum speedup of 2.14 with an IoT object and provides scalable performance for a large number of patterns.

An Exploratory Study of Internet Addiction, Usage and Communication Pleasure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Chien; Chou, Jung; Tyan, Nay-Ching Nancy

This study examined the correlation between Internet addiction, usage, and communication pleasure. Research questions were: (1) What is computer network addiction? (2) How can one measure the degree of computer network addiction? (3) What is the correlation between the degree of users' network addiction and their network usage? (4) What is the…

Mediation Effects of Internet Addiction on Shame and Social Networking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dogan, Ugur; Kaya, Sinem

2016-01-01

A survey of 488 college students was conducted in Turkey to investigate the relationship between social network usage, shame and Internet addiction. It was hypothesized that a relationship between shame and social network usage was mediated by Internet addiction. First of all, according to simple regression analysis, it was found that shame…

Patterns of computer usage among medical practitioners in rural and remote Queensland.

PubMed

White, Col; Sheedy, Vicki; Lawrence, Nicola

2002-06-01

As part of a more detailed needs analysis, patterns of computer usage among medical practitioners in rural and remote Queensland were investigated. Utilising a questionnaire approach, a response rate of 23.82% (n = 131) was obtained. Results suggest that medical practitioners in rural and remote Queensland are relatively sophisticated in their use of computer and information technologies and have embraced computerisation to a substantially higher extent compared with their urban counterparts and previously published estimates. Findings also indicate that a substantial number of rural and remote practitioners are utilising computer and information technologies for clinical purposes such as pathology, patient information sheets, prescribing, education, patient records and patient recalls. Despite barriers such as bandwidth limitations, cost and the sometimes unreliable quality of Internet service providers, a majority of rural and remote respondents rated an Internet site with continuing medical education information and services as being important or very important. Suggestions that "rural doctors are slow to adapt to new technologies" are questioned, with findings indicating that rural and remote medical practitioners in Queensland have adapted to, and utilise, information technology to a far higher extent than has been previously documented.

Confidence-Building in Cyberspace: A Comparison of Territorial and Weapons-based Regimes

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

censorship , Internet surveillance, and pricing schemes for Internet usage, including whether the state should subsidize the costs of Internet usage. If...differences of opinion regarding practices of Internet censorship and policies on gay rights in the two nations) and the personal relationships between...Ham- bali, Megan Hafizal, Megan Ramli, Noorliza Hamdan, and Zalini Yunus point to the absence of an awareness among scientists in Malaysia about

Distinct patterns of Internet and smartphone-related problems among adolescents by gender: Latent class analysis.

PubMed

Lee, Seung-Yup; Lee, Donghwan; Nam, Cho Rong; Kim, Da Yea; Park, Sera; Kwon, Jun-Gun; Kweon, Yong-Sil; Lee, Youngjo; Kim, Dai Jin; Choi, Jung-Seok

2018-05-23

Background and objectives The ubiquitous Internet connections by smartphones weakened the traditional boundaries between computers and mobile phones. We sought to explore whether smartphone-related problems differ from those of computer use according to gender using latent class analysis (LCA). Methods After informed consents, 555 Korean middle-school students completed surveys on gaming, Internet use, and smartphone usage patterns. They also completed various psychosocial instruments. LCA was performed for the whole group and by gender. In addition to ANOVA and χ 2 tests, post-hoc tests were conducted to examine differences among the LCA subgroups. Results In the whole group (n = 555), four subtypes were identified: dual-problem users (49.5%), problematic Internet users (7.7%), problematic smartphone users (32.1%), and "healthy" users (10.6%). Dual-problem users scored highest for addictive behaviors and other psychopathologies. The gender-stratified LCA revealed three subtypes for each gender. With dual-problem and healthy subgroup as common, problematic Internet subgroup was classified in the males, whereas problematic smartphone subgroup was classified in the females in the gender-stratified LCA. Thus, distinct patterns were observed according to gender with higher proportion of dual-problem present in males. While gaming was associated with problematic Internet use in males, aggression and impulsivity demonstrated associations with problematic smartphone use in females. Conclusions An increase in the number of digital media-related problems was associated with worse outcomes in various psychosocial scales. Gaming may play a crucial role in males solely displaying Internet-related problems. The heightened impulsivity and aggression seen in our female problematic smartphone users requires further research.

The relationship of loneliness and social anxiety with children's and adolescents' online communication.

PubMed

Bonetti, Luigi; Campbell, Marilyn Anne; Gilmore, Linda

2010-06-01

Children and adolescents now communicate online to form and/or maintain relationships with friends, family, and strangers. Relationships in "real life" are important for children's and adolescents' psychosocial development; however, they can be difficult for those who experience feelings of loneliness and/or social anxiety. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in usage of online communication patterns between children and adolescents with and without self-reported loneliness and social anxiety. Six hundred twenty-six students ages 10 to 16 years completed a survey on the amount of time they spent communicating online, the topics they discussed, the partners they engaged with, and their purposes for communicating over the Internet. Participants were administered a shortened version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale and an abbreviated subscale of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A). Additionally, age and gender differences in usage of the online communication patterns were examined across the entire sample. Findings revealed that children and adolescents who self-reported being lonely communicated online significantly more frequently about personal and intimate topics than did those who did not self-report being lonely. The former were motivated to use online communication significantly more frequently to compensate for their weaker social skills to meet new people. Results suggest that Internet usage allows them to fulfill critical needs of social interactions, self-disclosure, and identity exploration. Future research, however, should explore whether or not the benefits derived from online communication may also facilitate lonely children's and adolescents' offline social relationships.

Problematic internet usage in US college students: a pilot study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Internet addiction among US college students remains a concern, but robust estimates of its prevalence are lacking. Methods We conducted a pilot survey of 307 college students at two US universities. Participants completed the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) as well as the Patient Health Questionnaire. Both are validated measures of problematic Internet usage and depression, respectively. We assessed the association between problematic Internet usage and moderate to severe depression using a modified Poisson regression approach. In addition, we examined the associations between individual items in the IAT and depression. Results A total of 224 eligible respondents completed the survey (73% response rate). Overall, 4% of students scored in the occasionally problematic or addicted range on the IAT, and 12% had moderate to severe depression. Endorsement of individual problematic usage items ranged from 1% to 70%. In the regression analysis, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with several individual items. Relative risk could not be estimated for three of the twenty items because of small cell sizes. Of the remaining 17 items, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with 13 of them, and three others had P values less than 0.10. There was also a significant association between problematic Internet usage overall and moderate to severe depression (relative risk 24.07, 95% confidence interval 3.95 to 146.69; P = 0.001). Conclusion The prevalence of problematic Internet usage among US college students is a cause for concern, and potentially requires intervention and treatment amongst the most vulnerable groups. The prevalence reported in this study is lower than that which has been reported in other studies, however the at-risk population is very high and preventative measures are also recommended. PMID:21696582

Nomophobia: A Cross-sectional Study to Assess Mobile Phone Usage Among Dental Students.

PubMed

Prasad, Monika; Patthi, Basavaraj; Singla, Ashish; Gupta, Ritu; Saha, Sabyasachi; Kumar, Jishnu Krishna; Malhi, Ravneet; Pandita, Venisha

2017-02-01

Mobile phones were originally seen as a gadget for communication but currently, the internet enabled mobile phones have become an integral part of our daily life. Their benefits are incomparable but at the same time, they have some negative effects too. To assess the pattern of usage of mobile phones and its effects on the academic performance of students. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 554 students of D. J. College of Dental Sciences and Research through a self-administered questionnaire to collect the data regarding the usage and associated anxiety with mobile phone. About 39.5% students agreed that they score low marks in professional exams if they spend more time on phone. The number of students who frequently checked their cell phone during their classes or while doing clinical work were 24.7% . A total of 24.12% of the students were found to be nomophobic and at risk of being nomophobes were 40.97%. A statistically significant difference was found among preclinical, clinical, interns and postgraduates regarding the usage and effect of mobile phone on them. The pattern of usage of mobile phone among dental students showed alarming indication that students have been addicted to mobile phone which in turn affect their academic performance in a negative way. It would be useful to advise the students about the controlled as well as proper usage of mobile phone.

Social anxiety and Internet socialization in Indian undergraduate students: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Honnekeri, Bianca S; Goel, Akhil; Umate, Maithili; Shah, Nilesh; De Sousa, Avinash

2017-06-01

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a globally prevalent, chronic, debilitating psychiatric disorder affecting youth. With comorbidities including major depression, substance abuse, lower educational and work attainment, and increased suicide risk, it has a significant public health burden. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of SAD in urban Indian undergraduate students and to study their Facebook (FB) usage patterns. In this exploratory cross-sectional study, 316 undergraduate students were screened for social anxiety using validated instruments, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) and Social Phobia Scale (SPS), and divided into two groups based on scores obtained. The groups were then compared with regards to behaviors and attitudes toward Facebook, obtained from a self-report questionnaire. SAD was estimated to be a significant, prevalent (7.8%) disorder in otherwise productive youth, and showed female preponderance. Higher specific social phobia scores were associated with the inability to reduce Facebook use, urges toward increasing use, spending more time thinking about Facebook, negative reactions to restricting use, and using it to forget one's problems. SAD was estimated to have a prevalence of 7.8% in our study, and was associated with stronger FB usage attitudes and patterns. We recommend that the relationship between social anxiety and Internet use be explored further, to study the possibility of Internet-based screening and intervention strategies having wider reach and appeal in socially anxious individuals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Social capital and Internet use in an age-comparative perspective with a focus on later life.

PubMed

Barbosa Neves, Barbara; Fonseca, Jaime R S; Amaro, Fausto; Pasqualotti, Adriano

2018-01-01

Older adults (aged 65+) are still less likely to adopt the Internet when compared to other age groups, although their usage is increasing. To explore the societal effects of Internet usage, scholars have been using social capital as an analytical tool. Social capital pertains to the resources that are potentially available in one's social ties. As the Internet becomes a prominent source of information, communication, and participation in industrialized countries, it is critical to study how it affects social resources from an age-comparative perspective. Research has found a positive association between Internet use and social capital, though limited attention has been paid to older adults. Studies have also found a positive association between social capital and wellbeing, health, sociability, and social support amongst older adults. However, little is known about how Internet usage or lack thereof relates to their social capital. To address this gap, we used a mixed-methods approach to examine the relationship between Internet usage and social capital and whether and how it differs by age. For this, we surveyed a representative sample of 417 adults (18+) living in Lisbon, Portugal, of which 118 are older adults. Social capital was measured through bonding, bridging, and specific resources, and analyzed with Latent Class Modeling and logistic regressions. Internet usage was measured through frequency and type of use. Fourteen follow-up semi-structured interviews helped contextualize the survey data. Our findings show that social capital decreased with age but varied for each type of Internet user. Older adults were less likely to have a high level of social capital; yet within this age group, frequent Internet users had higher levels than other users and non-users. On the one hand, the Internet seems to help maintain, accrue, and even mobilize social capital. On the other hand, it also seems to reinforce social inequality and accumulated advantage (known as the Matthew effect).

Social capital and Internet use in an age-comparative perspective with a focus on later life

PubMed Central

Amaro, Fausto; Pasqualotti, Adriano

2018-01-01

Older adults (aged 65+) are still less likely to adopt the Internet when compared to other age groups, although their usage is increasing. To explore the societal effects of Internet usage, scholars have been using social capital as an analytical tool. Social capital pertains to the resources that are potentially available in one’s social ties. As the Internet becomes a prominent source of information, communication, and participation in industrialized countries, it is critical to study how it affects social resources from an age-comparative perspective. Research has found a positive association between Internet use and social capital, though limited attention has been paid to older adults. Studies have also found a positive association between social capital and wellbeing, health, sociability, and social support amongst older adults. However, little is known about how Internet usage or lack thereof relates to their social capital. To address this gap, we used a mixed-methods approach to examine the relationship between Internet usage and social capital and whether and how it differs by age. For this, we surveyed a representative sample of 417 adults (18+) living in Lisbon, Portugal, of which 118 are older adults. Social capital was measured through bonding, bridging, and specific resources, and analyzed with Latent Class Modeling and logistic regressions. Internet usage was measured through frequency and type of use. Fourteen follow-up semi-structured interviews helped contextualize the survey data. Our findings show that social capital decreased with age but varied for each type of Internet user. Older adults were less likely to have a high level of social capital; yet within this age group, frequent Internet users had higher levels than other users and non-users. On the one hand, the Internet seems to help maintain, accrue, and even mobilize social capital. On the other hand, it also seems to reinforce social inequality and accumulated advantage (known as the Matthew effect). PMID:29481556

Truck Drivers' Use of the Internet: A Mobile Health Lifeline.

PubMed

Heaton, Karen; Combs, Bryan; Griffin, Russell

2017-06-01

Because of their social isolation, irregular and unpredictable schedules, limited access to health care, and long periods of travel, long-haul truckers may benefit from the use of mobile health applications on Internet-capable devices. The purpose of this study was to determine Internet access and usage among a sample of long-haul truck drivers. In this cross-sectional study, truck drivers completed a pencil and paper survey with questions on demographics, work and health histories, and Internet access and usage for both personal and job reasons. A total of 106 truck drivers were recruited from trucking industry trade shows, by word of mouth, and directly from trucking companies. Overall, the truck drivers' use of the Internet was limited. Their usage for personal and job-related reasons differed. Social connectivity and access to health and wellness information were important during personal usage time. Job-related Internet use was highly practical, and applied to seeking information for directions and maps, fuel stops and pricing, and communicating with employers or transmitting documents. Age and experience were associated with Internet use. Younger, less-experienced drivers used the Internet more than older, experienced drivers. Targeted mobile health messaging may be a useful tool to inform truck drivers of health conditions and plans, and may provide links to primary care providers needing to monitor or notify drivers of diagnostic results or treatment plans.

The Relationships between Internet Usage and Acculturation of the Horn of Africa Immigrants in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woldeab, Daniel

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate Internet usage and its relationship with the acculturation of the Horn of Africa immigrants residing in urban Minnesota. Technology has and continues to be a cultural amplifier; in just two decades from its initial availability to the general public, the Internet has made geographical differences…

Internet as an Information Source: Attitudes and Usage of Students Enrolled in a College of Agriculture Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhoades, Emily B.; Irani, Tracy; Telg, Ricky; Myers, Brian E.

2008-01-01

With Internet usage in the United States at an all-time high, information technology use in education has continued to increase. Research has shown that many students are utilizing these materials to search out information and assist with completing class assignments. Many college students have described the Internet as a functional tool that…

Intranet usage and potential in acute care hospitals in the United States: survey-2000.

PubMed

Hatcher, M

2001-12-01

This paper provides the results of the Survey-2000 measuring Intranet and its potential in health care. The survey measured the levels of Internet and Intranet existence and usage in acute care hospitals. Business-to-business electronic commerce and electronic commerce for customers were measured. Since the Intranet was not studied in survey-1997, no comparisons could be made. Therefore the results were presented and discussed. The Intranet data were compared with the Internet data and statistically significant differences were presented and analyzed. This information will assist hospitals to plan Internet and Intranet technology. This is the third of three articles based upon the results of the Survey-2000. Readers are referred to prior articles by the author, which discusses the survey design and provides a tutorial on technology transfer in acute care hospitals.(1) The first article based upon the survey results discusses technology transfer, system design approaches, user involvement, and decision-making purposes. (2) The second article based upon the survey results discusses distribution of Internet usage and rating of Internet usage applied to specific applications. Homepages, advertising, and electronic commerce are discussed from an Internet perspective.

Internet Literacy of Vocational High School Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vernanda, D.; Abdullah, A. G.; Rohendi, D.

2018-02-01

Internet literacy is needed to know the development of the world in various things quickly and precisely, as well as in the world of education, especially teachers. Seeing the importance of internet literacy, there is an interest to discuss and analyze the level of internet literacy of teachers. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. The sample of research is vocational school teacher (SMK) as many as 99 respondents. Data are collected through questionnaires. The theory used is adopted from Suitable Learning Object Type (LRE APV4.7) and Three Elements of Literacy Digital. The result data of the questionnaire is processed and analyzed using Capability Maturity Model theory, the result of the research shows that the level of internet literacy of vocational teachers is at level 2, meaning that SMK teachers have used the internet many times to assist their daily activities and have pattern of repetition in internet utilization. The use of internet by teachers of SMK with various needs that support the process of teaching, communicating, sharing knowledge, but the most dominant is to communicate through social media. Factors affecting internet usage include age, gender, and employment status.

A Study on Information Search and Commitment Strategies on Web Environment and Internet Usage Self-Efficacy Beliefs of University Students'

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geçer, Aynur Kolburan

2014-01-01

This study addresses university students' information search and commitment strategies on web environment and internet usage self-efficacy beliefs in terms of such variables as gender, department, grade level and frequency of internet use; and whether there is a significant relation between these beliefs. Descriptive method was used in the study.…

Entertainment or Health? Exploring the Internet Usage Patterns of the Urban Poor: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

McCloud, Rachel F; Okechukwu, Cassandra A; Sorensen, Glorian; Viswanath, Kasisomayajula

2016-03-03

Important gaps remain in our knowledge of how individuals from low socioeconomic position (SEP) use the Internet for resources and in understanding the full range of activities they perform online. Although self-report data indicate that low SEP individuals use the Internet less than high SEP people for health information and for other beneficial capital-enhancing activities, these results may not provide an accurate overall view of online use. The aim of this study was to determine the ways in which low SEP individuals use the Internet, including for entertainment, social networking, and capital-enhancing functions, and how they are associated with health information seeking. Detailed Web tracking data were collected from 118 low SEP individuals who participated in the intervention group of a randomized controlled trial that provided Internet access. Websites were grouped by topic, including categories of capital-enhancing websites that provided access to resources and information. Different types of online activities were summed into an Internet use index. Single and multiple negative binomial regression models were fitted with the Internet use index as the predictor and health information seeking as the outcome. Next, models were fitted with low, medium, and high Web usage in capital-enhancing, entertainment, and social network categories to determine their associations with health information seeking. Participants used the Web for diverse purposes, with 63.6% (75/118) accessing the Internet for all defined types of Internet use. Each additional category of Internet use was associated with 2.12 times the rate of health information seeking (95% CI 1.84-2.44, P<.001). Higher use of each type of capital-enhancing information was associated with higher rates of health information seeking, with high uses of government (incident rate ratio [IRR] 8.90, 95% CI 4.82-16.42, P<.001) and news (IRR 11.36, 95% CI 6.21-20.79, P<.001) websites associated with the highest rates of health information seeking compared to their lowest use categories. High entertainment website use (IRR 3.91, 95% CI 2.07-7.37, P<.001) and high social network use (IRR 2.06, 95% CI 1.08-3.92, P=.03) were also associated with higher health information seeking. These data clearly show that familiarity and skills in using the Internet enhance the capacity to use it for diverse purposes, including health and to increase capital, and that Internet usage for specific activities is not a zero sum game. Using it for one type of topic, such as entertainment, does not detract from using it for other purposes. Findings may inform ways to engage low SEP groups with Internet resources.

Entertainment or Health? Exploring the Internet Usage Patterns of the Urban Poor: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Okechukwu, Cassandra A; Sorensen, Glorian; Viswanath, Kasisomayajula

2016-01-01

Background Important gaps remain in our knowledge of how individuals from low socioeconomic position (SEP) use the Internet for resources and in understanding the full range of activities they perform online. Although self-report data indicate that low SEP individuals use the Internet less than high SEP people for health information and for other beneficial capital-enhancing activities, these results may not provide an accurate overall view of online use. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the ways in which low SEP individuals use the Internet, including for entertainment, social networking, and capital-enhancing functions, and how they are associated with health information seeking. Methods Detailed Web tracking data were collected from 118 low SEP individuals who participated in the intervention group of a randomized controlled trial that provided Internet access. Websites were grouped by topic, including categories of capital-enhancing websites that provided access to resources and information. Different types of online activities were summed into an Internet use index. Single and multiple negative binomial regression models were fitted with the Internet use index as the predictor and health information seeking as the outcome. Next, models were fitted with low, medium, and high Web usage in capital-enhancing, entertainment, and social network categories to determine their associations with health information seeking. Results Participants used the Web for diverse purposes, with 63.6% (75/118) accessing the Internet for all defined types of Internet use. Each additional category of Internet use was associated with 2.12 times the rate of health information seeking (95% CI 1.84-2.44, P<.001). Higher use of each type of capital-enhancing information was associated with higher rates of health information seeking, with high uses of government (incident rate ratio [IRR] 8.90, 95% CI 4.82-16.42, P<.001) and news (IRR 11.36, 95% CI 6.21-20.79, P<.001) websites associated with the highest rates of health information seeking compared to their lowest use categories. High entertainment website use (IRR 3.91, 95% CI 2.07-7.37, P<.001) and high social network use (IRR 2.06, 95% CI 1.08-3.92, P=.03) were also associated with higher health information seeking. Conclusions These data clearly show that familiarity and skills in using the Internet enhance the capacity to use it for diverse purposes, including health and to increase capital, and that Internet usage for specific activities is not a zero sum game. Using it for one type of topic, such as entertainment, does not detract from using it for other purposes. Findings may inform ways to engage low SEP groups with Internet resources. PMID:26940637

A Malicious Pattern Detection Engine for Embedded Security Systems in the Internet of Things

PubMed Central

Oh, Doohwan; Kim, Deokho; Ro, Won Woo

2014-01-01

With the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), a large number of physical objects in daily life have been aggressively connected to the Internet. As the number of objects connected to networks increases, the security systems face a critical challenge due to the global connectivity and accessibility of the IoT. However, it is difficult to adapt traditional security systems to the objects in the IoT, because of their limited computing power and memory size. In light of this, we present a lightweight security system that uses a novel malicious pattern-matching engine. We limit the memory usage of the proposed system in order to make it work on resource-constrained devices. To mitigate performance degradation due to limitations of computation power and memory, we propose two novel techniques, auxiliary shifting and early decision. Through both techniques, we can efficiently reduce the number of matching operations on resource-constrained systems. Experiments and performance analyses show that our proposed system achieves a maximum speedup of 2.14 with an IoT object and provides scalable performance for a large number of patterns. PMID:25521382

Correlates of, and barriers to, Internet use among older adults.

PubMed

Chang, Janet; McAllister, Carolyn; McCaslin, Rosemary

2015-01-01

Older adults constitute the group with the greatest increase in Internet usage in the past decade; however, usage varies greatly within this population. Services to older adults require a current understanding of Internet-use trends. This study utilized a quantitative survey method to examine correlates of, and barriers to, current Internet use in a demographically diverse county in Southern California. Findings indicate that the presence of a computer at home, a job requiring computer use, age, education, and ethnicity are important factors in predicting Internet use in older adults. Implications for social work practice with older adults is discussed.

eHealth literacy, Internet and eHealth service usage: a survey among cancer patients and their relatives.

PubMed

Halwas, Nikolaus; Griebel, Lena; Huebner, Jutta

2017-11-01

The aim of our study was to investigate Internet and eHealth usage, with respect to eHealth literacy, by cancer patients and their relatives. Using a standardized questionnaire we asked patients who attended lectures on complementary medicine in 2016. We received 142 questionnaires. The frequency of general Internet usage was directly associated with younger age and better Internet connection. Younger participants were not only more confident in allocating health-related Internet information into reliable or unreliable facts, but also more confident and capable of gaining medical knowledge through eHealth services. A regular use of eHealth services facilitated the decision-making process. Reading ability was associated with a better understanding regarding eHealth offers. In a modern health care system, emphasis should be on skills contributing to eHealth literacy among patients to improve their ability to profit from eHealth offers and improve health care.

The role of social support on emotion dysregulation and Internet addiction among Chinese adolescents: A structural equation model.

PubMed

Mo, Phoenix K H; Chan, Virginia W Y; Chan, Samuel W; Lau, Joseph T F

2018-07-01

Internet addiction is prevalent among adolescents and is associated with various negative outcomes. Relatively few studies examined the role of emotion dysregulation and social support on Internet addiction in this population. The present examined the association between emotion dysregulation, social support, and Internet addiction among junior secondary school students in Hong Kong. The mediating role of emotion dysregulation and Internet use on the relationship between social support and Internet addiction and the gender difference in such association were also tested. A total of 862 junior secondary school students (grade 7 to 8) from 4 schools completed a cross-sectional survey. 10.9% scored above the cut-off for Internet addiction based on the Chen Internet Addiction Scale. Results from structural equation modeling revealed that social support was negatively related to emotion dysregulation and Internet usage, which in turn, were positively related to Internet addiction. Results from multi-group analysis by gender showed that the relationship between social support and emotion dysregulation, Internet usage, and Internet addiction, and those between emotion dysregulation and Internet addiction and between Internet usage and Internet addiction were stronger among female participants. Emotion dysregulation is a potential risk factor while social support is a potential protective factor for Internet addiction. The role of social support on emotion dysregulation and Internet addiction were stronger among female students. Gender-sensitive interventions on Internet Addiction for adolescents are warranted, such interventions should increase social support and improve emotion regulation. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Comparing online opportunities and risks among Israeli children and youth Hebrew and Arabic speakers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blau, Ina

2014-10-01

This study explores the relationships between application usage, online communication patterns, problematic Internet use (PIU) of online applications, and online self-disclosure among children from culturally different groups. An online survey was administered in Hebrew and Arabic among 3867 Israeli 7-17 year old, including Jews, Arabs, and Bedouins. The level of PIU was relatively low-only 9.5% scored "very high" in the PIU index. For all the groups the highest level of communication was reported for safe interactions with family and friends, lower level for purely virtual communication with online acquaintances, and the lowest level for meeting online acquaintances face-to-face. However, various forms of the online communication patterns and use of applications differed across the groups, suggesting cultural diversity in Internet usage among children in the same country. PIU and self-disclosure explained 47.3% of variance in risky e-communication activities (e.g. sending ones' photos to online acquaintances, providing them with a school or home address, and meeting them face-to-face), as well as 34.4% of variance in exposure to unpleasant online experiences (e.g. receiving messages, pictures, or videos that make the children feel uncomfortable). However, both PIU and self-disclosure were unrelated to educational activities and to the use of educational applications.

Nomophobia: A Cross-sectional Study to Assess Mobile Phone Usage Among Dental Students

PubMed Central

Patthi, Basavaraj; Singla, Ashish; Gupta, Ritu; Saha, Sabyasachi; Kumar, Jishnu Krishna; Malhi, Ravneet; Pandita, Venisha

2017-01-01

Introduction Mobile phones were originally seen as a gadget for communication but currently, the internet enabled mobile phones have become an integral part of our daily life. Their benefits are incomparable but at the same time, they have some negative effects too. Aim To assess the pattern of usage of mobile phones and its effects on the academic performance of students. Materials and Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 554 students of D. J. College of Dental Sciences and Research through a self-administered questionnaire to collect the data regarding the usage and associated anxiety with mobile phone. Results About 39.5% students agreed that they score low marks in professional exams if they spend more time on phone. The number of students who frequently checked their cell phone during their classes or while doing clinical work were 24.7% . A total of 24.12% of the students were found to be nomophobic and at risk of being nomophobes were 40.97%. A statistically significant difference was found among preclinical, clinical, interns and postgraduates regarding the usage and effect of mobile phone on them. Conclusion The pattern of usage of mobile phone among dental students showed alarming indication that students have been addicted to mobile phone which in turn affect their academic performance in a negative way. It would be useful to advise the students about the controlled as well as proper usage of mobile phone. PMID:28384977

Using metaphors to investigate cognition-behavior link in problematic Internet use among college students.

PubMed

Koc, Mustafa

2015-09-01

This study employed metaphor analysis as a novel approach to explore college students' metaphorical representations of the Internet and their associations with problematic Internet use (PIU). It aimed to find out whether normal and problematic Internet users conceive the Internet through the same cognitive framework. The sample included 370 college students in Turkey. A questionnaire was conducted to gather metaphorical conceptions of the Internet, patterns of Internet usage, and PIU status. Data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Of the sample, 8.6% were diagnosed with PIU. Home access and entertainment gratification were strong correlates of PIU. Gender and major had no effects on PIU. Participants produced 66 metaphors that were grouped into eight conceptual categories: information source, immensity, basic need, addictive substance, double-edged sword, transporter, mood regulator, and supporter. PIU was the highest in the addictive substance category, followed by basic need and mood regulator categories, with cigarette, water, and friend being the dominant metaphors in these categories, respectively. Problematic users are less likely to conceptualize the Internet as a supportive entity. Normal users are able to verbalize the good and bad aspects of the Internet, but those negatively affected appear to have lost sight of the most useful function of the Internet. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Problematic Internet Usage and Immune Function.

PubMed

Reed, Phil; Vile, Rebecca; Osborne, Lisa A; Romano, Michela; Truzoli, Roberto

2015-01-01

Problematic internet use has been associated with a variety of psychological comorbidities, but it relationship with physical illness has not received the same degree of investigation. The current study surveyed 505 participants online, and asked about their levels of problematic internet usage (Internet Addiction Test), depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales), social isolation (UCLA Loneliness Questionnaire), sleep problems (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and their current health - General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), and the Immune Function Questionnaire. The results demonstrated that around 30% of the sample displayed mild or worse levels of internet addiction, as measured by the IAT. Although there were differences in the purposes for which males and females used the internet, there were no differences in terms of levels of problematic usage between genders. The internet problems were strongly related to all of the other psychological variables such as depression, anxiety, social-isolation, and sleep problems. Internet addiction was also associated with reduced self-reported immune function, but not with the measure of general health (GHQ-28). This relationship between problematic internet use and reduced immune function was found to be independent of the impact of the co-morbidities. It is suggested that the negative relationship between level of problematic internet use and immune function may be mediated by levels of stress produced by such internet use, and subsequent sympathetic nervous activity, which related to immune-supressants, such as cortisol.

Problematic Internet Usage and Immune Function

PubMed Central

Reed, Phil; Vile, Rebecca; Osborne, Lisa A.; Romano, Michela; Truzoli, Roberto

2015-01-01

Problematic internet use has been associated with a variety of psychological comorbidities, but it relationship with physical illness has not received the same degree of investigation. The current study surveyed 505 participants online, and asked about their levels of problematic internet usage (Internet Addiction Test), depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales), social isolation (UCLA Loneliness Questionnaire), sleep problems (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and their current health – General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), and the Immune Function Questionnaire. The results demonstrated that around 30% of the sample displayed mild or worse levels of internet addiction, as measured by the IAT. Although there were differences in the purposes for which males and females used the internet, there were no differences in terms of levels of problematic usage between genders. The internet problems were strongly related to all of the other psychological variables such as depression, anxiety, social-isolation, and sleep problems. Internet addiction was also associated with reduced self-reported immune function, but not with the measure of general health (GHQ-28). This relationship between problematic internet use and reduced immune function was found to be independent of the impact of the co-morbidities. It is suggested that the negative relationship between level of problematic internet use and immune function may be mediated by levels of stress produced by such internet use, and subsequent sympathetic nervous activity, which related to immune-supressants, such as cortisol. PMID:26244339

Use of Internet audience measurement data to gauge market share for online health information services.

PubMed

Wood, Fred B; Benson, Dennis; LaCroix, Eve-Marie; Siegel, Elliot R; Fariss, Susan

2005-07-01

The transition to a largely Internet and Web-based environment for dissemination of health information has changed the health information landscape and the framework for evaluation of such activities. A multidimensional evaluative approach is needed. This paper discusses one important dimension of Web evaluation-usage data. In particular, we discuss the collection and analysis of external data on website usage in order to develop a better understanding of the health information (and related US government information) market space, and to estimate the market share or relative levels of usage for National Library of Medicine (NLM) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) websites compared to other health information providers. The primary method presented is Internet audience measurement based on Web usage by external panels of users and assembled by private vendors-in this case, comScore. A secondary method discussed is Web usage based on Web log software data. The principle metrics for both methods are unique visitors and total pages downloaded per month. NLM websites (primarily MedlinePlus and PubMed) account for 55% to 80% of total NIH website usage depending on the metric used. In turn, NIH.gov top-level domain usage (inclusive of NLM) ranks second only behind WebMD in the US domestic home health information market and ranks first on a global basis. NIH.gov consistently ranks among the top three or four US government top-level domains based on global Web usage. On a site-specific basis, the top health information websites in terms of global usage appear to be WebMD, MSN Health, PubMed, Yahoo! Health, AOL Health, and MedlinePlus. Based on MedlinePlus Web log data and external Internet audience measurement data, the three most heavily used cancer-centric websites appear to be www.cancer.gov (National Cancer Institute), www.cancer.org (American Cancer Society), and www.breastcancer.org (non-profit organization). Internet audience measurement has proven useful to NLM, with significant advantages compared to sole reliance on usage data from Web log software. Internet audience data has helped NLM better understand the relative usage of NLM and NIH websites in the intersection of the health information and US government information market sectors, which is the primary market intersector for NLM and NIH. However important, Web usage is only one dimension of a complete Web evaluation framework, and other primary research methods, such as online user surveys, usability tests, and focus groups, are also important for comprehensive evaluation that includes qualitative elements, such as user satisfaction and user friendliness, as well as quantitative indicators of website usage.

Use of Internet Audience Measurement Data to Gauge Market Share for Online Health Information Services

PubMed Central

Benson, Dennis; LaCroix, Eve-Marie; Siegel, Elliot R; Fariss, Susan

2005-01-01

Background The transition to a largely Internet and Web-based environment for dissemination of health information has changed the health information landscape and the framework for evaluation of such activities. A multidimensional evaluative approach is needed. Objective This paper discusses one important dimension of Web evaluation—usage data. In particular, we discuss the collection and analysis of external data on website usage in order to develop a better understanding of the health information (and related US government information) market space, and to estimate the market share or relative levels of usage for National Library of Medicine (NLM) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) websites compared to other health information providers. Methods The primary method presented is Internet audience measurement based on Web usage by external panels of users and assembled by private vendors—in this case, comScore. A secondary method discussed is Web usage based on Web log software data. The principle metrics for both methods are unique visitors and total pages downloaded per month. Results NLM websites (primarily MedlinePlus and PubMed) account for 55% to 80% of total NIH website usage depending on the metric used. In turn, NIH.gov top-level domain usage (inclusive of NLM) ranks second only behind WebMD in the US domestic home health information market and ranks first on a global basis. NIH.gov consistently ranks among the top three or four US government top-level domains based on global Web usage. On a site-specific basis, the top health information websites in terms of global usage appear to be WebMD, MSN Health, PubMed, Yahoo! Health, AOL Health, and MedlinePlus. Based on MedlinePlus Web log data and external Internet audience measurement data, the three most heavily used cancer-centric websites appear to be www.cancer.gov (National Cancer Institute), www.cancer.org (American Cancer Society), and www.breastcancer.org (non-profit organization). Conclusions Internet audience measurement has proven useful to NLM, with significant advantages compared to sole reliance on usage data from Web log software. Internet audience data has helped NLM better understand the relative usage of NLM and NIH websites in the intersection of the health information and US government information market sectors, which is the primary market intersector for NLM and NIH. However important, Web usage is only one dimension of a complete Web evaluation framework, and other primary research methods, such as online user surveys, usability tests, and focus groups, are also important for comprehensive evaluation that includes qualitative elements, such as user satisfaction and user friendliness, as well as quantitative indicators of website usage. PMID:15998622

Modelling and Predicting eHealth Usage in Europe: A Multidimensional Approach From an Online Survey of 13,000 European Union Internet Users

PubMed Central

Soler-Ramos, Ivan

2016-01-01

Background More advanced methods and models are needed to evaluate the participation of patients and citizens in the shared health care model that eHealth proposes. Objective The goal of our study was to design and evaluate a predictive multidimensional model of eHealth usage. Methods We used 2011 survey data from a sample of 13,000 European citizens aged 16–74 years who had used the Internet in the previous 3 months. We proposed and tested an eHealth usage composite indicator through 2-stage structural equation modelling with latent variables and measurement errors. Logistic regression (odds ratios, ORs) to model the predictors of eHealth usage was calculated using health status and sociodemographic independent variables. Results The dimensions with more explanatory power of eHealth usage were health Internet attitudes, information health Internet usage, empowerment of health Internet users, and the usefulness of health Internet usage. Some 52.39% (6811/13,000) of European Internet users’ eHealth usage was more intensive (greater than the mean). Users with long-term health problems or illnesses (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.12–1.29) or receiving long-term treatment (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03–1.20), having family members with long-term health problems or illnesses (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.34–1.55), or undertaking care activities for other people (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.40–1.77) had a high propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Sociodemographic predictors showed that Internet users who were female (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.14–1.31), aged 25–54 years (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05–1.21), living in larger households (3 members: OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.15–1.36; 5 members: OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.97–1.28; ≥6 members: OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.10–1.57), had more children <16 years of age (1 child: OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.18–1.14; 2 children: OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.94–1.17; 4 children: OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.88–2.08), and had more family members >65 years of age (1 member: OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.18–1.50; ≥4 members: OR 1.82, 95% CI 0.54–6.03) had a greater propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Likewise, users residing in densely populated areas, such as cities and large towns (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.09–1.25), also had a greater propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Educational levels presented an inverted U shape in relation to intensive eHealth usage, with greater propensities among those with a secondary education (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.16). Finally, occupational categories and net monthly income data suggest a higher propensity among the employed or self-employed (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.99–1.15) and among the minimum wage stratum, earning ≤€1000 per month (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.48–1.87). Conclusions We provide new evidence of inequalities that explain intensive eHealth usage. The results highlight the need to develop more specific eHealth practices to address different realities. PMID:27450189

Modelling and Predicting eHealth Usage in Europe: A Multidimensional Approach From an Online Survey of 13,000 European Union Internet Users.

PubMed

Torrent-Sellens, Joan; Díaz-Chao, Ángel; Soler-Ramos, Ivan; Saigí-Rubió, Francesc

2016-07-22

More advanced methods and models are needed to evaluate the participation of patients and citizens in the shared health care model that eHealth proposes. The goal of our study was to design and evaluate a predictive multidimensional model of eHealth usage. We used 2011 survey data from a sample of 13,000 European citizens aged 16-74 years who had used the Internet in the previous 3 months. We proposed and tested an eHealth usage composite indicator through 2-stage structural equation modelling with latent variables and measurement errors. Logistic regression (odds ratios, ORs) to model the predictors of eHealth usage was calculated using health status and sociodemographic independent variables. The dimensions with more explanatory power of eHealth usage were health Internet attitudes, information health Internet usage, empowerment of health Internet users, and the usefulness of health Internet usage. Some 52.39% (6811/13,000) of European Internet users' eHealth usage was more intensive (greater than the mean). Users with long-term health problems or illnesses (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.12-1.29) or receiving long-term treatment (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03-1.20), having family members with long-term health problems or illnesses (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.34-1.55), or undertaking care activities for other people (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.40-1.77) had a high propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Sociodemographic predictors showed that Internet users who were female (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.14-1.31), aged 25-54 years (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05-1.21), living in larger households (3 members: OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.15-1.36; 5 members: OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.97-1.28; ≥6 members: OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.10-1.57), had more children <16 years of age (1 child: OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.18-1.14; 2 children: OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.94-1.17; 4 children: OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.88-2.08), and had more family members >65 years of age (1 member: OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.18-1.50; ≥4 members: OR 1.82, 95% CI 0.54-6.03) had a greater propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Likewise, users residing in densely populated areas, such as cities and large towns (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.09-1.25), also had a greater propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Educational levels presented an inverted U shape in relation to intensive eHealth usage, with greater propensities among those with a secondary education (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.16). Finally, occupational categories and net monthly income data suggest a higher propensity among the employed or self-employed (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.99-1.15) and among the minimum wage stratum, earning ≤€1000 per month (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.48-1.87). We provide new evidence of inequalities that explain intensive eHealth usage. The results highlight the need to develop more specific eHealth practices to address different realities.

75 FR 29516 - Broadband Researchers' Data Workshop

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-26

... Population Survey Computer and Internet Use Supplement survey instrument (pp. 8 through 23), http://www.bls... adoption. Current and detailed data by U.S. households' and persons' usage of and access to broadband is... propose, with rationale, the type of Internet usage data that could be usefully collected through...

Widespread use of internet, applications, and social media in the professional life of urology residents.

PubMed

Salem, Johannes; Borgmann, Hendrik; Baunacke, Martin; Boehm, Katharina; Hanske, Julian; Macneily, Andrew; Meyer, Christian; Nestler, Tim; Schmid, Marianne; Huber, Johannes

2017-09-01

Digital media have revolutionized communication and information dissemination in healthcare. We aimed to quantify and evaluate professional digital media use among urology residents. We designed a 17-item survey to assess usage and perceived usefulness of digital media, as well as communication type and device type and distributed it via email to 143 Canadian and 721 German urology residents. In total, 58 (41% response rate) residents from Canada and 170 (24% response rate) from Germany reported professional usage rates of 100% on the internet, 89% on apps, and 46% on social media (SoMe). For professional use, residents spent a median of 30 minutes per day on the internet, 10 minutes on apps, and 15 minutes on SoMe. 100% rated the internet, 89% apps, and 31% SoMe as useful for clinical practice. Most (94%) used digital media for communication with colleagues and 23% for communication with patients. Digital media use was allocated to desktop computers (55%) and mobile devices (45%). Canadian residents had higher usage rates of apps (96% vs. 86%; p=0.042) and SoMe (65% vs. 39%; p=0.002) and longer daily usage times for the internet, apps, and SoMe than German residents (p<0.001 each). Digital media are an integral part of the daily professional practice of urology residents, reflected by high usage rates and perceived usefulness of the internet and apps, and the growing importance of SoMe. Urologists should strive to progressively exhaust the vast potential of digital media for academic and clinical practice.

Using the internet to understand angler behavior in the information age

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martin, Dustin R.; Pracheil, Brenda M.; DeBoer, Jason A.; Wilde, Gene R.; Pope, Kevin L.

2012-01-01

Declining participation in recreational angling is of great concern to fishery managers because fishing license sales are an important revenue source for protection of aquatic resources. This decline is frequently attributed, in part, to increased societal reliance on electronics. Internet use by anglers is increasing and fishery managers may use the Internet as a unique means to increase angler participation. We examined Internet search behavior using Google Insights for Search, a free online tool that summarizes Google searches from 2004 to 2011 to determine (1) trends in Internet search volume for general fishing related terms and (2) the relative usefulness of terms related to angler recruitment programs across the United States. Though search volume declined for general fishing terms (e.g., fishing, fishing guide), search volume increased for social media and recruitment terms (e.g., fishing forum, family fishing) over the 7-year period. We encourage coordinators of recruitment programs to capitalize on anglers’ Internet usage by considering Internet search patterns when creating web-based information. Careful selection of terms used in web-based information to match those currently searched by potential anglers may help to direct traffic to state agency websites that support recruitment efforts.

Two Cases of Excessive Internet Use with Comorbid Family Relationship Problems

PubMed Central

ŞENORMANCI, Ömer; KONKAN, Ramazan; GÜÇLÜ, Oya; ŞENORMANCI, Güliz

2014-01-01

Although the internet is used effectively and beneficially in every aspect of life, several users have been experiencing some problems due to excessive and uncontrolled use. While the term “internet addiction” still remains controversial, disturbed family relationships are considered to be a diagnostic criterion. The use of the internet, even in non-excessive levels, is associated with disturbance in family and social life. As considering from systemic point of view; while family relationships may be disturbed with internet addiction, people who have problems with their family relationships also may use internet excessively. This case report is composed of both the cases with excessive internet usage and those who had problems in complying with the changes in their family systems following the decrease in duration of internet usage during the treatment process. PMID:28360639

Anticipating Stock Market Movements with Google and Wikipedia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moat, Helen Susannah; Curme, Chester; Stanley, H. Eugene; Preis, Tobias

Many of the trading decisions that have led to financial crises are captured by vast, detailed stock market datasets. Here, we summarize two of our recent studies which investigate whether Internet usage data contain traces of attempts to gather information before such trading decisions were taken. By analyzing changes in how often Internet users searched for financially related information on Google (Preis et al., Sci Rep 3:1684, 2013) and Wikipedia (Moat et al., Sci Rep 3:1801, 2013), patterns are found that may be interpreted as "early warning signs" of stock market moves. Our results suggest that online data may allow us to gain new insight into early information gathering stages of economic decision making.

Increased skills usage statistically mediates symptom reduction in self-guided internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy for depression and anxiety: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Terides, Matthew D; Dear, Blake F; Fogliati, Vincent J; Gandy, Milena; Karin, Eyal; Jones, Michael P; Titov, Nickolai

2018-01-01

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for clinical and subclinical symptoms of depression and general anxiety, and increases life satisfaction. Patients' usage of CBT skills is a core aspect of treatment but there is insufficient empirical evidence suggesting that skills usage behaviours are a mechanism of clinical change. This study investigated if an internet-delivered CBT (iCBT) intervention increased the frequency of CBT skills usage behaviours and if this statistically mediated reductions in symptoms and increased life satisfaction. A two-group randomised controlled trial was conducted comparing internet-delivered CBT (n = 65) with a waitlist control group (n = 75). Participants were individuals experiencing clinically significant symptoms of depression or general anxiety. Mixed-linear models analyses revealed that the treatment group reported a significantly higher frequency of skills usage, lower symptoms, and higher life satisfaction by the end of treatment compared with the control group. Results from bootstrapping mediation analyses revealed that the increased skills usage behaviours statistically mediated symptom reductions and increased life satisfaction. Although skills usage and symptom outcomes were assessed concurrently, these findings support the notion that iCBT increases the frequency of skills usage behaviours and suggest that this may be an important mechanism of change.

Untangling the Relationship between Internet Anxiety and Internet Identification in Students: The Role of Internet Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiao, Bo; Zhu, Yu-Qian; Chen, Li-Yueh

2017-01-01

Introduction: Previous research has identified Internet anxiety and Internet identification as two important factors that predict usage and experience on the Internet. However, little is known about the relationship between them. This research aimed to untangle the relationship between Internet anxiety and Internet identification, and to…

Internet use patterns and Internet addiction in children and adolescents with obesity.

PubMed

Bozkurt, H; Özer, S; Şahin, S; Sönmezgöz, E

2018-05-01

There are no data regarding the Internet addiction (IA) rates and patterns in youth with obesity. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and patterns of IA in children and adolescents with obesity. The relationship between IA and body mass index (BMI) was also investigated. Study includes 437 children and adolescents with age ranging from 8 to 17 years: 268 with obesity and 169 with healthy controls. The Internet addiction scale (IAS) form was administered to all participants. The obesity group also completed a personal information form including Internet usage habits and goals. Linear regression analysis was utilized to assess the contributions of Internet use habits and goals to BMI in the obesity group and IAS scores to BMI in both groups. A total of 24.6% of the obese children and adolescents were diagnosed with IA according to IAS, while 11.2% of healthy peers had IA (p < 0.05). The mean IAS scores for the obesity group and the control group were 53.71 ± 25.04 and 43.42 ± 17.36, respectively (p < 0.05). The IAS scores (t = 3.105) and spending time more than 21 h week -1 on the Internet (t = 3.262) were significantly associated with increased BMI in the obesity group (p < 0.05). Other Internet habits and goals were not associated with BMI (p > 0.05). The IAS scores (t = 8.719) were also found to be associated with increased BMI in the control group (p < 0.05). The present study suggests that obese children and adolescents were found to have higher IA rates than their healthy peers, and the results indicate an association between IA and BMI. © 2017 World Obesity Federation.

Internet Usage Habits and Cyberbullying Related Opinions of Secondary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sentürk, Sener; Bayat, Seher

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research is to examine the internet usage habits of secondary school students and their awareness of cyberbullying in terms of different variables. Of the probabilistic sampling methods, research sampling identified by stratified sampling method has been formed by 559 students from two branches (56 branches in total) selected…

Long-Term Study of Safe Internet Use of Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valcke, M.; De Wever, B.; Van Keer, H.; Schellens, T.

2011-01-01

The Internet is an evolving medium that continuously presents new functionalities. Accordingly, also children's Internet usage changes continuously. This requires being vigilant about related Internet risk behavior and safe Internet use. The present article presents a structured overview of Internet risks and summarizes approaches to foster safe…

Latent class analysis on internet and smartphone addiction in college students.

PubMed

Mok, Jung-Yeon; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dai-Jin; Choi, Jung-Seok; Lee, Jaewon; Ahn, Heejune; Choi, Eun-Jeung; Song, Won-Young

2014-01-01

This study aimed to classify distinct subgroups of people who use both smartphone and the internet based on addiction severity levels. Additionally, how the classified groups differed in terms of sex and psychosocial traits was examined. A total of 448 university students (178 males and 270 females) in Korea participated. The participants were given a set of questionnaires examining the severity of their internet and smartphone addictions, their mood, their anxiety, and their personality. Latent class analysis and ANOVA (analysis of variance) were the statistical methods used. Significant differences between males and females were found for most of the variables (all <0.05). Specifically, in terms of internet usage, males were more addicted than females (P<0.05); however, regarding smartphone, this pattern was reversed (P<0.001). Due to these observed differences, classifications of the subjects into subgroups based on internet and smartphone addiction were performed separately for each sex. Each sex showed clear patterns with the three-class model based on likelihood level of internet and smartphone addiction (P<0.001). A common trend for psychosocial trait factors was found for both sexes: anxiety levels and neurotic personality traits increased with addiction severity levels (all P<0.001). However, Lie dimension was inversely related to the addiction severity levels (all P<0.01). Through the latent classification process, this study identified three distinct internet and smartphone user groups in each sex. Moreover, psychosocial traits that differed in terms of addiction severity levels were also examined. It is expected that these results should aid the understanding of traits of internet and smartphone addiction and facilitate further study in this field.

Latent class analysis on internet and smartphone addiction in college students

PubMed Central

Mok, Jung-Yeon; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dai-Jin; Choi, Jung-Seok; Lee, Jaewon; Ahn, Heejune; Choi, Eun-Jeung; Song, Won-Young

2014-01-01

Purpose This study aimed to classify distinct subgroups of people who use both smartphone and the internet based on addiction severity levels. Additionally, how the classified groups differed in terms of sex and psychosocial traits was examined. Methods A total of 448 university students (178 males and 270 females) in Korea participated. The participants were given a set of questionnaires examining the severity of their internet and smartphone addictions, their mood, their anxiety, and their personality. Latent class analysis and ANOVA (analysis of variance) were the statistical methods used. Results Significant differences between males and females were found for most of the variables (all <0.05). Specifically, in terms of internet usage, males were more addicted than females (P<0.05); however, regarding smartphone, this pattern was reversed (P<0.001). Due to these observed differences, classifications of the subjects into subgroups based on internet and smartphone addiction were performed separately for each sex. Each sex showed clear patterns with the three-class model based on likelihood level of internet and smartphone addiction (P<0.001). A common trend for psychosocial trait factors was found for both sexes: anxiety levels and neurotic personality traits increased with addiction severity levels (all P<0.001). However, Lie dimension was inversely related to the addiction severity levels (all P<0.01). Conclusion Through the latent classification process, this study identified three distinct internet and smartphone user groups in each sex. Moreover, psychosocial traits that differed in terms of addiction severity levels were also examined. It is expected that these results should aid the understanding of traits of internet and smartphone addiction and facilitate further study in this field. PMID:24899806

Internet usage and knowledge of radiation health effects and preventive behaviours among workers in Fukushima after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Kanda, Hideyuki; Takahashi, Kenzo; Sugaya, Nagisa; Mizushima, Shunsaku; Koyama, Kikuo

2014-10-01

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident (FDNPPA) was the world's second largest nuclear power plant accident. At the time that it occurred, internet usage prevalence in Japan was as high as 80%. To compare health knowledge on radiation and preventive behaviour between internet users and non-users among adults employed in industries in Fukushima after the nuclear disaster. We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire study among adults employed in industries in Fukushima 3-5 months after the FDNPPA. Targets were 1394 regular workers who took part in health seminars provided by the Fukushima Occupational Health Promotion Center. After applying the selection criteria, there were 1119 eligible participants. The questionnaire asked for personal characteristics and main sources of information about the FDNPPA, as well as health knowledge on radiation and preventive behaviours following the nuclear accident. We assessed the contribution of each variable using logistic regression analysis. Among the eligible respondents, 637 workers (56.9%) were internet users and 482 (43.1%) were non-users. Internet users had more health knowledge than non-users (average 4.6 radiation-related health conditions in internet users vs 3.6 conditions in non-users) and more preventive behaviours (average 2.6 behaviours in internet users vs 1.9 in non-users). According to logistic regression analyses, internet usage was positively associated with greater health knowledge on radiation (OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.20) and more preventive behaviours (OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.23). Internet usage was significantly and positively associated with greater health knowledge and more preventive behaviours. The internet is a useful method of distributing information to the general public in emergency situations such as a nuclear disaster. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Race, Internet Usage, and E-Commerce. Working Paper 2002-01

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ono, Hiroshi; Zavodny, Madeline

2002-01-01

The authors examine racial and ethnic differences in computer ownership and Internet usage using data from a survey conducted by the Nomura Research Institute in 2000. They focus on on-line shopping because few studies have examined racial and ethnic differences in e-commerce. The results indicate that blacks and Hispanics are less likely to own…

B.Ed. Trainees Opinion on Usage of Internet in Preparation of Their Projects--A Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madhav K., Venu; Sarsani, Mahender Reddy

2016-01-01

This research article focus is particularly on the usage of internet for preparation of B.Ed. projects for the teacher trainees under Kakatiya University region of Telangana State, India. For this, the investigators used the Normative Survey method of research. For data collection, the researchers used the well prepared questionnaire developed by…

The Relationship between Social Cohesion and Computer-Internet Usage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balkan, Emre; Adalier, Ahmet

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between social cohesion and computer-internet usage among university students. The research was conducted among university students in North Cyprus. The sample for the research consists of 38.8% (n=80) female, 61.2 % (n=126) male, 206 university students by using the criterion sampling method.…

Gender Differences in Availability, Internet Access and Rate of Usage of Computers among Distance Education Learners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atan, Hanafi; Sulaiman, Fauziah; Rahman, Zuraidah Abd; Idrus, Rozhan Mohammed

2002-01-01

Explores the level of availability of computers, Internet accessibility, and the rate of usage of computers both at home and at the workplace between distance education learners according to gender. Results of questionnaires completed at the Universiti Sains Malaysia indicate that distance education reduces the gender gap. (Author/LRW)

A New Addiction for Teacher Candidates: Social Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cam, Emre; Isbulan, Onur

2012-01-01

With the transition to being a knowledge-based society, the internet usage has become an irreplaceable part of life. As socials networks have come into our lives, the internet usage has taken a different dimension. People can affiliate to social networks in order to make friends, exchange information, find partners, and to play games. The process…

The Consequences of Internet Addiction: Implications for Counseling Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Karyn Dayle; Minatrea, Neresa B.

2001-01-01

With an increase in Internet use has come the potential problem of excessive Internet usage or "Internet addiction." It is important that counselors recognize the signs and symptoms of Internet addiction. The purpose of this article is to present the characteristics, the consequences, and the emerging treatment approaches of Internet addiction.…

Prevalence and factors associated with internet addiction among medical students - A cross-sectional study in Malaysia.

PubMed

Ching, S M; Hamidin, A; Vasudevan, R; Sazlyna, M S L; Wan Aliaa, W S; Foo, Y L; Yee, A; Hoo, F K

2017-02-01

Internet is important to university students, especially for medical students who use it to search for literature and relevant information. However, some of the users are experiencing a gradual loss of the ability to reduce the duration and frequency of their internet activities, despite the negative consequences. The literature on internet usage among Malaysian medical students is limited. This study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with internet usage among medical students in a public university in Malaysia. This cross-sectional study was performed among all the medical students (Year 1-5). Students were assessed on their internet activities using the internet addiction questionnaires (IAT). A Multiple Logistic Regression was used for data analysis. The study was conducted among 426 students. The study population consisted of 156 males (36.6%) and 270 females (63.4%). The mean age was 21.6 ±1.5 years. Ethnicity distribution among the students was: Malays (55.6%), Chinese (34.7%), Indians (7.3%) and others (2.3%). According to the IAT, 36.9% of the study sample was addicted to the internet. Using the multivariate logistic regression analysis, we have found that the use of internet access for entertainment purposes (odds ratio [OR] 3.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-12.00), male students (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.01-3.21) and increasing frequency of internet usage were associated with internet addiction (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.09- 1.67). Internet addiction is a relatively frequent phenomenon among medical students. The predictors of internet addiction were male students using it for surfing and entertainment purposes.

Parent's use of the Internet in the search for healthcare information and subsequent impact on the doctor-patient relationship.

PubMed

Harvey, S; Memon, A; Khan, R; Yasin, F

2017-11-01

The Internet is an unavoidable source of healthcare information. This information, both reliable and unreliable, has previously been shown to influence carer's decisions. Our aim was to evaluate this information seeking behavior among parents and its subsequent potential impact on the doctor-patient relationship. We undertook a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey of paediatric outpatients. Enrollment took place over 4 weeks in March 2015. There were no inclusion or exclusion criteria and enrollment was voluntary. In total 100 questionnaires were completed. General Practitioners were the most common source of healthcare information. The Internet ranked third as a reliable source of healthcare information. The Internet was commonly used as an educational resource to learn about causes, treatment, and medications. A significant percentage of our population expressed concern regarding Internet information reliability. A small percentage of parents were concerned that disclosing Internet usage may worsen the relationship with their doctor. Parents showed a willingness to learn about diseases and treatments, and felt that the Internet was a good resource to do so. This study shows that open discussion about Internet usage between parents and doctors is not common and carers feel at risk of judgment should they admit to Internet usage. The Internet should be seen as a positive adjunct to patient education which can improve understanding, thus strengthening the doctor-patient relationship. The Internet will never replace the role of healthcare professionals but must be seen as an integral part of a multi-disciplinary approach.

Internet Banking Adoption: Case of Lithuania and Latvia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaile-Sarkane, Elina; Jureviciene, Diva; Skvarciany, Viktorija; Iljins, Juris

2017-01-01

The banking sector has developed and extended usage of different services at a distance using the internet in the last decade. Internet-based banking services dominate over other historically provided alternatives. This paper explores the adoption of internet banking in Lithuania and Latvia. Internet banking success model was developed based on…

Usage of an Internet smoking cessation resource: the Australian QuitCoach.

PubMed

Balmford, James; Borland, Ron; Li, Lin; Ferretter, Ian

2009-01-01

The QuitCoach (http://www.quitcoach.org.au) is a tailored, Internet-delivered smoking cessation advice program. This paper compares QuitCoach users both with smokers in general, and with callers to a telephone-based smoking cessation service (the Victorian Quitline). It also explores patterns of QuitCoach usage by time of year and day of the week. Data are from responses to the QuitCoach online assessment collected between 2003 and 2007 (n = 28 247). Comparison data are from the Victorian Quitline service, from the first five waves of the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey, the 2004-05 National Health Survey, and from anti-smoking Target Audience Rating Points for Australia. QuitCoach users were more likely to be female and younger than both smokers in general and Quitline users. They were intermediate in nicotine dependence. QuitCoach users are less likely to have just quit than Quitline callers. Half of QuitCoach users first use after setting a quit date. Usage is related to anti-smoking advertising and to day of week, being highest earlier in the week. The QuitCoach successfully targets the moderately addicted. Use is sensitive to anti-smoking campaigns. There is a need for greater promotion of the QuitCoach as a resource with the capacity to meet the needs of those already quit and those still uncertain as to whether to try.

Fatigue and pain related to internet usage among university students.

PubMed

Dol, Kim Sang

2016-04-01

[Purpose] This study was performed to assess fatigue and pain levels related to internet usage among university students. The dominant regions of fatigue and pain in the body were examined, as well as differences in fatigue and pain levels among students. [Subjects and Methods] The study used a descriptive survey and a convenience sample of 378 students from a single university. The data were collected from January 1 to June 31, 2015. Fatigue and pain levels were measured using a visual analog scale. [Results] The average reported by the participants 4.7 and 3.7 levels of fatigue and pain, respectively. The regions with the highest fatigue scores were the eyes, followed by the neck, and shoulders. The regions with the highest pain scores were the neck, followed by the shoulders, and the waist. The results show that participants' fatigue and pain levels depended on the duration of their internet use per day. [Conclusion] These findings indicate that control of internet usage time is needed to maintain the well-being of university students who use the internet.

Autonomic stress reactivity and craving in individuals with problematic Internet use.

PubMed

Moretta, Tania; Buodo, Giulia

2018-01-01

The link between autonomic stress reactivity and subjective urge/craving has been less systematically examined in behavioral addictions (i.e. problematic Internet use) than in substance use disorders. The present study investigated whether problematic Internet users (PU) show enhanced autonomic stress reactivity than non-PU, indexed by lower Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and higher Skin Conductance Level (SCL) reactivity during the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), whether greater reactivity is related to stronger Internet craving, and whether problematic Internet usage is associated with some dysfunctional psychological features. Based on their Internet Addiction Test scores, participants were divided into PU (N = 24) and non-PU (N = 21). Their heart rate and skin conductance were continuously recorded during baseline, social stressors, and recovery. Craving for Internet usage were collected using a Likert scale before and after the TSST. The SDNN, an overall measure of HRV, was significantly lower in PU than non-PU during baseline, but not during and after stressful task. Furthermore, only among PU a significant negative correlation emerged between SDNN during recovery and craving ratings after the test. No group differences emerged for SCL. Lastly, PU endorsed more mood, obsessive-compulsive, and alcohol-related problems. Our findings suggest that problems in controlling one's use of the Internet may be related to reduced autonomic balance at rest. Moreover, our results provide new insights into the characterization of craving in PIU, indicating the existence of a relationship between craving for Internet usage and reduced autonomic flexibility.

Modelling the Happiness Classification of Addicted, Addiction Risk, Threshold and Non-Addicted Groups on Internet Usage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sapmaz, Fatma; Totan, Tarik

2018-01-01

The aim of this study is to model the happiness classification of university students--grouped as addicted, addiction risk, threshold and non-addicted to internet usage--with compatibility analysis on a map as happiness, average and unhappiness. The participants in this study were 400 university students from Turkey. According to the results of…

Internet Access and Usage by Secondary School Students in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarimo, Ronald; Kavishe, George

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to report results of a study on the investigation of the Internet access and usage by secondary school students in Morogoro municipality in Tanzania. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 120 students from six schools. The data was collected through a questionnaire. A quantitative approach using the…

[Old and offline? : Findings on the use of the Internet by people aged 65 years and older in Switzerland].

PubMed

Seifert, Alexander; Schelling, Hans Rudolf

2016-10-01

The supply of information and communication is becoming continuously more focused on the Internet. While the age groups up to 64 years have shown a vast increase in the use of the Internet since 1997, intensive use of the Internet by age groups above 64 years lags behind and this is not only the case in Switzerland. Against this background and an interest in finding out more about Internet (non)use of older people, two representative surveys were conducted in Switzerland, one in 2009 and another one in 2014. The data used were acquired throughout Switzerland via a standardized telephone survey. The random sample (2014) consisted of 1037 people aged between 65 and 100 years old. Although the digital divide between the age groups has lessened over the past years, only 55.7 % of the elderly people interviewed were using the Internet in the autumn of 2014. Internet usage differs greatly between age groups. Resources such as education, income and health positively impact actual use of the Internet. Additionally, recommendations from a person's social environment, as well as an affinity for technology and a personal benefit assessment have a positive impact on Internet usage. In particular, security concerns and difficulties of use were mentioned as predominant reasons for the non-use of the Internet. Some of the people questioned felt excluded from society because they did not use the Internet. Internet usage among elderly people depends on individual and social resources, as well as on general attitude towards technology and personal benefit expectations. The exclusion of today's elderly "offliners" should be avoided, even if the digital divide will decrease in the future.

Patterns of Technology Use Among Older Adults With and Without Disabilities

PubMed Central

Gell, Nancy M.; Rosenberg, Dori E.; Demiris, George; LaCroix, Andrea Z.; Patel, Kushang V.

2015-01-01

Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study was to describe prevalence of technology use among adults ages 65 and older, particularly for those with disability and activity-limiting symptoms and impairments. Design and Methods: Data from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study, a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries (N = 7,609), were analyzed. Analysis consisted of technology use (use of e-mail/text messages and the internet) by sociodemographic and health characteristics and prevalence ratios for technology usage by disability status. Results: Forty percent of older adults used e-mail or text messaging and 42.7% used the internet. Higher prevalence of technology use was associated with younger age, male sex, white race, higher education level, and being married (all p values <.001). After adjustment for sociodemographic and health characteristics, technology use decreased significantly with greater limitations in physical capacity and greater disability. Vision impairment and memory limitations were also associated with lower likelihood of technology use. Implications: Technology usage in U.S. older adults varied significantly by sociodemographic and health status. Prevalence of technology use differed by the type of disability and activity-limiting impairments. The internet, e-mail, and text messaging might be viable mediums for health promotion and communication, particularly for younger cohorts of older adults and those with certain types of impairment and less severe disability. PMID:24379019

Attachment Style and Internet Addiction: An Online Survey

PubMed Central

Schott, Markus; Decker, Oliver; Sindelar, Brigitte

2017-01-01

Background One of the clinically relevant problems of Internet use is the phenomenon of Internet addiction. Considering the fact that there is ample evidence for the relationship between attachment style and substance abuse, it stands to reason that attachment theory can also make an important contribution to the understanding of the pathogenesis of Internet addiction. Objective The aim of this study was to examine people’s tendency toward pathological Internet usage in relation to their attachment style. Methods An online survey was conducted. Sociodemographic data, attachment style (Bielefeld questionnaire partnership expectations), symptoms of Internet addiction (scale for online addiction for adults), used Web-based services, and online relationship motives (Cyber Relationship Motive Scale, CRMS-D) were assessed. In order to confirm the findings, a study using the Rorschach test was also conducted. Results In total, 245 subjects were recruited. Participants with insecure attachment style showed a higher tendency to pathological Internet usage compared with securely attached participants. An ambivalent attachment style was particularly associated with pathological Internet usage. Escapist and social-compensatory motives played an important role for insecurely attached subjects. However, there were no significant effects with respect to Web-based services and apps used. Results of the analysis of the Rorschach protocol with 16 subjects corroborated these results. Users with pathological Internet use frequently showed signs of infantile relationship structures in the context of social groups. This refers to the results of the Web-based survey, in which interpersonal relationships were the result of an insecure attachment style. Conclusions Pathological Internet use was a function of insecure attachment and limited interpersonal relationships. PMID:28526662

The Effect of Flow Frequency on Internet Addiction to Different Internet Usage Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Hui-Ling; Wu, Wei-Pang

2017-01-01

This study investigated the online flow frequency among college students in regard to different internet activities, and analyzed the effect of flow frequency on internet addiction. This study surveyed 525 undergraduate internet users in Taiwan by using convenience sampling to question participants. In this paper, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was…

Development and Validation of the Internet Gratification Scale for Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dhir, Amandeep; Chen, Sufen; Nieminen, Marko

2017-01-01

The proliferation of Internet usage has motivated Internet researchers and practitioners to study possible gratifications underlying Internet use. Despite the fact that research examining Internet gratification is more than two decades old, no attempt has been made in the last decade to develop an instrument that has known reliability of scores…

Latent Class Models in action: bridging social capital & Internet usage.

PubMed

Neves, Barbara Barbosa; Fonseca, Jaime R S

2015-03-01

This paper explores how Latent Class Models (LCM) can be applied in social research, when the basic assumptions of regression models cannot be validated. We examine the usefulness of this method with data collected from a study on the relationship between bridging social capital and the Internet. Social capital is defined here as the resources that are potentially available in one's social ties. Bridging is a dimension of social capital, usually related to weak ties (acquaintances), and a source of instrumental resources such as information. The study surveyed a stratified random sample of 417 inhabitants of Lisbon, Portugal. We used LCM to create the variable bridging social capital, but also to estimate the relationship between bridging social capital and Internet usage when we encountered convergence problems with the logistic regression analysis. We conclude by showing a positive relationship between bridging and Internet usage, and by discussing the potential of LCM for social science research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Internet and Democracy: Is the Internet an Important Predictor for Physical Education Teacher Candidates' Attitudes towards Democracy?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ünlü, Hüseyin

2017-01-01

Today, in the digital age, the Internet usage is common among university students. The Internet is also an important platform for actively participating in democracy. This study explores physical education (PE) candidate teachers' attitudes toward the Internet and democracy. It also explores whether the Internet is an important predictor for…

Attachment Style and Internet Addiction: An Online Survey.

PubMed

Eichenberg, Christiane; Schott, Markus; Decker, Oliver; Sindelar, Brigitte

2017-05-17

One of the clinically relevant problems of Internet use is the phenomenon of Internet addiction. Considering the fact that there is ample evidence for the relationship between attachment style and substance abuse, it stands to reason that attachment theory can also make an important contribution to the understanding of the pathogenesis of Internet addiction. The aim of this study was to examine people's tendency toward pathological Internet usage in relation to their attachment style. An online survey was conducted. Sociodemographic data, attachment style (Bielefeld questionnaire partnership expectations), symptoms of Internet addiction (scale for online addiction for adults), used Web-based services, and online relationship motives (Cyber Relationship Motive Scale, CRMS-D) were assessed. In order to confirm the findings, a study using the Rorschach test was also conducted. In total, 245 subjects were recruited. Participants with insecure attachment style showed a higher tendency to pathological Internet usage compared with securely attached participants. An ambivalent attachment style was particularly associated with pathological Internet usage. Escapist and social-compensatory motives played an important role for insecurely attached subjects. However, there were no significant effects with respect to Web-based services and apps used. Results of the analysis of the Rorschach protocol with 16 subjects corroborated these results. Users with pathological Internet use frequently showed signs of infantile relationship structures in the context of social groups. This refers to the results of the Web-based survey, in which interpersonal relationships were the result of an insecure attachment style. Pathological Internet use was a function of insecure attachment and limited interpersonal relationships. ©Christiane Eichenberg, Markus Schott, Oliver Decker, Brigitte Sindelar. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 17.05.2017.

Prevalence of Internet and Social Media Usage in Orthopedic Surgery

PubMed Central

Curry, Emily; Nguyen, Joseph; Matzkin, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

Prior studies in other specialties have shown that social networking and Internet usage has become an increasingly important means of patient communication and referral. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of Internet or social media usage in new patients referred to a major academic orthopedics center and to identify new avenues to optimize patient recruitment and communication. New patients were surveyed (n=752) between December 2012 to January 2013 in a major academic orthopaedic center to complete a 15-item questionnaire including social media and Internet usage information. Data was collected for all orthopaedic sub-specialties and statistical analysis was performed. Fifty percent of patients use social networking sites, such as Facebook. Sports medicine patients tend to be higher social networking users (35.9%) relative to other services (9.8-17.9%) and was statistically higher when compared to the joints/tumor service (P<0.0001). Younger age was the biggest indicator predicting the use of social media. Patients that travelled between 120 to 180 miles from the hospital for their visits were significantly more likely to be social media users, as were patients that did research on their condition prior to their new patient appointment. We conclude that orthopedic patients who use social media/Internet are more likely to be younger, researched their condition prior to their appointment and undergo a longer average day’s travel (120-180 miles) to see a physician. In an increasingly competitive market, surgeons with younger patient populations will need to utilize social networking and the Internet to capture new patient referrals. PMID:25317312

Prevalence of internet and social media usage in orthopedic surgery.

PubMed

Curry, Emily; Li, Xinning; Nguyen, Joseph; Matzkin, Elizabeth

2014-08-08

Prior studies in other specialties have shown that social networking and Internet usage has become an increasingly important means of patient communication and referral. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of Internet or social media usage in new patients referred to a major academic orthopedics center and to identify new avenues to optimize patient recruitment and communication. New patients were surveyed (n=752) between December 2012 to January 2013 in a major academic orthopaedic center to complete a 15-item questionnaire including social media and Internet usage information. Data was collected for all orthopaedic sub-specialties and statistical analysis was performed. Fifty percent of patients use social networking sites, such as Facebook. Sports medicine patients tend to be higher social networking users (35.9%) relative to other services (9.8-17.9%) and was statistically higher when compared to the joints/tumor service (P<0.0001). Younger age was the biggest indicator predicting the use of social media. Patients that travelled between 120 to 180 miles from the hospital for their visits were significantly more likely to be social media users, as were patients that did research on their condition prior to their new patient appointment. We conclude that orthopedic patients who use social media/Internet are more likely to be younger, researched their condition prior to their appointment and undergo a longer average day's travel (120-180 miles) to see a physician. In an increasingly competitive market, surgeons with younger patient populations will need to utilize social networking and the Internet to capture new patient referrals.

Logged In and Zoned Out.

PubMed

Ravizza, Susan M; Uitvlugt, Mitchell G; Fenn, Kimberly M

2017-02-01

Laptop computers are widely prevalent in university classrooms. Although laptops are a valuable tool, they offer access to a distracting temptation: the Internet. In the study reported here, we assessed the relationship between classroom performance and actual Internet usage for academic and nonacademic purposes. Students who were enrolled in an introductory psychology course logged into a proxy server that monitored their online activity during class. Past research relied on self-report, but the current methodology objectively measured time, frequency, and browsing history of participants' Internet usage. In addition, we assessed whether intelligence, motivation, and interest in course material could account for the relationship between Internet use and performance. Our results showed that nonacademic Internet use was common among students who brought laptops to class and was inversely related to class performance. This relationship was upheld after we accounted for motivation, interest, and intelligence. Class-related Internet use was not associated with a benefit to classroom performance.

Development of an Online and Offline Integration Hypothesis for Healthy Internet Use: Theory and Preliminary Evidence

PubMed Central

Lin, Xiaoyan; Su, Wenliang; Potenza, Marc N.

2018-01-01

The Internet has become an integral part of our daily life, and how to make the best use of the Internet is important to both individuals and the society. Based on previous studies, an Online and Offline Integration Hypothesis is proposed to suggest a framework for considering harmonious and balanced Internet use. The Integration Hypothesis proposes that healthier patterns of Internet usage may be achieved through harmonious integration of people’s online and offline worlds. An online/offline integration is proposed to unite self-identity, interpersonal relationships, and social functioning with both cognitive and behavioral aspects by following the principles of communication, transfer, consistency, and “offline-first” priorities. To begin to test the hypothesis regarding the relationship between integration level and psychological outcomes, data for the present study were collected from 626 undergraduate students (41.5% males). Participants completed scales for online and offline integration, Internet addiction, pros and cons of Internet use, loneliness, extraversion, and life satisfaction. The findings revealed that subjects with higher level of online/offline integration have higher life satisfaction, greater extraversion, and more positive perceptions of the Internet and less loneliness, lower Internet addiction, and fewer negative perceptions of the Internet. Integration mediates the link between extraversion and psychological outcomes, and it may be the mechanism underlying the difference between the “rich get richer” and social compensation hypotheses. The implications of the online and offline integration hypothesis are discussed. PMID:29706910

Development of an Online and Offline Integration Hypothesis for Healthy Internet Use: Theory and Preliminary Evidence.

PubMed

Lin, Xiaoyan; Su, Wenliang; Potenza, Marc N

2018-01-01

The Internet has become an integral part of our daily life, and how to make the best use of the Internet is important to both individuals and the society. Based on previous studies, an Online and Offline Integration Hypothesis is proposed to suggest a framework for considering harmonious and balanced Internet use. The Integration Hypothesis proposes that healthier patterns of Internet usage may be achieved through harmonious integration of people's online and offline worlds. An online/offline integration is proposed to unite self-identity, interpersonal relationships, and social functioning with both cognitive and behavioral aspects by following the principles of communication, transfer, consistency, and "offline-first" priorities. To begin to test the hypothesis regarding the relationship between integration level and psychological outcomes, data for the present study were collected from 626 undergraduate students (41.5% males). Participants completed scales for online and offline integration, Internet addiction, pros and cons of Internet use, loneliness, extraversion, and life satisfaction. The findings revealed that subjects with higher level of online/offline integration have higher life satisfaction, greater extraversion, and more positive perceptions of the Internet and less loneliness, lower Internet addiction, and fewer negative perceptions of the Internet. Integration mediates the link between extraversion and psychological outcomes, and it may be the mechanism underlying the difference between the "rich get richer" and social compensation hypotheses. The implications of the online and offline integration hypothesis are discussed.

Internet access and utilization for health information among university students in Islamabad.

PubMed

Shaikh, Irshad Ali; Shaikh, Masood Ali; Kamal, Anila; Masood, Sobia

2008-01-01

Internet has changed the way we live and work. Advent of this technology has fundamentally transformed our lives the way invention of automobile changed how our lives and cities looked and worked before. Practically no information is available on the use of Internet for health by the people of Pakistan. The Objectives of the study were to assess the access and utilization pattern of Internet by university students in Islamabad, with emphasis on the healthcare information seeking. An anonymous, self-administered, and pre-tested questionnaire with questions on the access, and usage pattern of Internet, seeking health care information online, and belief about reliability of such information; was distributed to only those students who were enrolled in masters or higher degree programs. A total of 600 students were approached and 598 (99.7%) completed the questionnaires. The mean age of students was 23.5 years (range 19-40). The majority of students (423) were enrolled in masters program. Four hundred and sixty-eight students (78.26%) students had access to the computer either at home or at their university hostel. While 304 (50.84%) students had Internet access at home or in their university hostel. Out of 304 students who reported having access to Internet in the past three months, one hundred and thirty-nine (43.4%) students replied affirmatively to the question of having used Internet for seeking health care information. And 109 (78.4%) thought that such information was reliable. Out of 139 students who had used Internet for seeking health information, 35 (25.2%) students replied affirmatively to the question of having discussed health information obtained from Internet with their doctor/physician whom they visited for any illness/treatment. Majority of Islamabad university students in this study had access to computer and Internet. Young and healthy state of this educated age group perhaps accounts for limited use of Internet for seeking healthcare related information. However, high reliability of Internet obtained health information needs to be further studied in terms of websites utilized for seeking such information.

Internet and free press are associated with reduced lags in global outbreak reporting.

PubMed

McAlarnen, Lindsey; Smith, Katherine; Brownstein, John S; Jerde, Christopher

2014-10-30

Global outbreak detection and reporting have generally improved for a variety of infectious diseases and geographic regions in recent decades. Nevertheless, lags in outbreak reporting remain a threat to the global human health and economy. In the time between first occurrence of a novel disease incident and public notification of an outbreak, infected individuals have a greater possibility of traveling and spreading the pathogen to other nations. Shortening outbreak reporting lags has the potential to improve global health by preventing local outbreaks from escalating into global epidemics. Reporting lags between the first record and the first public report of an event were calculated for 318 outbreaks occurring 1996-2009. The influence of freedom of the press, Internet usage, per capita health expenditure, and cell phone subscriptions, on the timeliness of outbreak reporting was evaluated. Freer presses and increasing Internet usage correlate with reduced time between the first record of an outbreak and the public report. Increasing Internet usage reduced the expected reporting lag from more than one month in nations without Internet users to one day in those where 75 of 100 people use the Internet. Advances in technology and the emergence of more open and free governments are associated with to improved global infectious disease surveillance.

Exploring personality characteristics of Chinese adolescents with internet-related addictive behaviors: trait differences for gaming addiction and social networking addiction.

PubMed

Wang, Chong-Wen; Ho, Rainbow T H; Chan, Cecilia L W; Tse, Samson

2015-03-01

This study investigated the associations between personality traits, based on the Big Five model, and addictive behaviors to different online activities among adolescents. A sample of 920 participants was recruited from four secondary schools in different districts using random cluster sampling. A structured questionnaire, including demographic information, internet usage pattern, the Internet Addiction Test, the Game Addiction Scale, the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale - Revised, and the Big Five Inventory, was administered to each participant. The results demonstrated a significant difference in personality traits for addictive behaviors related to different online activities. Specifically, higher neuroticism (β=0.15, p<0.001) and less conscientiousness (β=0.12, p<0.001) displayed significant associations with internet addiction in general; less conscientiousness (β=0.09, p<0.01) and low openness (β=0.06, p<0.05) were significantly associated with gaming addiction; and neuroticism (β=0.15, p<0.001) and extraversion (β=0.10, p<0.01) were significantly associated with social networking addiction. Our findings may provide a better understanding of the etiopathology of internet-related addictive behaviors and have implications for psychoeducation and psychotherapy programs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whiplash Syndrome Reloaded: Digital Echoes of Whiplash Syndrome in the European Internet Search Engine Context

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background In many Western countries, after a motor vehicle collision, those involved seek health care for the assessment of injuries and for insurance documentation purposes. In contrast, in many less wealthy countries, there may be limited access to care and no insurance or compensation system. Objective The purpose of this infodemiology study was to investigate the global pattern of evolving Internet usage in countries with and without insurance and the corresponding compensation systems for whiplash injury. Methods We used the Internet search engine analytics via Google Trends to study the health information-seeking behavior concerning whiplash injury at national population levels in Europe. Results We found that the search for “whiplash” is strikingly and consistently often associated with the search for “compensation” in countries or cultures with a tort system. Frequent or traumatic painful injuries; diseases or disorders such as arthritis, headache, radius, and hip fracture; depressive disorders; and fibromyalgia were not associated similarly with searches on “compensation.” Conclusions In this study, we present evidence from the evolving viewpoint of naturalistic Internet search engine analytics that the expectations for receiving compensation may influence Internet search behavior in relation to whiplash injury. PMID:28347974

Internet Parenting Styles and the Impact on Internet Use of Primary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valcke, M.; Bonte, S.; De Wever, B.; Rots, I.

2010-01-01

Next to available data about actual Internet use of young children at home, most research especially focuses on the threats and opportunities about active Internet usage. Limited empirical research focuses on the role and impact of parents in this context. In the present study, Internet parenting styles are defined and operationalized to study the…

Toward a Standardized Internet Measurement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Hsiang; Tan, Zixiang

This paper investigates measurement issues related to elements of the Internet and calls for a standardized measuring scheme to resolve the problem of the measurement. The dilemmas in measuring the elements of the Internet are identified, and previous studies are reviewed. Elements of the Internet are categorized into population, usage, protocol…

[Impact of internet on poisoning with psychoactive substances in young people].

PubMed

Radoniewicz-Chagowska, Anna; Tchórz, Michał; Kujawa, Anna; Szponar, Jarosław; Drelich, Grzegorz

2012-01-01

These days young people use internet as a source of information. Internet offers knowledge that can be used not only for school education but also to obtain information about usage and effects of psychoactive substances. Recent research shows that young people more often use internet websites and chat rooms to exchange knowledge and experience with chemicals and everyday products used as intoxicants, for example: nutmeg, nonprescription medications, metal cleaning liquid or feminine hygiene products. This article shows the extend of knowledge young people can gain from popular internet websites. Information on the web is presented as appealing, attractive and encouraging. From a toxicologist point of view it is extremely important to be familiar with those new threats because more and more often we have to treat young patients with a serious poisoning from usage of experimental intoxicating substances.

Use of the internet for health information among primary care patients in rural West Texas.

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Jones, Betsy; Spalding, Mary; Young, Rodney; Ragain, Mike

2009-06-01

Little is known about how primary care patients in rural, remote or border areas use the internet for their health information. This study examined the factors related to internet use for medical information among primary care clinic patients in such areas of West Texas. A convenience sample was drawn from nine clinics that serve low-income rural area populations. Surveys were distributed to the patients during a 6-week period in the winter of 2006. The analytical sample included 1890 participants. Logistic regressions were conducted. Of 1890 subjects, 699 (37%) reported having used the internet for medical information. Among those who reported using the internet for health information, respondents' primary usage pattern was to request more health information (29.9%), followed by the purchase of health supplies (13.4%). Most internet users (78.8%) agreed that the online medical/health information had improved their understanding of a specific condition, disease, or treatment. Almost 60% of the internet users thought the information was reliable. The correlates of internet use included health insurance, self-rated health, health confidence, and number of worried days as well as age, education level, ethnicity, and language. Our findings showed a much lower rate of internet use for medical/health information compared with a 2006 nationwide survey. This finding suggests that promoting health/medical information through websites or other on-line resources might not be the most effective way to reach a majority of patients in remote, rural or border areas.

The Impact of Pathological Levels of Internet-Related Anxiety on Internet Usage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brosnan, Mark; Joiner, Richard; Gavin, Jeff; Crook, Charles; Maras, Pam; Guiller, Jane; Scott, Adrian J.

2012-01-01

This article compares the use of the Internet during the first year of university education of students who have pathological levels of Internet anxiety with those who do not. Two hundred and sixteen first year psychology students (females 184, males 32) were surveyed for their levels of Internet-related anxiety, from which 12 (5.6%) were…

[Factors on internet game addiction among adolescents].

PubMed

Park, Hyun Sook; Kwon, Yun Hee; Park, Kyung-Min

2007-08-01

The purpose of this study was to explore factors related to internet game addiction for adolescents. This study was a cross-sectional survey, and data was collected through self-report questionnaires. Data was analyzed using the SPSS program. In logistic regression analysis, the risk of being addicted to internet games was 2.22 times higher in males than females. Adolescents with low and middle academic performance also had a higher risk(2.08 times and 2.54 times) to become addicted to internet games. For the location of the computer, the risk of becoming addicted to internet games were .01 times lower in the living room or brother or sisters' room than in their own room. The risk of becoming addicted to internet games was 1.18 times higher in the higher usage time of internet games. The risk of becoming addicted to internet games was .49 times lower in the more accepting and autonomic parents' rearing attitude and .02 times lower in the high self-efficacy group than the low group. The result of this study suggests that there are noticeable relationships between internet game addiction and gender, academic performance, location of computer, usage time of internet games, parents' rearing attitude, and self efficacy.

Internet Usage and Competitive Advantage: The Impact of the Internet on an Old Economy Industry in Spain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

del Aguila Obra, Ana Rosa; Bruque Camara, Sebastian; Padilla Melendez, Antonio

2002-01-01

Considers whether Internet technologies have led to competitive advantage for companies operating in traditional industries. Highlights include a literature review; using the resource-based view (RBV) of firms as a theoretical framework for an empirical investigation; and a survey that investigated Internet technologies and competitive advantage…

Factors associated with internet addiction among school-going adolescents in Vadodara.

PubMed

Prabhakaran, M C Anusha; Patel, V Rajvee; Ganjiwale, D Jaishree; Nimbalkar, M Somashekhar

2016-01-01

The internet is an important modern means of obtaining information and communicating with others which has converted the world into a global village. At the same time, increasing internet use among adolescents is also likely to pose a major public health concern that is internet addiction (IA). The aim was to assess the prevalence of IA among school-going adolescents and factors associated with IA. A cross-sectional study was designed to survey adolescents studying in 8th to 11th standard of five schools of Vadodara. Information regarding sociodemography and various patterns of internet use were obtained using survey forms. IA test (IAT) was used to screen for IA. Descriptive analysis, univariate analysis, and logistic regression were done to analyze the data. Seven hundred and twenty-four participants that completed IAT were analyzed. Internet use prevalence was 98.9%. Prevalence of IA was 8.7%. Male gender, owning a personal device, hours of internet use/day, use of smartphones, permanent login status, use of internet for chatting, making online friends, shopping, watching movies, online gaming, searching information online and instant messaging were found to be associated significantly with IA in univariate analysis. Internet use for online friendships was found to be a significant predictor of IA (odds ratio [OR] =2.4), and internet use for searching information was found to be protective (OR = 0.20) against IA on logistic regression. IA is prevalent in the adolescent population and requires awareness and intervention. Characteristics of internet usage found to be associated with IA needs to be considered while developing strategies for interventions.

Factors associated with internet addiction among school-going adolescents in Vadodara

PubMed Central

Prabhakaran, M. C. Anusha; Patel, V. Rajvee; Ganjiwale, D. Jaishree; Nimbalkar, M. Somashekhar

2016-01-01

Introduction: The internet is an important modern means of obtaining information and communicating with others which has converted the world into a global village. At the same time, increasing internet use among adolescents is also likely to pose a major public health concern that is internet addiction (IA). The aim was to assess the prevalence of IA among school-going adolescents and factors associated with IA. Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed to survey adolescents studying in 8th to 11th standard of five schools of Vadodara. Information regarding sociodemography and various patterns of internet use were obtained using survey forms. IA test (IAT) was used to screen for IA. Descriptive analysis, univariate analysis, and logistic regression were done to analyze the data. Results: Seven hundred and twenty-four participants that completed IAT were analyzed. Internet use prevalence was 98.9%. Prevalence of IA was 8.7%. Male gender, owning a personal device, hours of internet use/day, use of smartphones, permanent login status, use of internet for chatting, making online friends, shopping, watching movies, online gaming, searching information online and instant messaging were found to be associated significantly with IA in univariate analysis. Internet use for online friendships was found to be a significant predictor of IA (odds ratio [OR] =2.4), and internet use for searching information was found to be protective (OR = 0.20) against IA on logistic regression. Conclusions: IA is prevalent in the adolescent population and requires awareness and intervention. Characteristics of internet usage found to be associated with IA needs to be considered while developing strategies for interventions. PMID:28348987

Defining a mismatch: differences in usage of social networking sites between medical students and the faculty who teach them.

PubMed

Brisson, Gregory E; Fisher, Matthew J; LaBelle, Mark W; Kozmic, Sarah E

2015-01-01

Use of social networking sites (SNS) by medical students is increasing, and some students lack awareness of pitfalls arising from the intersection of social networking and medicine. Many institutions have developed guidelines on using SNS, but they are insufficient for students. Educators need new methods to train students on the appropriate use of this technology, but more information is needed before implementing change. Differences in SNS usage between students and faculty were examined. The goal was to evaluate four content areas: SNS usage patterns, attitudes regarding activity on SNS, experience with patient interactions online, and awareness of institutional guidelines on use of SNS. A cross-sectional survey took place at Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, in 2012. Participants included all students and a cohort of faculty who teach them in a class on professionalism. The response rate was 42% by students (300/711) and 78% by faculty (31/40). Of the students, 94% use SNS, compared to 48% of faculty. Students were more likely than faculty to display content they would not want patients to see (57% vs. 27%), report seeing inappropriate content on colleagues' SNS profiles (64% vs. 42%), and ignore harmful postings by colleagues (25% vs. 7%). Faculty were more likely than students to have been approached by patients on SNS (53% vs. 3%). Most participants were unlikely to conduct Internet searches on patients. Students are more likely than faculty to use SNS and use it very differently than faculty. Students would benefit from training on appropriate use of SNS. Topics that should be addressed include editing one's online presence, managing friend requests from patients, dealing with colleagues who post harmful content, conducting Internet searches on patients, and discussion of boundaries to identify potential harms associated with SNS usage. Differences in usage between students and faculty raise questions if faculty are well suited to provide this training.

Interactive DataBase of Cosmic Ray Anisotropy (DB A10)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asipenka, A.S.; Belov, A.V.; Eroshenko, E.F.; Klepach, E.G.; Oleneva, V.A.; Yake, V.G.

Data on the hourly means of cosmic ray density and anisotropy derived by the GSM method over the 1957-2006 are introduced in to MySQL database. This format allowed an access to data both in local and in the Internet. Using the realized combination of script-language Php and My SQL database the Internet project was created on the access for users data on the CR anisotropy in different formats (http://cr20.izmiran.ru/AnisotropyCR/main.htm/). Usage the sheaf Php and MySQL provides fast receiving data even in the Internet since a request and following process of data are accomplished on the project server. Usage of MySQL basis for the storing data on cosmic ray variations give a possibility to construct requests of different structures, extends the variety of data reflection, makes it possible the conformity data to other systems and usage them in other projects.

Five years of poisons information on the internet: the UK experience of TOXBASE

PubMed Central

Bateman, D N; Good, A M

2006-01-01

Introduction In 1999, the UK adopted a policy of using TOXBASE, an internet service available free to registered National Health Service (NHS) departments and professionals, as the first point of information on poisoning. This was the first use worldwide of the internet for provision of clinical advice at a national level. We report the impact on database usage and NPIS telephone call loads. Methods Trends in the pattern of TOXBASE usage from 2000–2004 are reported by user category. Information on the monographs accessed most frequently was also extracted from the webserver and sorted by user category. The numbers of telephone calls to the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) were extracted from NPIS annual reports. Results Numbers of database logons increased 3.5 fold from 102 352 in 2000 to 368 079 in 2004, with a total of 789 295 accesses to product monographs in 2004. Registered users increased almost tenfold, with approximately half accessing the database at least once a year. Telephone calls to the NPIS dropped by over half. Total contacts with NPIS (web and telephone) increased 50%. Major users in 2004 were hospital emergency departments (60.5% of logons) and NHS public access helplines (NHS Direct and NHS24) (29.4%). Different user groups access different parts of the database. Emergency departments access printable fact sheets for about 10% of monographs they access. Conclusion Provision of poisons information by the internet has been successful in reducing NPIS call loads. Provision of basic poisons information by this method appears to be acceptable to different professional groups, and to be effective in reducing telephone call loads and increasing service cost effectiveness. PMID:16858093

Five years of poisons information on the internet: the UK experience of TOXBASE.

PubMed

Bateman, D N; Good, A M

2006-08-01

In 1999, the UK adopted a policy of using TOXBASE, an internet service available free to registered National Health Service (NHS) departments and professionals, as the first point of information on poisoning. This was the first use worldwide of the internet for provision of clinical advice at a national level. We report the impact on database usage and NPIS telephone call loads. Trends in the pattern of TOXBASE usage from 2000-2004 are reported by user category. Information on the monographs accessed most frequently was also extracted from the webserver and sorted by user category. The numbers of telephone calls to the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) were extracted from NPIS annual reports. Numbers of database logons increased 3.5 fold from 102,352 in 2000 to 368,079 in 2004, with a total of 789,295 accesses to product monographs in 2004. Registered users increased almost tenfold, with approximately half accessing the database at least once a year. Telephone calls to the NPIS dropped by over half. Total contacts with NPIS (web and telephone) increased 50%. Major users in 2004 were hospital emergency departments (60.5% of logons) and NHS public access helplines (NHS Direct and NHS24) (29.4%). Different user groups access different parts of the database. Emergency departments access printable fact sheets for about 10% of monographs they access. Provision of poisons information by the internet has been successful in reducing NPIS call loads. Provision of basic poisons information by this method appears to be acceptable to different professional groups, and to be effective in reducing telephone call loads and increasing service cost effectiveness.

Patterns of technology use among older adults with and without disabilities.

PubMed

Gell, Nancy M; Rosenberg, Dori E; Demiris, George; LaCroix, Andrea Z; Patel, Kushang V

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to describe prevalence of technology use among adults ages 65 and older, particularly for those with disability and activity-limiting symptoms and impairments. Data from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study, a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries (N = 7,609), were analyzed. Analysis consisted of technology use (use of e-mail/text messages and the internet) by sociodemographic and health characteristics and prevalence ratios for technology usage by disability status. Forty percent of older adults used e-mail or text messaging and 42.7% used the internet. Higher prevalence of technology use was associated with younger age, male sex, white race, higher education level, and being married (all p values <.001). After adjustment for sociodemographic and health characteristics, technology use decreased significantly with greater limitations in physical capacity and greater disability. Vision impairment and memory limitations were also associated with lower likelihood of technology use. Technology usage in U.S. older adults varied significantly by sociodemographic and health status. Prevalence of technology use differed by the type of disability and activity-limiting impairments. The internet, e-mail, and text messaging might be viable mediums for health promotion and communication, particularly for younger cohorts of older adults and those with certain types of impairment and less severe disability. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Teachers' and parents' views on the Internet and social media usage by pupils with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Molin, Martin; Sorbring, Emma; Löfgren-Mårtenson, Lotta

2015-03-01

This article reports experiences from a Swedish study, discussing teachers' and parents' views on how young people with intellectual disabilities use the Internet and social media. Five semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with teachers (n = 8) in special programmes in upper secondary schools for pupils with intellectual disabilities and parents (n = 5) of pupils in the same form of schooling, and they were analysed with thematic analysis. Teachers more strongly emphasize a pupil's use of the Internet for interactive purposes. Parents had expectations that the Internet could be a tool for gaining more awareness of one's own disability and a way to meet other peer group pupils. Teachers' and parents' perspectives on the Internet and social media usage are important since it is imperative to show how support can be provided for young people with intellectual disabilities. © The Author(s) 2014.

[Differences between adolescents with pathological Internet use in inpatient and outpatient treatment].

PubMed

Wartberg, Lutz; Moll, Bettina; Baldus, Christiane; Thomsen, Monika; Thomasius, Rainer

2017-07-01

In epidemiological studies high prevalence estimates for pathological Internet use in adolescence were reported. There are only few studies published, reporting data of adolescents seeking treatment concerning their pathological Internet use. Currently, a comparison of patients in inpatient versus outpatient treatment is not available. We investigated 74 adolescents reporting pathological Internet use with standardized questionnaires concerning problematic Internet use, psychopathological symptoms and life satisfaction. Overall, 35 adolescents were treated in an outpatient and another 39 adolescents in an inpatient setting. A substantial portion in both groups showed comorbid mental health problems. There were no differences in the degree of problematic Internet use between the two groups. However, compared to adolescents in an outpatient setting, adolescents in inpatient treatment reported longer average Internet usage times, a lower life satisfaction as well as more anxiety/depressiveness and self-esteem problems. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis Internet usage time and life satisfaction were identified as statistically significant factors for the affiliation to one of the two treatment groups. The results of the present study could be useful as a further description of this group of patients and more general to develop interventions for adolescents reporting pathological Internet use.

Internet and social media usage of orthopaedic patients: A questionnaire-based survey.

PubMed

Duymus, Tahir Mutlu; Karadeniz, Hilmi; Çaçan, Mehmet Akif; Kömür, Baran; Demirtaş, Abdullah; Zehir, Sinan; Azboy, İbrahim

2017-02-18

To evaluate social media usage of orthopaedic patients to search for solutions to their health problems. The study data were collected using face-to-face questionnaire with randomly selected 1890 patients aged over 18 years who had been admitted to the orthopaedic clinics in different cities and provinces across Turkey. The questionnaire consists of a total of 16 questions pertaining to internet and social media usage and demographics of patients, patients' choice of institution for treatment, patient complaints on admission, online hospital and physician ratings, communication between the patient and the physician and its effects. It was found that 34.2% ( n = 647) of the participants consulted with an orthopaedist using the internet and 48.7% ( n = 315) of them preferred websites that allow users to ask questions to a physician. Of all question-askers, 48.5% ( n = 314) reported having found the answers helpful. Based on the educational level of the participants, there was a highly significant difference between the rates of asking questions to an orthopaedist using the internet ( P = 0.001). The rate of question-asking was significantly lower in patients with an elementary education than that in those with secondary, high school and undergraduate education ( P = 0.001) The rate of reporting that the answers given was helpful was significantly higher in participants with an undergraduate degree compared to those who were illiterate, those with primary, elementary or high school education ( P = 0.001). It was also found that the usage of the internet for health problems was higher among managers-qualified participants than unemployed-housewives, officers, workers-intermediate staff ( P < 0.05). We concluded that patients have been increasingly using the internet and social media to select a specific physician or to seek solution to their health problems in an effective way. Even though the internet and social media offer beneficial effects for physicians or patients, there is still much obscurity regarding their harms and further studies are warranted for necessary arrangements to be made.

77 FR 20367 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Computer and Internet Use Supplement to the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-04

... Internet usage survey questions. II. Method of Collection Personal visits and telephone interviews, using... Information Collection; Comment Request; Computer and Internet Use Supplement to the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Commerce. ACTION...

World Wide Web as a Research Tool for Self Motivated Learning of Ozone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanna, Kim

2009-01-01

Student use of computers and the internet has increased rapidly in recent years. Teachers ask what types of learning experiences can be facilitated by using the internet in their classrooms (NSBF, 2007). Various surveys of U.S. teachers on internet usage report that having students use the internet for research and information gathering purposes…

Internet as a Source of Misconception: "Radiation and Radioactivity"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acar Sesen, Burcin; Ince, Elif

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine students' usage styles of the Internet for seeking information and to investigate whether information obtained from the Internet is a source of misconceptions. For this reason, a two-stage study was conducted. At the first stage, a questionnaire was developed to get information about students' Internet usage…

What Are They Doing with the Internet? A Study of User Information Seeking Behaviors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

He, Peter Wei; Jacobson, Trudi E.

1996-01-01

Library staff at State University of New York at Albany surveyed 96 patrons in a 2-month period regarding their Internet usage. Gender, college status, and prior experience were sources of differences in searching and browsing behavior and in attitudes toward Internet usefulness. Libraries should actively create new Internet access points and…

The Internet and Democracy: Global Catalyst or Democratic Dud?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Best, Michael L.; Wade, Keegan W.

2009-01-01

In this study, we explore the global effect of the Internet on democracy over the period of 1992 to 2002 by observing the relationships between measures related to democracy and Internet prevalence. Our findings suggest that while Internet usage was not a very powerful predictor of democracy when examining full panel data from 1992 to 2002, it was…

Internet Usage In The Fresh Produce Supply Chainin China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xiaoxiao; Duan, Yanqing; Fu, Zetian; Liu, Xue

Although effective implementation of the Internet technologies has a great potential for improving efficiency and reducing wastage within the fresh produce supply chain. the situation of the Internet usage by SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) in the fresh produce supply chain is still unclear in China. As the main players, SMEs haven't been given enough attention from both academics and governments. Therefore, this research attempts to address this issue by, first, investigating the current usage of the Internet and related software by Chinese SMEs in the fresh produce supply chain, and then, by identifying enablers and barriers faced by SMEs to call government's attention. As a part of an EU-Asia IT&C funded project, a survey was carried out with SMEs in this industry from five major cities in China. The results reveal that in the relatively developed areas of China, SMEs in the fresh produce supply chain are rapidly adopting the Internet and software packages, but the level of adoption varies greatly and there is a significant lack of integration among the supply chain partners. Chinese SMEs are keen to embrace emerging technologies and have acted to adopt new software and tools. Given that cost of implementation is not a barrier, their concern over legal protection and online security must be addressed for further development.

The Association of Patient Factors, Digital Access, and Online Behavior on Sustained Patient Portal Use: A Prospective Cohort of Enrolled Users.

PubMed

Woods, Susan S; Forsberg, Christopher W; Schwartz, Erin C; Nazi, Kim M; Hibbard, Judith H; Houston, Thomas K; Gerrity, Martha

2017-10-17

As electronic health records and computerized workflows expand, there are unprecedented opportunities to digitally connect with patients using secure portals. To realize the value of patient portals, initial reach across populations will need to be demonstrated, as well as sustained usage over time. The study aim was to identify patient factors associated with short-term and long-term portal usage after patients registered to access all portal functions. We prospectively followed a cohort of patients at a large Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care facility who recently completed identity proofing to use the VA patient portal. Information collected at baseline encompassed patient factors potentially associated with portal usage, including: demographics, Internet access and use, health literacy, patient activation, and self-reported health conditions. The primary outcome was the frequency of portal log-ins during 6-month and 18-month time intervals after study enrollment. A total of 270 study participants were followed prospectively. Almost all participants (260/268, 97.0%) reported going online, typically at home (248/268, 92.5%). At 6 months, 84.1% (227/270) of participants had visited the portal, with some variation in usage across demographic and health-related subgroups. There were no significant differences in portal log-ins by age, gender, education, marital status, race/ethnicity, distance to a VA facility, or patient activation measure. Significantly higher portal usage was seen among participants using high-speed broadband at home, greater self-reported ability using the Internet, and routinely going online. By 18 months, 91% participants had logged in to the portal, and no significant associations were found between usage and demographics, health status, or patient activation. When examining portal activity between 6 and 18 months, patients who were infrequent or high portal users remained in those categories, respectively. Short-term and long-term portal usage was associated with having broadband at home, high self-rated ability when using the Internet, and overall online behavior. Digital inclusion, or ready access to the Internet and digital skills, appears to be a social determinant in patient exposure to portal services. ©Susan S Woods, Christopher W Forsberg, Erin C Schwartz, Kim M Nazi, Judith H Hibbard, Thomas K Houston, Martha Gerrity. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 17.10.2017.

Internet communication of outpatients with Asperger's disorder or schizophrenia in Japan.

PubMed

Watabe, Takashi; Suzuki, Kunifumi

2015-03-01

There is insufficient information about the Internet usage of psychiatric patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the usage of Internet communication among subjects with Asperger's disorder (AD) or schizophrenia. A questionnaire survey was carried out in Japan among 29 outpatients with AD, 32 outpatients with schizophrenia, and 97 age-matched normal volunteers. This study limited the participants to young male adults (20- to 39-year-olds) using the Internet. People with a diagnosis of AD prefer personal computers to mobile phones as their Internet terminal, have an inclination to use anonymous media, and tend to think that they can communicate more correctly through the Internet than face-to-face communication. People with a diagnosis of schizophrenia employ the Internet to a degree almost similar to controls, and tend to rely on unknown persons, but also sometimes feel hurt when communicating on the Internet. Moreover, their sensitivity to the risks of the Internet tends to decrease with the aggravation of their psychotic symptoms. It may be important to pay attention to the excessive use of some limited media by people with a diagnosis of AD. Providing people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia with sufficient information about the risks of the Internet is also important. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Whiplash Syndrome Reloaded: Digital Echoes of Whiplash Syndrome in the European Internet Search Engine Context.

PubMed

Noll-Hussong, Michael

2017-03-27

In many Western countries, after a motor vehicle collision, those involved seek health care for the assessment of injuries and for insurance documentation purposes. In contrast, in many less wealthy countries, there may be limited access to care and no insurance or compensation system. The purpose of this infodemiology study was to investigate the global pattern of evolving Internet usage in countries with and without insurance and the corresponding compensation systems for whiplash injury. We used the Internet search engine analytics via Google Trends to study the health information-seeking behavior concerning whiplash injury at national population levels in Europe. We found that the search for "whiplash" is strikingly and consistently often associated with the search for "compensation" in countries or cultures with a tort system. Frequent or traumatic painful injuries; diseases or disorders such as arthritis, headache, radius, and hip fracture; depressive disorders; and fibromyalgia were not associated similarly with searches on "compensation." In this study, we present evidence from the evolving viewpoint of naturalistic Internet search engine analytics that the expectations for receiving compensation may influence Internet search behavior in relation to whiplash injury. ©Michael Noll-Hussong. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 27.03.2017.

Computer-Mediated Communication Modality and Psychological Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ess, Brian C.

2013-01-01

The growth of Internet usage in American society has added new modes of communication, primarily through computer-mediated communication (CMC)on the Internet. Research on the relationship between Internet use and psychological well-being has been mixed and this study attempted to reconcile the discrepancies in results by exploring the…

Predicting the Continued Use of Internet-Based Learning Technologies: The Role of Habit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Limayem, Moez; Cheung, Christy M. K.

2011-01-01

The proliferation and advance of Internet-based technologies create expanded opportunities for educators to provide students with better learning experiences. Although current studies focus mostly on the learning processes and learning outcomes, this article examines the students' usage behaviour with Internet-based learning technologies across…

Regulating the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Byron

2007-01-01

The Internet's breakthrough to primetime usage beginning in the mid-1990s evolved in an era of openness. Unfettered access seemed key to Internet development. An important foundation for the 1996 Telecommunications Act was the theory that the telecom industry would work best if it were free of government regulation, a guiding principle that has…

Cyberspace: No Women Need Apply? Librarians and the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missingham, Roxanne

1996-01-01

The Internet affects women librarians by providing opportunities for networking, mentoring, and career development. A study of listserv traffic on FEMINIST and PACS-L, and a survey of librarians and Internet usage, found gender differences in the content and tone of postings. Computer technology could deconstruct gender relationships in the…

Internet use in patients with cardiovascular diseases: Bad Berka Cross-Sectional Study (BABSY).

PubMed

Ohlow, M-A; Brunelli, M; Lauer, B

2013-10-01

Internet has become a significant resource for dissemination of medical information. We sought to investigate prevalence and usage patterns of Internet access among consecutive patients with cardiovascular diseases. A cross-sectional study was performed using a questionnaire as study tool. Among patients with Internet access, the type of health information sought and the impact of these on daily life were assessed. Of 1063 patients invited to the study, 1000 patients [68% male gender, mean age 66 ± 11 years (range 27-83 years)] agreed to complete the questionnaire. 216/1000 (21.6%) used Internet to obtain information related to their disease. The patient education was graded as: low (15%), medium (66%) and high (19%). Reasons for Internet use were as follows: 24-h availability 142/216 (65.7%); free of charge 58/216 (26.9%); and anonymity 50/216 (23.2%). Younger (≤ 66 years) age (35.2% vs. 15.3%; p = 0.0001), male gender (24.6% vs. 15.4%; p = 0.001) and higher education level (49.4% vs. 16.1%; p = 0.001) were significantly associated with Internet use. 30.6% (66/216) of Internet users changed their individual health behaviour attributable to information found on the Internet. However, this was not related to age, gender or level of education (p = 0.5, p = 0.6 and p = 0.4, respectively). Patients without Internet use obtain health information mainly from the pharmacist (62%) or from their treating physician (58%). A relevant number of patients with cardiovascular disease access the Internet for health information. The impact of such information on health-related behaviour in daily life was low. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Japan's 2014 General Election: Political Bots, Right-Wing Internet Activism, and Prime Minister Shinzō Abe's Hidden Nationalist Agenda.

PubMed

Schäfer, Fabian; Evert, Stefan; Heinrich, Philipp

2017-12-01

In this article, we present results on the identification and behavioral analysis of social bots in a sample of 542,584 Tweets, collected before and after Japan's 2014 general election. Typical forms of bot activity include massive Retweeting and repeated posting of (nearly) the same message, sometimes used in combination. We focus on the second method and present (1) a case study on several patterns of bot activity, (2) methodological considerations on the automatic identification of such patterns and the prerequisite near-duplicate detection, and (3) we give qualitative insights into the purposes behind the usage of social/political bots. We argue that it was in the latency of the semi-public sphere of social media-and not in the visible or manifest public sphere (official campaign platform, mass media)-where Shinzō Abe's hidden nationalist agenda interlocked and overlapped with the one propagated by organizations such as Nippon Kaigi and Internet right-wingers (netto uyo) during the election campaign, the latter potentially forming an enormous online support army of Abe's agenda.

Japan's 2014 General Election: Political Bots, Right-Wing Internet Activism, and Prime Minister Shinzō Abe's Hidden Nationalist Agenda

PubMed Central

Schäfer, Fabian; Evert, Stefan; Heinrich, Philipp

2017-01-01

Abstract In this article, we present results on the identification and behavioral analysis of social bots in a sample of 542,584 Tweets, collected before and after Japan's 2014 general election. Typical forms of bot activity include massive Retweeting and repeated posting of (nearly) the same message, sometimes used in combination. We focus on the second method and present (1) a case study on several patterns of bot activity, (2) methodological considerations on the automatic identification of such patterns and the prerequisite near-duplicate detection, and (3) we give qualitative insights into the purposes behind the usage of social/political bots. We argue that it was in the latency of the semi-public sphere of social media—and not in the visible or manifest public sphere (official campaign platform, mass media)—where Shinzō Abe's hidden nationalist agenda interlocked and overlapped with the one propagated by organizations such as Nippon Kaigi and Internet right-wingers (netto uyo) during the election campaign, the latter potentially forming an enormous online support army of Abe's agenda. PMID:29182493

The Usage of E-Governance Applications by Higher Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Öktem, M. Kemal; Demirhan, Kamil; Demirhan, Haydar

2014-01-01

This study aims to analyze the factors affecting the Internet usage of university students using e-governance applications. It is important to examine these factors to understand why the online citizen participation is not increasing as expected, while Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) usage is improving in governance. Governance is…

High School Students' Social Media Usage Habits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tezci, Erdogan; Içen, Mustafa

2017-01-01

Social media which is an important product of Computer and Internet Technologies has a growing usage level day by day. Increasing social media usage level gives opportunity for new software developments and making investments in this area. From this aspect, therefore, social media has not only economic function but also make persons participate in…

The use of websites for disseminating health information in developing countries: an experience from Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Kommalage, Mahinda; Thabrew, Anoj

2008-01-01

This study was designed to investigate the use of websites as a health education medium in Sri Lanka. Approximately 87.2% of the websites contained less than 100 webpages. The quality score was higher in the websites owned by local nonbusiness organisations compared to the websites owned by business organisations. Only 8.1% of the websites provided health education content for the general public as their main content. The total number of websites has not increased compared to the increase in internet usage in Sri Lanka during the last few years. The internet is an underutilised health education tool despite the growth of internet usage in Sri Lanka.

The immediate and long-term effects of time perspective on Internet gaming disorder.

PubMed

Lukavská, Kateřina

2018-03-01

Backgrounds and aims This study focuses on the role of time perspective (TP) in Internet gaming disorder (IGD). An inventory-based study on 377 massive multiplayer online role playing game players was conducted, followed by a 3-year-follow-up in which 48 active players from the original sample participated. We proposed that TP factors (negative TP and future positive TP) will influence either the current presence of IGD symptoms or the further development of IGD over time. In other words, the effect of TP is stable. Finally, game usage patterns were analyzed in the sense of changes in playing time and IGD symptoms in gamers after 3 years. Methods To access the variables, two scales were administered through online inventory, the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory-short, and Charlton and Danforths' Core Addiction Scale, both in 2012 (N = 377) and 2015 (N = 48). The amount of time that gamers usually spent playing were obtained through self-reports. Results The study's primary presumptions were confirmed. Both negative TP and future positive TP were confirmed as significant predictors of the presence of IGD symptoms, either immediately or in the following 3 years. Data on game usage showed a significant decrease in playing time and IGD symptoms between year 0 and year 3 of the study.

Can you hear me now?

PubMed Central

Shacham, Enbal; Stamm, Kate E.; Overton, Edgar T.

2013-01-01

Recent studies support technology-based behavioral interventions for individuals with HIV. This study focused on the use of cell phone and internet technologies among a cohort of 515 HIV-infected individuals. Socio-demographic and clinic data were collected among individuals presenting at an urban Midwestern university HIV clinic in 2007. Regular internet usage occurred more often with males, Caucasians, those who were employed, had higher salaries, and were more educated. Higher levels of education and salary >$10,000 predicted regular usage when controlling for race, employment, and gender. Cell phone ownership was associated with being Caucasian, employed, more educated, and salary > $10,000. Employment was the only predictor of owning a cell phone when controlling for income, race, and education. Individuals who were <40 years of age, employed, and more educated were more likely to know how to text message. Employment and post-high school education predicted knowledge of text messaging, when controlling for age. Disparities among internet, cell phone, and text messaging usage exist among HIV-infected individuals. PMID:20024756

A Fuzzy Logic-Based Quality Function Deployment for Selection of E-Learning Provider

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazancoglu, Yigit; Aksoy, Murat

2011-01-01

According to the Internet World Stats (2010), the growth rate of internet usage in the world is 444.8 % from 2000 to 2010. Since the number of internet users is rapidly increasing with each passed year, e-learning is often identified with web-based learning. The institutions, which deliver e-learning service via the use of computer and internet,…

Comparing the Internet Usage of Pre-Service Language Teachers with Teachers of Other Subjects: Distance Learning vs. On-Campus Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firat, Mehmet; Serpil, Harun

2017-01-01

Teachers play a crucial role in helping individuals gain adequate Internet competency, which requires teachers themselves to be Internet-literate. The purpose of this study is to investigate the Internet use of the distance and on-campus pre-service teachers of language and other disciplines by multiple parameters. A total of 789 teacher…

Analysis of Internet Usage Among Cancer Patients in a County Hospital Setting: A Quality Improvement Initiative

PubMed Central

Lilley, Lisa; Lodrigues, William; Dreadin-Pulliam, Julie; Xie, Xian-Jin; Mathur, Sakshi; Rao, Madhu; Harvey, Valorie; Leitch, Ann Marilyn; Rao, Roshni

2014-01-01

Background Cancer is one of the most common diseases that patients research on the Internet. The Commission on Cancer (CoC) recommended that Parkland Memorial Hospital (PMH) improve the oncology services website. PMH is Dallas County’s public health care facility, serving a largely uninsured, minority population. Most research regarding patient Internet use has been conducted in insured, Caucasian populations, raising concerns that the needs of PMH patients may not be extrapolated from available data. The PMH Cancer Committee, therefore, adopted a quality improvement initiative to understand patients’ Internet usage. Objective The objective of the study was to obtain and analyze data regarding patients’ Internet usage in order to make targeted improvements to the oncology services section of the institutional website. Methods A task force developed an 11-question survey to ascertain what proportion of our patients have Internet access and use the Internet to obtain medical information as well as determine the specific information sought. Between April 2011 and August 2011, 300 surveys were administered to newly diagnosed cancer patients. Multivariate analyses were performed. Results Of 300 surveys, 291 were included. Minorities, primarily African-American and Hispanic, represented 78.0% (227/291) of patients. Only 37.1% (108/291) of patients had Internet access, most (256/291, 87.9%) having access at home. Younger patients more commonly had Internet access, with a mean age of 47 versus 58 years for those without (P<.001). Education beyond high school was associated with Internet access (P<.001). The most common reason for Internet research was to develop questions for discussion with one’s physician. Patients most frequently sought information regarding cancer treatment options, outcomes, and side effects. Conclusions Less than one-half of PMH oncology patients have Internet access. This is influenced by age, educational level, and ethnicity. Those with access use it to obtain information related to their cancer diagnosis. The most effective way of addressing our patients’ needs using the institutional website is to provide links to reputable disease-specific sites. PMID:24824330

Exploring Malaysian Trainee Teachers' Adoption of the Internet as Information Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teck-Chai, Lau; Kim-Hong, Yeoh; Ching-Ching, Choong

2010-01-01

This study reports the usage of three commercial Internet search engines in information seeking among trainee teachers at a teacher training institute in Malaysia. It attempts to investigate the information seeking behavior of the trainees via three Internet search engines (Google, Yahoo and MSN) as gateways to information for research in academic…

A Campus-Community Partnership to Disseminate Health Internet Technology Resources among African Americans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Littlefield, Melissa B.; Edwards, Lorece; Akers, Timothy

2014-01-01

The Internet is increasingly used to disseminate health information about diseases and prevention and to help in obtaining health services. Although technology can empower African Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles, the gap in usage between African Americans and Whites undermines the potential power of health Internet technology (IT) to…

Exploring Young Children's Understanding of Risks Associated with Internet Usage and Their Concepts of Management Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ey, Lesley-Anne; Cupit, C. Glenn

2011-01-01

The Internet provides remarkable opportunities for children's learning and development. Nevertheless, it is unregulated and hard to control, which potentially places children at risk of exploitation. This study examined five-eight-year-old children's understanding of dangers associated with the Internet, management strategies and sources of their…

Relationship between Levels of Problematic Internet Usage and Motivation to Study in University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Phil; Reay, Emma

2015-01-01

This study explored the relationship between problematic levels of Internet use and motivation to study in a university sample. One hundred and sixty-two participants were recruited online and completed four questionnaires: Internet Addiction Test, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Emotional-Social Loneliness Scale, and the Motivated…

Seeking Comfort: How and Why Preservice Teachers Use Internet Resources for Lesson Planning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawyer, Amanda G.; Myers, Joy

2018-01-01

This study examined 158 lesson plans at one institution across two teacher education programs, inclusive early childhood and elementary education, to determine the impact of Internet usage as inspiration on preservice teachers' lesson plans. Fisher's exact test determined statistically significant differences between the Internet use of preservice…

Study of Self-Efficacy Perceptions of Social Studies Teacher Candidates on Educational Internet Usage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akman, Özkan

2016-01-01

This study aimed at examining the self-efficacy perceptions of social studies teacher candidates with respect to educational internet use. This research was conducted on a sample of 174 social studies teacher candidates enrolled in Gaziantep University Nizip Faculty of Education. The "Educational Internet Self-Efficacy Scale," developed…

An Examination of Internet Pornography Usage among Male Students at Evangelical Christian Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chelsen, Paul O.

2011-01-01

Internet pornography access among male students at Evangelical Christian colleges presents two dilemmas. First, Internet pornography access is institutionally prohibited based on a Biblical view of sexuality. The second dilemma is that individual students who choose to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ in the context of Evangelical Christian…

Internet and e-mail use in ENT: a survey of patient usage and satisfaction.

PubMed

Shaw, B; Farboud, A; Trinidade, A; Kothari, P

2012-03-01

Nowadays, internet and e-mail are important modes of communication and information. This paper seeks to determine internet usage as a source of health information amongst ENT patients and to investigate whether patients prefer to communicate primarily with the hospital via e-mail. The method used is a questionnaire study and 201 patients attending an ENT clinic completed questionnaires over 2 weeks in December 2010. Of those with internet access (85%), 37% had used it for health information prior to their appointment; 90% rated the information between average and excellent; over half stated they would like doctor-recommended websites. Overall, 8% had previously used e-mail to communicate with healthcare professionals, but 50% stated that they wished to use e-mail in the future. ENT patients are becoming increasingly computer-literate. As healthcare professionals, we must do more to incorporate the internet as a source of reliable healthcare information. Properly implemented, e-mail can become an invaluable method of communication with patients.

Decreasing excessive media usage while increasing physical activity: a single-subject research study.

PubMed

Larwin, Karen H; Larwin, David A

2008-11-01

The Kaiser Family Foundation released a report entitled Kids and Media Use in the United States that concluded that children's use of media--including television, computers, Internet, video games, and phones--may be one of the primary contributor's to the poor fitness and obesity of many of today's adolescents. The present study examines the potential of increasing physical activity and decreasing media usage in a 14-year-old adolescent female by making time spent on the Internet and/or cell phone contingent on physical activity. Results of this investigation indicate that requiring the participant to earn her media-usage time did correspond with an increase in physical activity and a decrease in media-usage time relative to baseline measures. Five weeks after cessation of the intervention, the participant's new level of physical activity was still being maintained. One year after the study, the participant's level of physical activity continued to increase.

Linear and non-linear impact of Internet usage and financial deepening on electricity consumption for Turkey: empirical evidence from asymmetric causality.

PubMed

Faisal, Faisal; Tursoy, Turgut; Berk, Niyazi

2018-04-01

This study investigates the relationship between Internet usage, financial development, economic growth, capital and electricity consumption using quarterly data from 1993Q1 to 2014Q4. The integration order of the series is analysed using the structural break unit root test. The ARDL bounds test for cointegration in addition to the Bayer-Hanck (2013) combined cointegration test is applied to analyse the existence of cointegration among the variables. The study found strong evidence of a long-run relationship between the variables. The long-run results under the ARDL framework confirm the existence of an inverted U-shaped relationship between financial development and electricity consumption, not only in the long-run, but also in the short-run. The study also confirms the existence of a U-shaped relationship between Internet usage and electricity consumption; however, the effect is insignificant. Additionally, the influence of trade, capital and economic growth is examined in both the long run and short run (ARDL-ECM). Finally, the results of asymmetric causality suggest a positive shock in electricity consumption that has a positive causal impact on Internet usage. The authors recommend that the Turkish Government should direct financial institutions to moderate the investment in the ICT sector by advancing credits at lower cost for purchasing energy-efficient technologies. In doing so, the Turkish Government can increase productivity in order to achieve sustainable growth, while simultaneously reducing emissions to improve environmental quality.

The Association of Patient Factors, Digital Access, and Online Behavior on Sustained Patient Portal Use: A Prospective Cohort of Enrolled Users

PubMed Central

Nazi, Kim M; Hibbard, Judith H; Houston, Thomas K

2017-01-01

Background As electronic health records and computerized workflows expand, there are unprecedented opportunities to digitally connect with patients using secure portals. To realize the value of patient portals, initial reach across populations will need to be demonstrated, as well as sustained usage over time. Objective The study aim was to identify patient factors associated with short-term and long-term portal usage after patients registered to access all portal functions. Methods We prospectively followed a cohort of patients at a large Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care facility who recently completed identity proofing to use the VA patient portal. Information collected at baseline encompassed patient factors potentially associated with portal usage, including: demographics, Internet access and use, health literacy, patient activation, and self-reported health conditions. The primary outcome was the frequency of portal log-ins during 6-month and 18-month time intervals after study enrollment. Results A total of 270 study participants were followed prospectively. Almost all participants (260/268, 97.0%) reported going online, typically at home (248/268, 92.5%). At 6 months, 84.1% (227/270) of participants had visited the portal, with some variation in usage across demographic and health-related subgroups. There were no significant differences in portal log-ins by age, gender, education, marital status, race/ethnicity, distance to a VA facility, or patient activation measure. Significantly higher portal usage was seen among participants using high-speed broadband at home, greater self-reported ability using the Internet, and routinely going online. By 18 months, 91% participants had logged in to the portal, and no significant associations were found between usage and demographics, health status, or patient activation. When examining portal activity between 6 and 18 months, patients who were infrequent or high portal users remained in those categories, respectively. Conclusions Short-term and long-term portal usage was associated with having broadband at home, high self-rated ability when using the Internet, and overall online behavior. Digital inclusion, or ready access to the Internet and digital skills, appears to be a social determinant in patient exposure to portal services. PMID:29042345

Digital Divide Measurement in Lembata Regency Using SIBIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabriel, Cecilia Dai Payon Binti; Setyohadi, Djoko Budiyanto; Suyoto

2018-02-01

Along with technological development in Indonesia, digital divide occurs in various regions, which were behind in terms of information on how to use, access and utilize ICT in collecting information from internet. One of the regions is Lembata Regency in East Nusa Tenggara, where digital divide among the people should be measured. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of digital divide among the people of Lembata Regency. To determine the level of digital divide, we used SIBIS GPS (General Population Survey) method, which consisted of several indicators or aspect, i.e. internet usage behavior, internet utilization, and e-government. We also performed two tests, i.e. validity test and reliability test to obtain value of index of digital divide measurement among the people of Lembata Regency. The results of validity test which is processed using SPSS program are categorized valid for each variable indicator and the reliability test results show reliable status. According to the test results on digital discrepancy in Lembata people, the internet usage attitude indicator is categorized low which is 63.1%, the internet usage function indicator is categorized low which is 64%, and the digital discrepancy of e-government indicator is categorized medium which is 40.4%. Therefore, the result of this study because consideration for the government of Lembata Regency in improving ICT services in e-government and in distributing ICT access and ability equally to the people.

The Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale: An empirical investigation

PubMed Central

Rosen, L.D.; Whaling, K.; Carrier, L.M.; Cheever, N.A.; Rokkum, J.

2015-01-01

Current approaches to measuring people’s everyday usage of technology-based media and other computer-related activities have proved to be problematic as they use varied outcome measures, fail to measure behavior in a broad range of technology-related domains and do not take into account recently developed types of technology including smartphones. In the present study, a wide variety of items, covering a range of up-to-date technology and media usage behaviors. Sixty-six items concerning technology and media usage, along with 18 additional items assessing attitudes toward technology, were administered to two independent samples of individuals, comprising 942 participants. Factor analyses were used to create 11 usage subscales representing smartphone usage, general social media usage, Internet searching, e-mailing, media sharing, text messaging, video gaming, online friendships, Facebook friendships, phone calling, and watching television in addition to four attitude-based subscales: positive attitudes, negative attitudes, technological anxiety/dependence, and attitudes toward task-switching. All subscales showed strong reliabilities and relationships between the subscales and pre-existing measures of daily media usage and Internet addiction were as predicted. Given the reliability and validity results, the new Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale was suggested as a method of measuring media and technology involvement across a variety of types of research studies either as a single 60-item scale or any subset of the 15 subscales. PMID:25722534

The Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale: An empirical investigation.

PubMed

Rosen, L D; Whaling, K; Carrier, L M; Cheever, N A; Rokkum, J

2013-11-01

Current approaches to measuring people's everyday usage of technology-based media and other computer-related activities have proved to be problematic as they use varied outcome measures, fail to measure behavior in a broad range of technology-related domains and do not take into account recently developed types of technology including smartphones. In the present study, a wide variety of items, covering a range of up-to-date technology and media usage behaviors. Sixty-six items concerning technology and media usage, along with 18 additional items assessing attitudes toward technology, were administered to two independent samples of individuals, comprising 942 participants. Factor analyses were used to create 11 usage subscales representing smartphone usage, general social media usage, Internet searching, e-mailing, media sharing, text messaging, video gaming, online friendships, Facebook friendships, phone calling, and watching television in addition to four attitude-based subscales: positive attitudes, negative attitudes, technological anxiety/dependence, and attitudes toward task-switching. All subscales showed strong reliabilities and relationships between the subscales and pre-existing measures of daily media usage and Internet addiction were as predicted. Given the reliability and validity results, the new Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale was suggested as a method of measuring media and technology involvement across a variety of types of research studies either as a single 60-item scale or any subset of the 15 subscales.

The importance of Internet usage for urologic patients.

PubMed

Sahin, Cahit; Tuncer, Murat; Yazici, Ozgur; Kafkasli, Alper; Can, Utku; Eryildirim, Bilal; Koca, Orhan; Sarica, Kemal

2014-12-30

To evaluate Internet usage frequency, rate of searched diseases and impact of Internet derived data on future patient physician relationship in patients applying to an Urology Department. A well prepared questionnaire has been given to 1000 referring cases, out of which 589 accepted to participate on a volunteer basis to a face to face interview. Patients were divided into subgroups with respect to age, gender and as well as their educational and economical status. Regarding Internet, questions inquired the use of Internet, the point of view about it, opinions about healthcare system and most commonly urological diseases searched in Internet. Of 589 patients participating, 38.2% reported access to the Internet; in relation to subgroup analysis of data, there was a statistically significant relationship between the use of Internet and age (p < 0.001), gender (p = 0.048), educational status (p < 0.001) and economical status of (p = 0.002) the cases evaluated. Disease specific information was most frequently sought: 18.2% searched for urolithiasis, 14.2% for non-cancer related kidney diseases, and 14.2% for urologic cancers. Younger patients with higher educational status tended to use Internet and the majority of these cases share all these information with their physicians during their visit. These findings indicate that all physicians should consider this fact seriously and make their future plans in the light of internet based activities which provides numerous advantages.

Internet and social media usage of orthopaedic patients: A questionnaire-based survey

PubMed Central

Duymus, Tahir Mutlu; Karadeniz, Hilmi; Çaçan, Mehmet Akif; Kömür, Baran; Demirtaş, Abdullah; Zehir, Sinan; Azboy, İbrahim

2017-01-01

AIM To evaluate social media usage of orthopaedic patients to search for solutions to their health problems. METHODS The study data were collected using face-to-face questionnaire with randomly selected 1890 patients aged over 18 years who had been admitted to the orthopaedic clinics in different cities and provinces across Turkey. The questionnaire consists of a total of 16 questions pertaining to internet and social media usage and demographics of patients, patients’ choice of institution for treatment, patient complaints on admission, online hospital and physician ratings, communication between the patient and the physician and its effects. RESULTS It was found that 34.2% (n = 647) of the participants consulted with an orthopaedist using the internet and 48.7% (n = 315) of them preferred websites that allow users to ask questions to a physician. Of all question-askers, 48.5% (n = 314) reported having found the answers helpful. Based on the educational level of the participants, there was a highly significant difference between the rates of asking questions to an orthopaedist using the internet (P = 0.001). The rate of question-asking was significantly lower in patients with an elementary education than that in those with secondary, high school and undergraduate education (P = 0.001) The rate of reporting that the answers given was helpful was significantly higher in participants with an undergraduate degree compared to those who were illiterate, those with primary, elementary or high school education (P = 0.001). It was also found that the usage of the internet for health problems was higher among managers-qualified participants than unemployed-housewives, officers, workers-intermediate staff (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION We concluded that patients have been increasingly using the internet and social media to select a specific physician or to seek solution to their health problems in an effective way. Even though the internet and social media offer beneficial effects for physicians or patients, there is still much obscurity regarding their harms and further studies are warranted for necessary arrangements to be made. PMID:28251069

From Sensor to Observation Web with environmental enablers in the Future Internet.

PubMed

Havlik, Denis; Schade, Sven; Sabeur, Zoheir A; Mazzetti, Paolo; Watson, Kym; Berre, Arne J; Mon, Jose Lorenzo

2011-01-01

This paper outlines the grand challenges in global sustainability research and the objectives of the FP7 Future Internet PPP program within the Digital Agenda for Europe. Large user communities are generating significant amounts of valuable environmental observations at local and regional scales using the devices and services of the Future Internet. These communities' environmental observations represent a wealth of information which is currently hardly used or used only in isolation and therefore in need of integration with other information sources. Indeed, this very integration will lead to a paradigm shift from a mere Sensor Web to an Observation Web with semantically enriched content emanating from sensors, environmental simulations and citizens. The paper also describes the research challenges to realize the Observation Web and the associated environmental enablers for the Future Internet. Such an environmental enabler could for instance be an electronic sensing device, a web-service application, or even a social networking group affording or facilitating the capability of the Future Internet applications to consume, produce, and use environmental observations in cross-domain applications. The term "envirofied" Future Internet is coined to describe this overall target that forms a cornerstone of work in the Environmental Usage Area within the Future Internet PPP program. Relevant trends described in the paper are the usage of ubiquitous sensors (anywhere), the provision and generation of information by citizens, and the convergence of real and virtual realities to convey understanding of environmental observations. The paper addresses the technical challenges in the Environmental Usage Area and the need for designing multi-style service oriented architecture. Key topics are the mapping of requirements to capabilities, providing scalability and robustness with implementing context aware information retrieval. Another essential research topic is handling data fusion and model based computation, and the related propagation of information uncertainty. Approaches to security, standardization and harmonization, all essential for sustainable solutions, are summarized from the perspective of the Environmental Usage Area. The paper concludes with an overview of emerging, high impact applications in the environmental areas concerning land ecosystems (biodiversity), air quality (atmospheric conditions) and water ecosystems (marine asset management).

From Sensor to Observation Web with Environmental Enablers in the Future Internet

PubMed Central

Havlik, Denis; Schade, Sven; Sabeur, Zoheir A.; Mazzetti, Paolo; Watson, Kym; Berre, Arne J.; Mon, Jose Lorenzo

2011-01-01

This paper outlines the grand challenges in global sustainability research and the objectives of the FP7 Future Internet PPP program within the Digital Agenda for Europe. Large user communities are generating significant amounts of valuable environmental observations at local and regional scales using the devices and services of the Future Internet. These communities’ environmental observations represent a wealth of information which is currently hardly used or used only in isolation and therefore in need of integration with other information sources. Indeed, this very integration will lead to a paradigm shift from a mere Sensor Web to an Observation Web with semantically enriched content emanating from sensors, environmental simulations and citizens. The paper also describes the research challenges to realize the Observation Web and the associated environmental enablers for the Future Internet. Such an environmental enabler could for instance be an electronic sensing device, a web-service application, or even a social networking group affording or facilitating the capability of the Future Internet applications to consume, produce, and use environmental observations in cross-domain applications. The term “envirofied” Future Internet is coined to describe this overall target that forms a cornerstone of work in the Environmental Usage Area within the Future Internet PPP program. Relevant trends described in the paper are the usage of ubiquitous sensors (anywhere), the provision and generation of information by citizens, and the convergence of real and virtual realities to convey understanding of environmental observations. The paper addresses the technical challenges in the Environmental Usage Area and the need for designing multi-style service oriented architecture. Key topics are the mapping of requirements to capabilities, providing scalability and robustness with implementing context aware information retrieval. Another essential research topic is handling data fusion and model based computation, and the related propagation of information uncertainty. Approaches to security, standardization and harmonization, all essential for sustainable solutions, are summarized from the perspective of the Environmental Usage Area. The paper concludes with an overview of emerging, high impact applications in the environmental areas concerning land ecosystems (biodiversity), air quality (atmospheric conditions) and water ecosystems (marine asset management). PMID:22163827

'White matter connectivity and Internet gaming disorder' and broader considerations in the field.

PubMed

Tam, Philip G E

2017-01-01

This invited commentary on the paper 'White Matter Connectivity and Internet gaming disorder' by Jeong et al. (unpublished) looks at the implications and importance of the MRI findings in the present study-one of the largest to date-and also considers the broader developments of neuroimaging within the complex, emerging field of 'Internet psychology' and problematic Internet usage. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Internet Protocol-Hybrid Opto-Electronic Ring Network (IP-HORNET): A Novel Internet Protocol-Over-Wavelength Division Multiplexing (IP-Over-WDM) Multiple-Access Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-04-01

usage times. End users may range from today’s typical users, such as home and business users, to futuristic users such as automobiles , appliances, hand...has the ability to drop a reprogrammable quantity of wavelengths into the node. The second technological requirement is a protocol that automatically...goal of the R-OADM is to have the ability to drop a reprogrammable number of wavelengths. If it is determined that at peak usage the node must receive M

Proposing a Framework to Assess Internet Usage in University Education: An Empirical Investigation from a Student's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheung, Waiman; Huang, Wayne

2005-01-01

University administrators are continuously investing in Information Technology (IT) to support learning and help deal with educational budget cuts. Instructors are increasingly making their teaching materials available on the Internet. While administrators and instructors would like to make the Internet an effective educational tool, they need to…

Adolescent Internet Use: What We Expect, What Teens Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, E. F.

2004-01-01

As adolescent Internet use grew exponentially in the last decade, with it emerged a number of correspondent expectations. Among them were the following: (1) that gender predicts usage, i.e., that boys spend more time online, surfing the web and playing violent games, while girls chat or shop online; (2) that Internet use causes social isolation…

Generating Virtual Eye Contacts through Online Synchronous Communications in Virtual Classroom Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuzer, T. Volkan

2007-01-01

The Internet usage has been increasing among persons in the worldwide. This situation highlights that the number of potential distance learners has been increasing in the Internet society. Besides, the terms and concepts of the Internet environments become to be spread out in this society like virtual reality. It is also possible to explain the…

Exploring the Logic of Mobile Search

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westlund, Oscar; Gomez-Barroso, Jose-Luis; Compano, Ramon; Feijoo, Claudio

2011-01-01

After more than a decade of development work and hopes, the usage of mobile Internet has finally taken off. Now, we are witnessing the first signs of evidence of what might become the explosion of mobile content and applications that will be shaping the (mobile) Internet of the future. Similar to the wired Internet, search will become very…

Application Use, Online Relationship Types, Self-Disclosure, and Internet Abuse among Children and Youth: Implications for Education and Internet Safety Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blau, Ina

2011-01-01

This study explores the relationships between Internet abuse (IA)--self-disclosure, online application usage, and relationship types--traditional long-distance, purely virtual, and migratory mixed-mode. An online questionnaire was administered to 2884 children and youth. According to the hypotheses, applications differed in their relationships…

The effect of methylphenidate on Internet video game play in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Han, Doug Hyun; Lee, Young Sik; Na, Churl; Ahn, Jee Young; Chung, Un Sun; Daniels, Melissa A; Haws, Charlotte A; Renshaw, Perry F

2009-01-01

A number of studies about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Internet video game play have examined the prefrontal cortex and dopaminergic system. Stimulants such as methylphenidate (MPH), given to treat ADHD, and video game play have been found to increase synaptic dopamine. We hypothesized that MPH treatment would reduce Internet use in subjects with co-occurring ADHD and Internet video game addictions. Sixty-two children (52 males and 10 females), drug-naive, diagnosed with ADHD, and Internet video game players, participated in this study. At the beginning of the study and after 8 weeks of treatment with Concerta (OROS methylphenidate HCl, Seoul, Korea), participants were assessed with Young's Internet Addiction Scale, Korean version (YIAS-K), Korean DuPaul's ADHD Rating Scale, and the Visual Continuous Performance Test. Their Internet usage time was also recorded. After 8 weeks of treatment, the YIAS-K scores and Internet usage times were significantly reduced. The changes in the YIAS-K scores between the baseline and 8-week assessments were positively correlated with the changes in total and inattention scores from the Korean DuPaul's ADHD Rating Scale, as well as omission errors from the Visual Continuous Performance Test. There was also a significant difference in the number of omission errors among non-Internet-addicted, mildly Internet addicted, and severely Internet addicted participants. We suggest that Internet video game playing might be a means of self-medication for children with ADHD. In addition, we cautiously suggest that MPH might be evaluated as a potential treatment of Internet addiction.

Evaluation of computer usage in healthcare among private practitioners of NCT Delhi.

PubMed

Ganeshkumar, P; Arun Kumar, Sharma; Rajoura, O P

2011-01-01

1. To evaluate the usage and the knowledge of computers and Information and Communication Technology in health care delivery by private practitioners. 2. To understand the determinants of computer usage by them. A cross sectional study was conducted among the private practitioners practising in three districts of NCT of Delhi between November 2007 and December 2008 by stratified random sampling method, where knowledge and usage of computers in health care and determinants of usage of computer was evaluated in them by a pre-coded semi open ended questionnaire. About 77% of the practitioners reported to have a computer and had the accessibility to internet. Computer availability and internet accessibility was highest among super speciality practitioners. Practitioners who attended a computer course were 13.8 times [OR: 13.8 (7.3 - 25.8)] more likely to have installed an EHR in the clinic. Technical related issues were the major perceived barrier in installing a computer in the clinic. Practice speciality, previous attendance of a computer course, age of started using a computer influenced the knowledge about computers. Speciality of the practice, presence of a computer professional and gender were the determinants of usage of computer.

The influence of ICT on the activity patterns of children with physical disabilities outside school.

PubMed

Lidström, H; Ahlsten, G; Hemmingsson, H

2011-05-01

To investigate the outside school activity patterns of children with physical disabilities, and specifically their information and communication technology (ICT) usage compared with that of non-disabled children. In addition, the aim was to investigate the children's opinions on computer use and the associations between their use of the Internet and their interaction with peers. Questionnaire on activities outside school, answered by 215 children and youths with physical disabilities, mean age 12 years 10 months, attending mainstream schools. For group comparisons with non-disabled children, data from the survey 'Kids and Media' were used. In the analysis, two sets of activity patterns were identified, depending on whether the child was disabled or not and on the gender of the child. A higher proportion of children with physical disabilities were engaged in ICT activities, while non-disabled children tended to be engaged in a broader range of activities outside school. The activity pattern was more uniform for boys and girls with disabilities than for their non-disabled peers. Use of the Internet was positively associated with peer interaction. Outside school, the activity patterns of children and youths with physical disabilities seem to be characterized by a focus on ICT activities, which enable children to compensate for their impairment because it suits all. In addition, digital skills developed outside school engage children with physical disabilities, giving them increased access to society and for educational purposes. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Usage patterns and adverse experiences in traditional Korean medicine: results of a survey in South Korea

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Although traditional medicine (TM) in South Korea is included in the national health care system, it is considered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and not mainstream medicine. Therefore, the lack of statistical data regarding the usage and adverse experiences of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) makes difficult to understand the current status of TM. In this study, we aimed to report usage patterns and adverse experiences on TKM targeting consumers in South Korea. Methods A total of 2000 consumers participated in the survey on usage and adverse experiences in 2008. Among the 2,000 participants, 915 (45.8%) had taken herbal medicine or received traditional medicinal therapies; these individuals were further surveyed on the internet or in an interview. Results The usage rate was higher among women and among patients in their 30s. Of the total TKM usage, acupuncture accounted for 36.7%, and herbal medicine accounted for 13.4%. Regarding the frequency of use of TKM, 73.8% of patients reported using TM less than 5 times in 1 year. Of the 915 respondents, 8.2% of individuals had some type of adverse experience resulting from TKM. Adverse experiences were primarily caused by acupuncture and herbal medicines, and they primarily involved diseases of the digestive system and skin. The incidence of adverse experiences was less than 3.7% for acupuncture and 3.8% for herbal medicine. Overall, the incidence rate of adverse experiences for TKM for the entire population was 0.04 per 10,000 individuals. Conclusions The medical usage and occurrence of adverse events on TKM should be surveyed periodically, and the statistical trends should be analysed. The disparity between the survey results for traditional herbal medicines and medical practices, and those for the national pharmacovigilance system or academic reports of adverse experiences should be examined. The national pharmacovigilance system must be improved to compensate for the disparities. Policies and regulations are required to enhance the reporting of adverse experiences not only for herbal medicines but also for traditional medicinal therapies. PMID:24289266

Use of internet resources by patients awaiting gastroenterology consultation.

PubMed

Teriaky, Anouar; Tangri, Vikram; Chande, Nilesh

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to understand how outpatients awaiting initial gastroenterology consultation seek medical information on the Internet and how wait times affect Internet usage. A cross-sectional survey of 87 gastroenterology outpatients awaiting consultation was performed at a tertiary care center. Fifty-two patients (60%) utilized the Internet for medical information. The mean age of patients using the Internet was 41 years, whereas the mean age of those not using the Internet was 60 years (p<0.0001). The Internet was used by 71% of females and 47% of males (p<0.05). Regarding the educational level, the Internet was sought by 33% of the patients possessing less than secondary school education, 59% possessing secondary school education, 66% with an undergraduate degree, and 100% with a postgraduate degree (p=0.14). The mean wait time for consultation for patients who utilized the Internet was 158 days, and for patients who did not was 147 days (p=0.60). The most common websites searched were medical, 71%. The most common medical information sought was symptoms and diagnosis by 85% of patients. The reasons for Internet use were wait times for 36% of patients and recommendation by a physician for 10%. Eighty seven percent of the patients who utilized the Internet believed that they suffered from an unidentified disease, whereas 46% of patients who did not utilize the Internet believed the same (p=0.0001). Younger patients and females were more likely to use the Internet, but wait times did not affect Internet usage. The Internet is a powerful patient resource; however, further physician guidance is required to help patients identify reliable resources.

The Consequences of Internet Cafe use on Turkish College Students' Social Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koc, Mustafa; Ferneding, Karen Ann

2007-01-01

This paper draws on a part of the doctoral research study that investigates the potential impacts of Internet cafe use on Turkish college students' social capital. In this study, Internet cafe usage was portrayed by the amount of time spent and the frequency of online activities engaged at the cafes. Social capital, on the other hand, was…

Internet Access and Usage in Improving Students' Self-Directed Learning in Indonesia Open University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahardjo, Djoko; Sumardjo; Lubis, Djuara P.; Harijati, Sri Ir.

2016-01-01

Internet is well known nowadays, however higher distance education students who live in remote rural areas still have not been able to take advantages of this medium optimally for their learning process. For accessing the internet the students have to be available with the minimum prerequisites: the existence of adequate devices and the sufficient…

Can you hear me now? Limited use of technology among an urban HIV-infected cohort.

PubMed

Shacham, E; Stamm, K; Overton, E T

2009-08-01

Recent studies support technology-based behavioral interventions for individuals with HIV. This study focused on the use of cell phone and internet technologies among a cohort of 515 HIV-infected individuals. Socio-demographic and clinic data were collected among individuals presenting at an urban Midwestern university HIV clinic in 2007. Regular internet usage occurred more often with males, Caucasians, those who were employed, had higher income, and were more educated. Higher levels of education and income >$10,000 predicted regular usage when controlling for race, employment, and gender. Cell phone ownership was associated with being Caucasian, employed, more educated, and salary >$10,000. Employment was the only predictor of owning a cell phone when controlling for income, race, and education. Individuals who were <40 years of age, employed, and more educated were more likely to know how to text message. Employment and post-high school education predicted knowledge of text messaging, when controlling for age. Disparities among internet, cell phone, and text messaging usage exist among HIV-infected individuals.

Internet addiction and its correlates among high school students: a preliminary study from Ahmedabad, India.

PubMed

Yadav, Priyanka; Banwari, Girish; Parmar, Chirag; Maniar, Rajesh

2013-12-01

Internet addiction (IA) is an upcoming and less researched entity in psychiatry, especially in low and middle income countries. This is the first such effort to study IA amongst Indian school students of class 11th and 12th and to find its correlation with socio-educational characteristics, internet use patterns and psychological variables, namely depression, anxiety and stress. Six hundred and twenty one students of six English medium schools of Ahmedabad participated, of which 552 (88.9%) who completed forms were analyzed. Young's Internet Addiction Test and 21 item Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale were used to measure IA and psychological variables respectively. Logistic regression analysis was applied to find the predictors of IA. Sixty-five (11.8%) students had IA; it was predicted by time spent online, usage of social networking sites and chat rooms, and also by presence of anxiety and stress. Age, gender and self-rated academic performance did not predict IA. There was a strong positive correlation between IA and depression, anxiety and stress. IA may be a relevant clinical construct, and needs extensive research even in developing nations. All high school students suffering from depression, anxiety and stress must be screened for IA, and vice versa. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and Validation Study of the Internet Overuse Screening Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Lee, Han-Kyeong; Lee, Hae-Woo; Han, Joo Hyun; Park, Subin; Ju, Seok-Jin; Choi, Kwanwoo; Lee, Ji Hyeon; Jeon, Hong Jin

2018-01-01

Objective Concerns over behavioral and emotional problems caused by excessive internet usage have been developed. This study intended to develop and a standardize questionnaire that can efficiently identify at-risk internet users through their internet usage habits. Methods Participants (n=158) were recruited at six I-will-centers located in Seoul, South Korea. From the initial 36 questionnaire item pool, 28 preliminary items were selected through expert evaluation and panel discussions. The construct validity, internal consistency, and concurrent validity were examined. We also conducted Receiver Operating Curve (ROC) analysis to assess diagnostic ability of the Internet Overuse Screening-Questionnaire (IOS-Q). Results The exploratory factor analysis yielded a five factor structure. Four factors with 17 items remained after items that had unclear factor loading were removed. The Cronbach’s alpha for the IOS-Q total score was 0.91, and test-retest reliability was 0.72. The correlation between Young’s internet addiction scale and K-scale supported concurrent validity. ROC analysis showed that the IOS-Q has superior diagnostic ability with the Area Under the Curve of 0.87. At the cut-off point of 25.5, the sensitivity was 0.93 and specificity was 0.86. Conclusion Overall, this study supports the use of IOS-Q for internet addiction research and for screening high-risk individuals. PMID:29669406

The Scale for the Self-Efficacy and Perceptions in the Safe Use of the Internet for Teachers: The Validity and Reliability Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavus, Nadire; Ercag, Erinc

2016-01-01

There has been an increase in the vulnerability in Internet security, and the unconscious usage of the Internet is a very important issue throughout the world as it is in Cyprus today. The best way to solve such an issue would be to make people aware of this situation. Based on this idea, teachers should firstly be trained to use the Internet in a…

Internet Use in Libraries in South East Asia with Special Reference to the Role of the Universiti Sains Malaysia Library in Promoting the Use of the Internet for Teaching and Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rashidah Begum; Wong, Sook Jean

This paper studies the extent of Internet connectivity and usage among Southeast Asian libraries and how many of them are using the Internet to provide electronic information resources and services through their homepages. It also presents a case study of the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Library's strategy in promoting the use of the Internet…

The Commons of the Tragedy: How the Internet Was Used by Millions after the Terror Attacks To Grieve, Console, Share News, and Debate the Country's Response.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rainie, Lee; Kalsnes, Bente

This report presents the results of phone surveys that examined Internet use following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Findings include: (1) in the first days after the attacks, the number of people using the Internet fell; (2) overall usage was down, but the people using the Internet were surfing aggressively; (3) there was a rise in…

Association of internet use and depression among the spinal cord injury population.

PubMed

Tsai, I-Hsuan; Graves, Daniel E; Lai, Ching-Huang; Hwang, Lu-Yu; Pompeii, Lisa A

2014-02-01

To examine the relation between the frequency of Internet use and depression among people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Cross-sectional survey. SCI Model Systems. People with SCI (N=4618) who were interviewed between 2004 and 2010. Not applicable. The frequency of Internet use and the severity of depressive symptoms were measured simultaneously by interview. Internet use was reported as daily, weekly, monthly, or none. The depressive symptoms were measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), with 2 published criteria being used to screen for depressive disorder. The diagnostic method places more weight on nonsomatic items (ie, items 1, 2, and 9), and the cut-off method that determines depression by a (PHQ-9) score ≥10 places more weight on somatic factors. The average scores of somatic and nonsomatic items represented the severity of somatic and nonsomatic symptoms, respectively. Our multivariate logistic regression model indicated that daily Internet users were less likely to have depressive symptoms (odds ratio=.77; 95% confidence interval, .64-.93), if the diagnostic method was used. The linear multivariate regression analysis indicated that daily and weekly Internet usage were associated with fewer nonsomatic symptoms; no significant association was observed between daily or weekly Internet usage and somatic symptoms. People with SCI who used the Internet daily were less likely to have depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Military Parents' Personal Technology Usage and Interest in e-Health Information for Obesity Prevention.

PubMed

Jai, Tun-Min; McCool, Barent N; Reed, Debra B

2016-03-01

U.S. military families are experiencing high obesity rates similar to the civilian population. The Department of Defense's Military Health System (MHS) is one of the largest healthcare providers in the United States, serving approximately 9.2 million active duty service members, retirees, spouses, and children. The annual cost to the MHS for morbidities associated with being overweight exceeds $1 billion. The preschool age has been suggested as an opportune time to intervene for the prevention of obesity. Thus, this study investigated the current level of technology usage by military service member families and assessed their needs and interests in health/nutrition information. This needs assessment is crucial for researchers/educators to design further studies and intervention programs for obesity prevention in military families with young children. In total, 288 military parents (233 Army and 55 Air Force) at two military bases whose children were enrolled in military childcare centers in the southwestern United States participated in a Technology Usage in Military Family (TUMF) survey in 2013. Overall, both bases presented similar technology usage patterns in terms of computer and mobile device usage on the Internet. Air Force base parents had a slightly higher knowledge level of nutrition/health information than Army base parents. The TUMF survey suggested practical ways such as mobile applications/Web sites, social networks, games, etc., that health educators can use to disseminate nutrition/health information for obesity prevention among military families with young children.

Internet use and its impact on engagement in leisure activities in China.

PubMed

Zhou, Ronggang; Fong, Patrick S W; Tan, Peking

2014-01-01

Internet use has become an increasingly common leisure time activity among Chinese citizens. The association between Internet use and engagement in leisure activities is especially unclear among China population. This study aims to investigate Internet usage and to determine whether active Internet use is a marker for low or high levels of leisure time activities. With the use of a face-to-face structured questionnaire interview, a total of 2,400 respondents who met all screening requirements were surveyed to answer the questions in eight major cities in China. 66.2% (n = 1,589) of all respondents were identified as Internet users. Of these Internet users, 30.0%, 24.1%, 26.4%, and 19.6% were clustered as "informative or instrumental users," "entertainment users," "communication users," and "advanced users," respectively. Regarding time spent on Internet use in leisure time, more than 96% reported going online in non-work situations, and 26.2% (n = 416) were classified as "heavy Internet users." A logistic regression analysis revealed that there were significant differences in some leisure activities between non-Internet users and Internet users, with an observed one-unit increase in the leisure time dependence category increasing the probability of engaging in mental or social activities. In contrast, Internet users were less engaged in physical exercise-related activities. In addition, advanced Internet users were generally more active in leisure time activities than non-Internet users and other types of users. Internet use is one of very common leisure activities in Chinese citizens, and age, gender, income, and education are the key factors affecting Internet access. According to different types of leisure activities, Internet usage has different impacts on leisure activity engagement. High Internet dependence has no significant negative influence on engagement in mental or social leisure activities, but this group respondent tended to be less engaged in physical activities.

Internet Use and Its Impact on Engagement in Leisure Activities in China

PubMed Central

Zhou, Ronggang; Fong, Patrick S. W.; Tan, Peking

2014-01-01

Introduction Internet use has become an increasingly common leisure time activity among Chinese citizens. The association between Internet use and engagement in leisure activities is especially unclear among China population. This study aims to investigate Internet usage and to determine whether active Internet use is a marker for low or high levels of leisure time activities. Methods/Principal Findings With the use of a face-to-face structured questionnaire interview, a total of 2,400 respondents who met all screening requirements were surveyed to answer the questions in eight major cities in China. 66.2% (n = 1,589) of all respondents were identified as Internet users. Of these Internet users, 30.0%, 24.1%, 26.4%, and 19.6% were clustered as “informative or instrumental users,” “entertainment users,” “communication users,” and “advanced users,” respectively. Regarding time spent on Internet use in leisure time, more than 96% reported going online in non-work situations, and 26.2% (n = 416) were classified as “heavy Internet users.” A logistic regression analysis revealed that there were significant differences in some leisure activities between non-Internet users and Internet users, with an observed one-unit increase in the leisure time dependence category increasing the probability of engaging in mental or social activities. In contrast, Internet users were less engaged in physical exercise-related activities. In addition, advanced Internet users were generally more active in leisure time activities than non-Internet users and other types of users. Conclusion/Significance Internet use is one of very common leisure activities in Chinese citizens, and age, gender, income, and education are the key factors affecting Internet access. According to different types of leisure activities, Internet usage has different impacts on leisure activity engagement. High Internet dependence has no significant negative influence on engagement in mental or social leisure activities, but this group respondent tended to be less engaged in physical activities. PMID:24586902

The Consequences of Internet Café Use on Turkish College Students' Social Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koç, Mustafa; Ferneding, Karen Ann

2007-01-01

This paper draws on a part of the doctoral research study that investigates the potential impacts of Internet café use on Turkish college students' social capital. In this study, Internet café usage was portrayed by the amount of time spent and the frequency of online activities engaged at the cafés. Social capital, on the other hand, was…

Dynamics of Internet Usage: A Case of Students of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anunobi, Chinwe V.

2006-01-01

The survey was conducted in the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Nigeria with a view to identifying the rate and purpose of Internet use by students in other to be well positioned to provide effective Internet services to them. Questionnaire was randomly distributed to 1200 students in their hostels out of which 67.66% was returned.…

75 FR 28781 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Broadband Subscription and Usage Supplement to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-24

... Information Collection; Comment Request; Broadband Subscription and Usage Supplement to the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration. ACTION... Population Survey (CPS) in order to gather reliable data on broadband (also known as high-speed Internet) use...

Education Technology Survey, 1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quality Education Data, Inc., Denver, CO.

Primary research (in-depth telephone interviews) was conducted among elementary and secondary school educators in Spring 1995 to determine usage, attitudes, and barriers to usage for five electronic in-school services: Cable in the Classroom; computers, laserdisc or CD-ROM; Internet; online computer services such as America Online and Prodigy; and…

Use of information and communication technology (ICT) and perceived health in adolescence: the role of sleeping habits and waking-time tiredness.

PubMed

Punamäki, Raija-Leena; Wallenius, Marjut; Nygård, Clase-Håkan; Saarni, Lea; Rimpelä, Arja

2007-08-01

The first aim for this paper was to examine gender and age differences in the intensity of usage of information and communication technology (ICT: computer for digital playing, writing and e-mailing and communication, and Internet surfing, and mobile phone). Second, we modelled the possible mediating role of sleeping habits and waking-time tiredness in the association between ICT usage and perceived health (health complaints, musculoskeletal symptoms, health status). The participants were 7292 Finns aged 12, 14, 16 and 18 years responding to a postal enquiry (response rate 70%). The results showed that boys played digital games and used Internet more often than girls, whose mobile phone usage was more intensive. Structural equation model analyses substantiated the mediating hypothesis: intensive ICT-usage was associated with poor perceived health particularly or only when it negatively affected sleeping habits, which in turn was associated with increased waking-time tiredness. The associations were gender-specific especially among older adolescents (16- and 18-year olds). Intensive computer usage forms a risk for boys', and intensive mobile phone usage for girls' perceived health through the mediating links. Girls were vulnerable to the negative consequences of intensive mobile phone usage, as it associated with perceived health complaints and musculoskeletal symptoms both directly and through deteriorated sleep and increased waking-time tiredness. The results of gender-specific ICT usage and vulnerability are discussed as reflecting gendered psychophysiological, psychological and social developmental demands.

Student Use of Out-of-Class Study Groups in an Introductory Undergraduate Biology Course

PubMed Central

Rybczynski, Stephen M.; Schussler, Elisabeth E.

2011-01-01

Self-formed out-of-class study groups may benefit student learning; however, few researchers have quantified the relationship between study group use and achievement or described changes in study group usage patterns over a semester. We related study group use to performance on content exams, explored patterns of study group use, and qualitatively described student perceptions of study groups. A pre- and posttest were used to measure student content knowledge. Internet-based surveys were used to collect quantitative data on exam performance and qualitative data on study group usage trends and student perceptions of study groups. No relationship was found between gains in content knowledge and study group use. Students who participated in study groups did, however, believe they were beneficial. Four patterns of study group use were identified: students either always (14%) or never (55%) used study groups, tried but quit using them (22%), or utilized study groups only late in the semester (9%). Thematic analysis revealed preconceptions and in-class experiences influence student decisions to utilize study groups. We conclude that students require guidance in the successful use of study groups. Instructors can help students maximize study group success by making students aware of potential group composition problems, helping students choose group members who are compatible, and providing students materials on which to focus their study efforts. PMID:21364102

Internet Use among Ugandan Adolescents: Implications for HIV Intervention

PubMed Central

Ybarra, Michele L; Kiwanuka, Julius; Emenyonu, Nneka; Bangsberg, David R

2006-01-01

Background The Internet is fast gaining recognition as a powerful, low-cost method to deliver health intervention and prevention programs to large numbers of young people across diverse geographic regions. The feasibility and accessibility of Internet-based health interventions in resource-limited settings, where cost-effective interventions are most needed, is unknown. To determine the utility of developing technology-based interventions in resource-limited settings, availability and patterns of usage of the Internet first need to be assessed. Methods and Findings The Uganda Media and You Survey was a cross-sectional survey of Internet use among adolescents (ages 12–18 years) in Mbarara, Uganda, a municipality mainly serving a rural population in sub-Saharan Africa. Participants were randomly selected among eligible students attending one of five participating secondary day and boarding schools in Mbarara, Uganda. Of a total of 538 students selected, 93% (500) participated. Of the total respondents, 45% (223) reported ever having used the Internet, 78% (175) of whom reported going online in the previous week. As maternal education increased, so too did the odds of adolescent Internet use. Almost two in five respondents (38% [189]) reported already having used a computer or the Internet to search for health information. Over one-third (35% [173]) had used the computer or Internet to find information about HIV/AIDS, and 20% (102) had looked for sexual health information. Among Internet users, searching for HIV/AIDS information on a computer or online was significantly related to using the Internet weekly, emailing, visiting chat rooms, and playing online games. In contrast, going online at school was inversely related to looking for HIV/AIDS information via technology. If Internet access were free, 66% (330) reported that they would search for information about HIV/AIDS prevention online. Conclusions Both the desire to use, and the actual use of, the Internet to seek sexual health and HIV/AIDS information is high among secondary school students in Mbarara. The Internet may be a promising strategy to deliver low-cost HIV/AIDS risk reduction interventions in resource-limited settings with expanding Internet access. PMID:17090211

Internet use among Ugandan adolescents: implications for HIV intervention.

PubMed

Ybarra, Michele L; Kiwanuka, Julius; Emenyonu, Nneka; Bangsberg, David R

2006-11-01

The Internet is fast gaining recognition as a powerful, low-cost method to deliver health intervention and prevention programs to large numbers of young people across diverse geographic regions. The feasibility and accessibility of Internet-based health interventions in resource-limited settings, where cost-effective interventions are most needed, is unknown. To determine the utility of developing technology-based interventions in resource-limited settings, availability and patterns of usage of the Internet first need to be assessed. The Uganda Media and You Survey was a cross-sectional survey of Internet use among adolescents (ages 12-18 years) in Mbarara, Uganda, a municipality mainly serving a rural population in sub-Saharan Africa. Participants were randomly selected among eligible students attending one of five participating secondary day and boarding schools in Mbarara, Uganda. Of a total of 538 students selected, 93% (500) participated. Of the total respondents, 45% (223) reported ever having used the Internet, 78% (175) of whom reported going online in the previous week. As maternal education increased, so too did the odds of adolescent Internet use. Almost two in five respondents (38% [189]) reported already having used a computer or the Internet to search for health information. Over one-third (35% [173]) had used the computer or Internet to find information about HIV/AIDS, and 20% (102) had looked for sexual health information. Among Internet users, searching for HIV/AIDS information on a computer or online was significantly related to using the Internet weekly, emailing, visiting chat rooms, and playing online games. In contrast, going online at school was inversely related to looking for HIV/AIDS information via technology. If Internet access were free, 66% (330) reported that they would search for information about HIV/AIDS prevention online. Both the desire to use, and the actual use of, the Internet to seek sexual health and HIV/AIDS information is high among secondary school students in Mbarara. The Internet may be a promising strategy to deliver low-cost HIV/AIDS risk reduction interventions in resource-limited settings with expanding Internet access.

Analysis of synonymous codon usage patterns in the genus Rhizobium.

PubMed

Wang, Xinxin; Wu, Liang; Zhou, Ping; Zhu, Shengfeng; An, Wei; Chen, Yu; Zhao, Lin

2013-11-01

The codon usage patterns of rhizobia have received increasing attention. However, little information is available regarding the conserved features of the codon usage patterns in a typical rhizobial genus. The codon usage patterns of six completely sequenced strains belonging to the genus Rhizobium were analysed as model rhizobia in the present study. The relative neutrality plot showed that selection pressure played a role in codon usage in the genus Rhizobium. Spearman's rank correlation analysis combined with correspondence analysis (COA) showed that the codon adaptation index and the effective number of codons (ENC) had strong correlation with the first axis of the COA, which indicated the important role of gene expression level and the ENC in the codon usage patterns in this genus. The relative synonymous codon usage of Cys codons had the strongest correlation with the second axis of the COA. Accordingly, the usage of Cys codons was another important factor that shaped the codon usage patterns in Rhizobium genomes and was a conserved feature of the genus. Moreover, the comparison of codon usage between highly and lowly expressed genes showed that 20 unique preferred codons were shared among Rhizobium genomes, revealing another conserved feature of the genus. This is the first report of the codon usage patterns in the genus Rhizobium.

Is excessive online usage a function of medium or activity? An empirical pilot study

PubMed Central

Griffiths, Mark D.; Szabo, Attila

2014-01-01

Aims: The purpose of the study was to seek a better insight into whether the online medium or the online activity was more important in relation to excessive online use. It is not clear whether those people who spend excessive amounts of time on the Internet are engaged in general Internet or whether excessive Internet use is linked to specific activities. Methods: Perceived changes in Internet use habits as function of hypothetical accessibility of favorite sites were investigated in young adults. University students (n = 130, mean age = 20.6 years) who had (on average) spent over 20 hours a week on the Internet for at least nine years completed a survey. The most favored online activities and expected quality of life without Internet access were also investigated. Results: Findings revealed that social networking was by far the most popular online activity, and that lack of access to their preferred online activities would drop by 65% (as measured by perceived Internet usage). Approximately one in six participants (16%) claimed they would not even switch on the computer if access to their favorite online activities were unavailable. In relation to a hypothetical question about the quality of life without Internet access, the responses were normally distributed (rather than skewed). Conclusions: These results show that time spent with Internet activity is not random and/or generalized, but appears more focused. Attraction or addiction on Internet to one or more specific behavior(s) may be a better way forward in the quest for better understanding excessive human behavior in the online environment. PMID:25215216

Accelerated Peer-Review Journal Usage Technique for Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, J. D.

2008-01-01

The internet has given undergraduate students ever-increasing access to academic journals via search engines and online databases. However, students typically do not have the ability to use these journals effectively. This often poses a dilemma for instructors. The accelerated peer-review journal usage (APJU) technique provides a way for…

Internet message boards for pregnancy loss: who's on-line and why?

PubMed

Gold, Katherine J; Boggs, Martha E; Mugisha, Emeline; Palladino, Christie Lancaster

2012-01-01

Pregnancy loss is common, but its significance is often minimized by family, friends, and the community, leaving bereaved parents with unmet need for support. This study sought to describe demographics, usage patterns, and perceived benefits for women participating in Internet pregnancy loss support groups. We requested permission to post an anonymous Internet survey on large and active United States Internet message boards for women with miscarriages and stillbirths. The study purposefully oversampled stillbirth sites and included both closed- and open-ended questions. The University of Michigan Institutional Review Board approved the study. Closed-ended questions were summarized and evaluated with bivariate analysis. We performed a qualitative analysis of open-ended data using an iterative coding process to identify key themes. Of 62 sites queried, 15 granted permission to post the survey on 18 different message boards. We collected 1,039 surveys, of which 1,006 were complete and eligible for analysis. Women were typically white, well educated, and frequent users. They noted message boards helped them to feel less isolated in their loss and grief and they appreciated unique aspects of Internet communication such as convenience, access, anonymity, and privacy. Pregnancy loss message boards are an important aspect of support for many bereaved mothers. African-American women seem to be substantially underrepresented on-line despite being at higher risk for stillbirth. Internet message boards serve a unique function in providing support for women with miscarriage and stillbirth. The benefits are often significantly different from those encountered in traditional face-to-face bereavement support. Copyright © 2012 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Geography-based structural analysis of the Internet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kasiviswanathan, Shiva; Eidenbenz, Stephan; Yan, Guanhua

2010-01-01

In this paper, we study some geographic aspects of the Internet. We base our analysis on a large set of geolocated IP hop-level session data (including about 300,000 backbone routers, 150 million end hosts, and 1 billion sessions) that we synthesized from a variety of different input sources such as US census data, computer usage statistics, Internet market share data, IP geolocation data sets, CAJDA's Skitter data set for backbone connectivity, and BGP routing tables. We use this model to perform a nationwide and statewide geographic analysis of the Internet. Our main observations are: (1) There is a dominant coast-to-coastmore » pattern in the US Internet traffic. In fact, in many instances even if the end-devices are not near either coast, still the traffic between them takes a long detour through the coasts. (2) More than half of the Internet paths are inflated by 100% or more compared to their corresponding geometric straight-line distance. This circuitousness makes the average ratio between the routing distance and geometric distance big (around 10). (3) The weighted mean hop count is around 5, but the hop counts are very loosely correlated with the distances. The weighted mean AS count (number of ASes traversed) is around 3. (4) The AS size and the AS location number distributions are heavy-tailed and strongly correlated. Most of the ASes are medium sized and there is a wide variability in the geographic dispersion size (measured in terms of the convex hull area) of these ASes.« less

Survey on the use of the Internet as a source of oral health information among dental patients in Bangalore City, India.

PubMed

Naganandini, S; Rao, Rekha; Kulkarni, Smitha B

2014-01-01

Widespread internet usage worldwide allows increased access to medical and dental information and can be used for patient self-education. However, because there is little evidence about how the internet is impacting dentistry, this survey was conducted to determine how dental patients in Bangalore, India, use it as a source of information on oral health and to discover how it affects oral hygiene practices of patients. The data was collected from 572 patients attending the outpatient departments of public and private hospitals by administering a specially designed proforma questionnaire. The chi-square test (P < 0.05) was used to determine differences between different groups i.e. based on age, health care delivery and educational status of study participants. Out of 572 respondents using the internet, 150 (26.2%) used it for information on oral health. A higher number of males than females and a significantly higher percentage of people aged 18 to 40 years used the internet. A significantly higher number of respondents utilising dental health care from private providers used the internet as a source of information on oral health. The difference in the usage of internet for information on oral health by gender and age groups was due to higher internet access at the work place and through cybercafés. A significantly higher number of patients from the private sector and with higher educational background used the internet. Low socioeconomic status and a low educational level act as barriers to using the internet, which may explain the results of this study. Creating awareness amongst people of different educational backgrounds through appropriate means (following an individualised approach based on educational qualification) would increase internet use for acquiring information on oral health.

The Internet and Librarians: Just Do It!!!!!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helfer, Doris Small

1998-01-01

Argues that librarians should actively accept their responsibility to ensure and provide useful content to the general Internet public. Discusses change brought on by electric commerce and the need for librarians to fill traditional roles, as well as new roles in providing and encouraging Web usage by the public. (AEF)

Comparison of Oncology Nurse and Physician Use of the Internet for Continuing Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobb, Susan C.

2003-01-01

Comparison of surveys in 2001 (807 nurses, 111 doctors) and 2002 (1,127 and 201) showed that Internet use and frequency of use for continuing education among both nurses and physicians have been increasing. Low cost or free and easier access would increase usage. (SK)

The Internet and the Independence of Individuals with Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grimaldi, Caroline; Goette, Tanya

1999-01-01

This study examined the role of the Internet and its usage on the level of perceived independence among people with physical disabilities. Discusses independence, perceived control, psychological self-reliance, adaptive technology, hypotheses tested, and future directions. A copy of one of the questionnaires used is appended. (Author/LRW)

Internet Ethics for Users and Providers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ben-Jacob, Marion G.

2017-01-01

This article deliberates concepts of Internet ethics from the perspectives of user and providers. It discusses concerns of the users from different disciplines. It addresses issues and corresponding regulations of service providers. It considers matters of privacy. The culmination is an exercise for students that incorporates usage of the Internet…

Health care information seeking and seniors: determinants of Internet use.

PubMed

Sheng, Xiaojing; Simpson, Penny M

2015-01-01

While seniors are the most likely population segment to have chronic diseases, they are the least likely to seek information about health and diseases on the Internet. An understanding of factors that impact seniors' usage of the Internet for health care information may provide them with tools needed to improve health. This research examined some of these factors as identified in the comprehensive model of information seeking to find that demographics, trust in health information websites, perceived usefulness of the Internet, and internal locus of control each significantly impact seniors' use of the Internet to seek health information.

Structural alterations in the prefrontal cortex mediate the relationship between Internet gaming disorder and depressed mood.

PubMed

Choi, Jihye; Cho, Hyun; Kim, Jin-Young; Jung, Dong Jin; Ahn, Kook Jin; Kang, Hang-Bong; Choi, Jung-Seok; Chun, Ji-Won; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-04-28

Adaptive gaming use has positive effects, whereas depression has been reported to be prevalent in Internet gaming disorder (IGD). However, the neural correlates underlying the association between depression and Internet gaming remain unclear. Moreover, the neuroanatomical profile of the striatum in IGD is relatively less clear despite its important role in addiction. We found lower gray matter (GM) density in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in the IGD group than in the Internet gaming control (IGC) group and non-gaming control (NGC) group, and the GM density was associated with lifetime usage of Internet gaming, depressed mood, craving, and impulsivity in the gaming users. Striatal volumetric analysis detected a significant reduction in the right nucleus accumbens (NAcc) in the IGD group and its association with lifetime usage of gaming and depression. These findings suggest that alterations in the brain structures involved in the reward system are associated with IGD-related behavioral characteristics. Furthermore, the DLPFC, involved in cognitive control, was observed to serve as a mediator in the association between prolonged gaming and depressed mood. This finding may provide insight into an intervention strategy for treating IGD with comorbid depression.

Is there a "net generation" in veterinary medicine? A comparative study on the use of the Internet and Web 2.0 by students and the veterinary profession.

PubMed

Tenhaven, Christoph; Tipold, Andrea; Fischer, Martin R; Ehlers, Jan P

2013-01-01

Informal and formal lifelong learning is essential at university and in the workplace. Apart from classical learning techniques, Web 2.0 tools can be used. It is controversial whether there is a so-called net generation amongst people under 30. To test the hypothesis that a net generation among students and young veterinarians exists. An online survey of students and veterinarians was conducted in the German-speaking countries which was advertised via online media and traditional print media. 1780 people took part in the survey. Students and veterinarians have different usage patterns regarding social networks (91.9% vs. 69%) and IM (55.9% vs. 24.5%). All tools were predominantly used passively and in private, to a lesser extent also professionally and for studying. The use of Web 2.0 tools is useful, however, teaching information and media skills, preparing codes of conduct for the internet and verification of user generated content is essential.

[Response rates in three opinion surveys performed through online questionnaires in the health setting].

PubMed

Aerny Perreten, Nicole; Domínguez-Berjón, Ma Felicitas; Astray Mochales, Jenaro; Esteban-Vasallo, María D; Blanco Ancos, Luis Miguel; Lópaz Pérez, Ma Ángeles

2012-01-01

The main advantages of online questionnaires are the speed of data collection and cost savings, but response rates are usually low. This study analyzed response rates and associated factors among health professionals in three opinion surveys in the autonomous region of Madrid. The participants, length of the questionnaire and topic differed among the three surveys. The surveys were conducted by using paid Internet software. The institutional e-mail addresses of distinct groups of health professionals were used. Response rates were highest in hospitals (up to 63%) and administrative services and were lowest in primary care (less than 33%). The differences in response rates were analyzed in primary care professionals according to age, sex and professional category and only the association with age was statistically significant. None of the surveys achieved a response rate of 60%. Differences were observed according to workplace, patterns of Internet usage, and interest in the subject. Copyright © 2011 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Do we really need to use our smartphones while driving?

PubMed

Musicant, Oren; Lotan, Tsippy; Albert, Gila

2015-12-01

Smartphone usage while driving, a prominent type of driver distraction, has become a major concern in the area of road safety. Answers to an internet survey by 757 Israeli drivers who own smartphones were analyzed with focus on two main purposes: (1) to gain insights regarding patterns of smartphone usage while driving and its motivation, (2) to probe drivers' views on the perceived risk and the need to use smartphones while driving, as well as their willingness to use blocking apps that limit such usages. Phone calls and texting were found to be the most common usages while driving, hence, both were chosen to be further analyzed. 73% (N=551) of the respondents make phone calls while driving and almost half of them may be considered frequent callers as they admit to do it intensively while driving. As for texting, 35% of the respondents (N=256) text while driving and a quarter of them do so frequently. While phone calls were perceived to compromise safety by 34% of the users, texting was perceived to compromise safety by 84% of the users. However, we found that drivers place limitations on themselves as more than 70% avoid texting when they think they need to devote attention to driving. A logistic regression model indicates that perceived need and perceived safety are significant factors associated with being a frequent smartphone phone calls user, but only perceived need significantly predicts being a frequent texting user. Approximately half of all the respondents are willing to try an app which blocks smartphone usage while driving. The willingness to use such technology was found to be related primarily to perceived need. Less significant factors are work-related usage and perceived safety. Frequency of usage was not found to affect this willingness, indicating that it should not be a factor in designing and implementing interventions to limit smartphone usage while driving. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Social Media Affinity Scale: Implications for Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerlich, R. Nicholas; Browning, Leigh; Westermann, Lori

2010-01-01

In recent years, males and females have demonstrated fairly equal amounts of internet usage, but females have demonstrated higher usage of social media sites. These observed differences served as the impetus for the current study. A survey was conducted in early 2010 among college students to assess whether differences still occur between males…

Factors That Influence Pre-Service Teachers' ICT Usage in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tezci, Erdogan

2011-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the role of internal factors (e.g. attitudes towards computers and internet, self-confidence, and knowledge) and external factors (perceived support) on the level of information and communication technology (ICT) usage. The participants were 1898 pre-service teachers in Turkey. The results…

Factors Affecting Social Network Use by Students in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kristianto, Budhi

2017-01-01

Background: Although Indonesia is one of the world's most populated countries with a high penetration of internet usage there has been little research on SNS usage in Indonesia, especially involving children. Instead, SNS research in Indonesia has focused on university students and political, marketing, and disaster mitigation issues. Aim/Purpose:…

The effect of sleep quality on academic performance is mediated by Internet use time: DADOS study.

PubMed

Adelantado-Renau, Mireia; Diez-Fernandez, Ana; Beltran-Valls, Maria Reyes; Soriano-Maldonado, Alberto; Moliner-Urdiales, Diego

2018-05-19

The aims of the present study were to analyze the association of sleep patterns with academic and cognitive performance in adolescents, and to test the potential mediating effect of different activities of screen media usage on this association. A sample of 269 adolescents (140 boys) aged 14 years from the baseline data of the Deporte, ADOlescencia y Salud study completed questionnaires about sleep quality, cognitive performance, and leisure-time sedentary behaviors. Sleep duration was objectively computed using a wrist-worn GENEActiv accelerometer and academic performance was analyzed through school records. Sleep quality (but not sleep duration) was associated with all the academic performance indicators (all p<0.05). Analysis of covariance revealed higher grades among adolescents with better sleep quality (PSQI≤5; all p<0.05). These analyses showed no differences regarding cognitive performance. Internet use time was revealed as a mediator of the association between sleep quality and academic performance, being significant for all academic performance indicators (P M ranging from 15.5% to 16.0%). The association between sleep quality and academic performance in adolescents is mediated by time of Internet use. Overall, reducing Internet use in adolescents could be an achievable intervention for improving sleep quality, with potentially positive effects on academic performance. Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Examining Secondary School Students' Safe Computer and Internet Usage Awareness: An Example from Bartin Province=Lise Ögrencilerinin Güvenli Bilgisayar ve Internet Kullanim Farkindaliklarinin Incelenmesi: Bartin Ili Örnegi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz, Ramazan; Karaoglan Yilmaz, F. Gizem; Özturk, H. Tugba; Karademir, Tugra

2017-01-01

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have been rapidly prevailed among the children and youths. Personal technologies facilitating the students to gain some learning experiences both in and out of the schools also include many threats. It is important for students to have high awareness of safe internet and computer use to overcome…

The Internet and Global Telecommunications: Exploring the Boundaries of International Coordination. A Report of the Annual Aspen Institute Roundtable on International Telecommunications (4th, Shonan Village Center, Japan, September 21-24, 1998).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleeman, Michael J.

The goals of the Fourth Annual Aspen Institute Roundtable on International Telecommunications were: to address procedural and substantive solutions for international coordination of Internet policy issues; to suggest different models for dispute resolution and policy coordination that might be employed in the various contexts of Internet usage;…

Validity of the Internet Addiction Test for Adolescents and Older Children (IAT-A): Tests of Measurement Invariance and Latent Mean Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teo, Timothy; Kam, Chester

2014-01-01

Following the call to ensure the validity of instruments used to assess users' level of Internet usage, this study examined the factor structure of the Internet Addiction Test-Adolescence version (IAT-A) when applied to a sample of young children in a multicultural society and assessed whether the items in the IAT-A were invariant by gender and,…

Internet use in pregnancy informs women's decision making: a web-based survey.

PubMed

Lagan, Briege M; Sinclair, Marlene; Kernohan, W George

2010-06-01

Internet access and usage is almost ubiquitous, providing new opportunities and increasing challenges for health care practitioners and users. With pregnant women reportedly turning to the Internet for information during pregnancy, a better understanding of this behavior is needed. The objective of this study was to ascertain why and how pregnant women use the Internet as a health information source, and the overall effect it had on their decision making. Kuhlthau's (1993) information-seeking model was adapted to provide the underpinning theoretical framework for the study. The design was exploratory and descriptive. Data were collected using a valid and reliable web-based questionnaire. Over a 12-week period, 613 women from 24 countries who had confirmed that they had used the Internet for pregnancy-related information during their pregnancy completed and submitted a questionnaire. Most women (97%) used search engines such as Google to identify online web pages to access a large variety of pregnancy-related information and to use the Internet for pregnancy-related social networking, support, and electronic commerce (i.e., e-commerce). Almost 94 percent of women used the Internet to supplement information already provided by health professionals and 83 percent used it to influence their pregnancy decision making. Nearly half of the respondents reported dissatisfaction with information given by health professionals (48.6%) and lack of time to ask health professionals questions (46.5%) as key factors influencing them to access the Internet. Statistically, women's confidence levels significantly increased with respect to making decisions about their pregnancy after Internet usage (p < 0.05). In this study, the Internet played a significant part in the respondents' health information seeking and decision making in pregnancy. Health professionals need to be ready to support pregnant women in online data retrieval, interpretation, and application.

Impact of an Acceptance Facilitating Intervention on Patients' Acceptance of Internet-based Pain Interventions: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Baumeister, Harald; Seifferth, Holger; Lin, Jiaxi; Nowoczin, Lisa; Lüking, Marianne; Ebert, David

2015-06-01

Results from clinical trials indicate that Internet-based psychological pain interventions are effective in treating chronic pain. However, little is known about patients' acceptance of these programs and how to positively influence patients' intention to engage in them. Therefore, the present study aimed (1) to assess patients' acceptance of Internet-based interventions, and (2) to examine whether patients' acceptance can be increased by an acceptance facilitating intervention. A total of 104 patients with chronic pain from 2 pain units were randomly allocated to an intervention group (IG) and a no-intervention control group (CG). The IG was shown a short informational video about Internet-based psychological pain interventions before receiving a questionnaire on patients' acceptance of Internet-based psychological pain interventions and predictors of acceptance (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, Internet usage, and Internet anxiety). The CG filled out the questionnaire immediately. Patients' acceptance was measured with a 4-item scale (sum score ranging from 4 to 20). Baseline acceptance of Internet-based interventions was reported as low (sum-score:4-9) by 53.8%, moderate (10 to 15) by 42.3%, and high (16 to 20) by 3.9% of the patients with chronic pain in the CG. The IG showed a significantly higher acceptance (M = 12.17, SD = 4.22) than the CG (M = 8.94, SD = 3.71) with a standardized mean difference of d = 0.81 (95% CI, 0.41, 1.21). All predictor variables were significantly improved in the IG compared with the CG, except for Internet usage. Patients with chronic pain display a relatively low acceptance of Internet-based psychological pain interventions, which can be substantially increased by a short informational video.

Technology and Social Media Use Among Patients Enrolled in Outpatient Addiction Treatment Programs: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

PubMed

Ashford, Robert D; Lynch, Kevin; Curtis, Brenda

2018-03-06

Substance use disorder research and practice have not yet taken advantage of emerging changes in communication patterns. While internet and social media use is widespread in the general population, little is known about how these mediums are used in substance use disorder treatment. The aims of this paper were to provide data on patients' with substance use disorders mobile phone ownership rates, usage patterns on multiple digital platforms (social media, internet, computer, and mobile apps), and their interest in the use of these platforms to monitor personal recovery. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of patients in 4 intensive outpatient substance use disorder treatment facilities in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Logistic regressions were used to examine associations among variables. Survey participants (N=259) were mostly male (72.9%, 188/259), African American (62.9%, 163/259), with annual incomes less than US $10,000 (62.5%, 161/259), and averaged 39 (SD 12.24) years of age. The vast majority of participants (93.8%, 243/259) owned a mobile phone and about 64.1% (166/259) owned a mobile phone with app capabilities, of which 85.1% (207/243) accessed the internet mainly through their mobile phone. There were no significant differences in age, gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic status by computer usage, internet usage, number of times participants changed their phone, type of mobile phone contract, or whether participants had unlimited calling plans. The sample was grouped into 3 age groups (Millennials, Generation Xers, and Baby Boomers). The rates of having a social media account differed across these 3 age groups with significant differences between Baby Boomers and both Generation Xers and Millennials (P<.001 in each case). Among participants with a social media account (73.6%, 190/259), most (76.1%, 144/190) reported using it daily and nearly all (98.2%, 186/190) used Facebook. Nearly half of participants (47.4%, 90/190) reported viewing content on social media that triggered substance cravings and an equal percentage reported being exposed to recovery information on social media. There was a significant difference in rates of reporting viewing recovery information on social media across the 3 age groups with Baby Boomers reporting higher rates than Millennials (P<.001). The majority of respondents (70.1%, 181/259) said they would prefer to use a relapse prevention app on their phone or receive SMS (short message service) relapse prevention text messages (72.3%, 186/259), and nearly half (49.1%, 127/259) expressed an interest in receiving support by allowing social media accounts to be monitored as a relapse prevention technique. To our knowledge, this is the first and largest study examining the online behavior and preferences regarding technology-based substance use disorder treatment interventions in a population of patients enrolled in community outpatient treatment programs. Patients were generally receptive to using relapse prevention apps and text messaging interventions and a substantial proportion supported social media surveillance tools. However, the design of technology-based interventions remains as many participants have monthly telephone plans which may limit continuity. ©Robert D Ashford, Kevin Lynch, Brenda Curtis. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 06.03.2018.

What Clinical Information Is Valuable to Doctors Using Mobile Electronic Medical Records and When?

PubMed

Kim, Junetae; Lee, Yura; Lim, Sanghee; Kim, Jeong Hoon; Lee, Byungtae; Lee, Jae-Ho

2017-10-18

There has been a lack of understanding on what types of specific clinical information are most valuable for doctors to access through mobile-based electronic medical records (m-EMRs) and when they access such information. Furthermore, it has not been clearly discussed why the value of such information is high. The goal of this study was to investigate the types of clinical information that are most valuable to doctors to access through an m-EMR and when such information is accessed. Since 2010, an m-EMR has been used in a tertiary hospital in Seoul, South Korea. The usage logs of the m-EMR by doctors were gathered from March to December 2015. Descriptive analyses were conducted to explore the overall usage patterns of the m-EMR. To assess the value of the clinical information provided, the usage patterns of both the m-EMR and a hospital information system (HIS) were compared on an hourly basis. The peak usage times of the m-EMR were defined as continuous intervals having normalized usage values that are greater than 0.5. The usage logs were processed as an indicator representing specific clinical information using factor analysis. Random intercept logistic regression was used to explore the type of clinical information that is frequently accessed during the peak usage times. A total of 524,929 usage logs from 653 doctors (229 professors, 161 fellows, and 263 residents; mean age: 37.55 years; males: 415 [63.6%]) were analyzed. The highest average number of m-EMR usage logs (897) was by medical residents, whereas the lowest (292) was by surgical residents. The usage amount for three menus, namely inpatient list (47,096), lab results (38,508), and investigation list (25,336), accounted for 60.1% of the peak time usage. The HIS was used most frequently during regular hours (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). The peak usage time of the m-EMR was early in the morning (6:00 AM to 10:00 AM), and the use of the m-EMR from early evening (5:00 PM) to midnight was higher than during regular business hours. Four factors representing the types of clinical information were extracted through factor analysis. Factors related to patient investigation status and patient conditions were associated with the peak usage times of the m-EMR (P<.01). Access to information regarding patient investigation status and patient conditions is crucial for decision making during morning activities, including ward rounds. The m-EMRs allow doctors to maintain the continuity of their clinical information regardless of the time and location constraints. Thus, m-EMRs will best evolve in a manner that enhances the accessibility of clinical information helpful to the decision-making process under such constraints. ©Junetae Kim, Yura Lee, Sanghee Lim, Jeong Hoon Kim, Byungtae Lee, Jae-Ho Lee. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 18.10.2017.

Connecting across Many Divides: Digital, Racial, and Socio-Economic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinson, Janice; Daniel, Cathy

As Internet usage increases nationally, it becomes more apparent that the Digital Divide (the gap between those who have information access and those who do not) is related to demographics. Although the number of low income and ethnic households that have Internet access is increasing, the Digital Divide is expected to widen because access…

Internet and Cell Phone Based Smoking Cessation Programs among Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehta, Purvi; Sharma, Manoj

2010-01-01

Smoking cessation among adolescents is a salient public health issue, as it can prevent the adoption of risky health behaviors and reduce negative impacts on health. Self-efficacy, household and social support systems, and perceived benefits are some important cessation determinants. With the popular use of the Internet and cell phone usage among…

Internet Audio Products (3/3)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Linda; de Schutter, Adrienne; Fahrni, Patricia; Rudolph, Jim

2004-01-01

Two contrasting additions to the online audio market are reviewed: "iVocalize", a browser-based audio-conferencing software, and "Skype", a PC-to-PC Internet telephone tool. These products are selected for review on the basis of their success in gaining rapid popular attention and usage during 2003-04. The "iVocalize" review emphasizes the…

Bridging the digital divide through the integration of computer and information technology in science education: An action research study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Gail Laverne

The presence of a digital divide, computer and information technology integration effectiveness, and barriers to continued usage of computer and information technology were investigated. Thirty-four African American and Caucasian American students (17 males and 17 females) in grades 9--11 from 2 Georgia high school science classes were exposed to 30 hours of hands-on computer and information technology skills. The purpose of the exposure was to improve students' computer and information technology skills. Pre-study and post-study skills surveys, and structured interviews were used to compare race, gender, income, grade-level, and age differences with respect to computer usage. A paired t-test and McNemar test determined mean differences between student pre-study and post-study perceived skills levels. The results were consistent with findings of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (2000) that indicated the presence of a digital divide and digital inclusion. Caucasian American participants were found to have more at-home computer and Internet access than African American participants, indicating that there is a digital divide by ethnicity. Caucasian American females were found to have more computer and Internet access which was an indication of digital inclusion. Sophomores had more at-home computer access and Internet access than other levels indicating digital inclusion. Students receiving regular meals had more computer and Internet access than students receiving free/reduced meals. Older students had more computer and Internet access than younger students. African American males had been using computer and information technology the longest which is an indication of inclusion. The paired t-test and McNemar test revealed significant perceived student increases in all skills levels. Interviews did not reveal any barriers to continued usage of the computer and information technology skills.

Virtual classroom helps medical education for both Chinese and foreign students.

PubMed

Shi, C; Wang, L; Li, X; Chai, S; Niu, W; Kong, Y; Zhou, W; Yin, W

2015-11-01

The rapid development of computer and internet technology has a strong influence over one's quality of education within different fields of study. To determine the potential benefits of introducing internet into medical school classes, a pilot study was conducted in three different Chinese medical schools. Seven hundred and eight medical school undergraduates, 385 dental school students and 366 foreign students were randomly recruited to complete a self-administered questionnaire. The contents included personal information, current usage of computer and internet, and attitudes towards the computerised teaching methods. Two forum groups were created using instant message software and were randomly assigned to two classes, allowing students to freely ask or discuss questions with the help of their teachers in these two virtual classrooms. All 1539 questionnaires were accepted and analysed. Although there were some differences between Chinese and foreign undergraduates, both group of students were highly proficient in internet usage and navigation. Overwhelmingly, 88.37% of the students owned a computer and frequently logged onto the internet. Most of them believed that the internet is a helpful adjunct to their studies and held positive attitudes towards computerised teaching. Compared to the classes that were not assigned internet forums, the two experimental classes performed significantly better on the examination. Our results suggest that computerised teaching methods have significant potential to assist in learning for both Chinese and foreign medical undergraduates. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Policy and Prevention Approaches for Disordered and Hazardous Gaming and Internet Use: an International Perspective.

PubMed

King, Daniel L; Delfabbro, Paul H; Doh, Young Yim; Wu, Anise M S; Kuss, Daria J; Pallesen, Ståle; Mentzoni, Rune; Carragher, Natacha; Sakuma, Hiroshi

2018-02-01

Problems related to high levels of gaming and Internet usage are increasingly recognized as a potential public health burden across the developed world. The aim of this review was to present an international perspective on prevention strategies for Internet gaming disorder and related health conditions (e.g., Internet addiction), as well as hazardous gaming and Internet use. A systematic review of quantitative research evidence was conducted, followed by a search of governmental reports, policy and position statements, and health guidelines in the last decade. The regional scope included the USA, UK, Australia, China, Germany, Japan, and South Korea. Prevention studies have mainly involved school-based programs to train healthier Internet use habits in adolescents. The efficacy of selective prevention is promising but warrants further empirical attention. On an international scale, the formal recognition of gaming or Internet use as a disorder or as having quantifiable harms at certain levels of usage has been foundational to developing structured prevention responses. The South Korean model, in particular, is an exemplar of a coordinated response to a public health threat, with extensive government initiatives and long-term strategic plans at all three levels of prevention (i.e., universal, selective, and indicated). Western regions, by comparison, are dominated by prevention approaches led by non-profit organizations and private enterprise. The future of prevention of gaming and Internet problems ultimately relies upon all stakeholders working collaboratively in the public interest, confronting the reality of the evidence base and developing practical, ethical, and sustainable countermeasures.

Comparison of Turkish and US Pre-Service Teachers' Web 2.0 Tools Usage Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiyici, Mubin; Akyeampong, Albert; Balkan Kiyici, Fatime

2013-01-01

As the Internet and computer develop, the world is changing dramatically and fantastically. Usage of technological tools is increased day by day in daily life besides ICT. All the technological tools shape individual behavior, life style and learning style as well as individual lives. Today's child use different tools and different way to…

Human dynamics revealed through Web analytics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonçalves, Bruno; Ramasco, José J.

2008-08-01

The increasing ubiquity of Internet access and the frequency with which people interact with it raise the possibility of using the Web to better observe, understand, and monitor several aspects of human social behavior. Web sites with large numbers of frequently returning users are ideal for this task. If these sites belong to companies or universities, their usage patterns can furnish information about the working habits of entire populations. In this work, we analyze the properly anonymized logs detailing the access history to Emory University’s Web site. Emory is a medium-sized university located in Atlanta, Georgia. We find interesting structure in the activity patterns of the domain and study in a systematic way the main forces behind the dynamics of the traffic. In particular, we find that linear preferential linking, priority-based queuing, and the decay of interest for the contents of the pages are the essential ingredients to understand the way users navigate the Web.

Genomic analysis of codon usage shows influence of mutation pressure, natural selection, and host features on Marburg virus evolution.

PubMed

Nasrullah, Izza; Butt, Azeem M; Tahir, Shifa; Idrees, Muhammad; Tong, Yigang

2015-08-26

The Marburg virus (MARV) has a negative-sense single-stranded RNA genome, belongs to the family Filoviridae, and is responsible for several outbreaks of highly fatal hemorrhagic fever. Codon usage patterns of viruses reflect a series of evolutionary changes that enable viruses to shape their survival rates and fitness toward the external environment and, most importantly, their hosts. To understand the evolution of MARV at the codon level, we report a comprehensive analysis of synonymous codon usage patterns in MARV genomes. Multiple codon analysis approaches and statistical methods were performed to determine overall codon usage patterns, biases in codon usage, and influence of various factors, including mutation pressure, natural selection, and its two hosts, Homo sapiens and Rousettus aegyptiacus. Nucleotide composition and relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis revealed that MARV shows mutation bias and prefers U- and A-ended codons to code amino acids. Effective number of codons analysis indicated that overall codon usage among MARV genomes is slightly biased. The Parity Rule 2 plot analysis showed that GC and AU nucleotides were not used proportionally which accounts for the presence of natural selection. Codon usage patterns of MARV were also found to be influenced by its hosts. This indicates that MARV have evolved codon usage patterns that are specific to both of its hosts. Moreover, selection pressure from R. aegyptiacus on the MARV RSCU patterns was found to be dominant compared with that from H. sapiens. Overall, mutation pressure was found to be the most important and dominant force that shapes codon usage patterns in MARV. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed codon usage analysis of MARV and extends our understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to codon usage and evolution of MARV.

Real world use of an Internet intervention for pediatric encopresis.

PubMed

Ritterband, Lee M; Ardalan, Kaveh; Thorndike, Frances P; Magee, Joshua C; Saylor, Drew K; Cox, Daniel J; Sutphen, James L; Borowitz, Stephen M

2008-06-30

The Internet is a significant source of medical information and is now being shown to be an important conduit for delivering various health-related interventions. This paper aimed to examine the utility and impact of an Internet intervention for childhood encopresis as part of standard medical care in a "real world" setting. Patients diagnosed with encopresis were given a Web-based information prescription to use an Internet intervention for pediatric encopresis. A total of 22 families utilized the intervention between July 2004 and June 2006. A chart review and phone interview were undertaken to collect user characteristics; defecation-related information, including frequency of soiling, bowel movements (BMs) in the toilet, and amount of pain associated with defecation; and information on computer/Internet usage. Three questionnaires were used to examine the utility of, impact of, and adherence to the Internet intervention. Program utilization was obtained from a data tracking system that monitored usage in real time. Overall, parents rated the Internet intervention as enjoyable, understandable, and easy to use. They indicated that the Internet intervention positively affected their children, decreasing overall accidents and increasing child comfort on the toilet at home. Of the 20 children who initially reported fecal accidents, 19 (95%) experienced at least a 50% improvement, with a reduction of accident frequency from one fecal accident per day to one accident per week. Although it is not clear whether this improvement is directly related to the use of the Internet intervention, patient feedback suggests that the program was an important element, further establishing Internet interventions as a viable and desirable addition to standard medical care for pediatric encopresis. To our knowledge, this is the first time a pediatric Internet intervention has been examined as part of a "real world" setting. This is an important step toward establishing Internet interventions as an adjunctive component to treatment of pediatric patients in a clinical setting, particularly given the positive user feedback, possible cost savings, and significant potential for large-scale dissemination.

ChloroMitoCU: Codon patterns across organelle genomes for functional genomics and evolutionary applications.

PubMed

Sablok, Gaurav; Chen, Ting-Wen; Lee, Chi-Ching; Yang, Chi; Gan, Ruei-Chi; Wegrzyn, Jill L; Porta, Nicola L; Nayak, Kinshuk C; Huang, Po-Jung; Varotto, Claudio; Tang, Petrus

2017-06-01

Organelle genomes are widely thought to have arisen from reduction events involving cyanobacterial and archaeal genomes, in the case of chloroplasts, or α-proteobacterial genomes, in the case of mitochondria. Heterogeneity in base composition and codon preference has long been the subject of investigation of topics ranging from phylogenetic distortion to the design of overexpression cassettes for transgenic expression. From the overexpression point of view, it is critical to systematically analyze the codon usage patterns of the organelle genomes. In light of the importance of codon usage patterns in the development of hyper-expression organelle transgenics, we present ChloroMitoCU, the first-ever curated, web-based reference catalog of the codon usage patterns in organelle genomes. ChloroMitoCU contains the pre-compiled codon usage patterns of 328 chloroplast genomes (29,960 CDS) and 3,502 mitochondrial genomes (49,066 CDS), enabling genome-wide exploration and comparative analysis of codon usage patterns across species. ChloroMitoCU allows the phylogenetic comparison of codon usage patterns across organelle genomes, the prediction of codon usage patterns based on user-submitted transcripts or assembled organelle genes, and comparative analysis with the pre-compiled patterns across species of interest. ChloroMitoCU can increase our understanding of the biased patterns of codon usage in organelle genomes across multiple clades. ChloroMitoCU can be accessed at: http://chloromitocu.cgu.edu.tw/. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Kazusa DNA Research Institute.

Fighting the War on Indecency: "Mediating TV, Internet, and Videogame Usage among Achieving and Underachieving Gifted Children"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abelman, Robert

2006-01-01

This investigation explores the level, type, and extent of household mediation of television, the Internet, and videogames employed by parents of achieving and underachieving, intellectually gifted children in light of the recently declared "war on indecency." It examines various child-rearing practices and perceptions as well as salient…

Teachers' and Parents' Views on the Internet and Social Media Usage by Pupils with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molin, Martin; Sorbring, Emma; Löfgren-Mårtenson, Lotta

2015-01-01

This article reports experiences from a Swedish study, discussing teachers' and parents' views on how young people with intellectual disabilities use the Internet and social media. Five semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with teachers (n = 8) in special programmes in upper secondary schools for pupils with intellectual…

Impact of Internet Search Engines on OPAC Users: A Study of Punjabi University, Patiala (India)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Shiv

2012-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to study the impact of internet search engine usage with special reference to OPAC searches in the Punjabi University Library, Patiala, Punjab (India). Design/methodology/approach: The primary data were collected from 352 users comprising faculty, research scholars and postgraduate students of the university. A…

Demographic Factors Affecting Internet Using Purposes of High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilic, Abdullah Faruk; Güzeller, Cem Oktay

2017-01-01

This study aimed at determining the impact of demographic factors on the Internet usage purposes of high school students. The population of the study consisted of students between 9th and 12th grades from the Anatolian high schools, science high schools, social sciences high schools, sports high schools and fine arts high schools in Turkey. The…

Correction: Seeing the "Big" Picture: Big Data Methods for Exploring Relationships Between Usage, Language, and Outcome in Internet Intervention Data.

PubMed

Carpenter, Jordan; Crutchley, Patrick; Zilca, Ran D; Schwartz, H Andrew; Smith, Laura K; Cobb, Angela M; Parks, Acacia C

2017-12-19

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/jmir.5725.]. ©Jordan Carpenter, Patrick Crutchley, Ran D Zilca, H Andrew Schwartz, Laura K Smith, Angela M Cobb, Acacia C Parks. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 19.12.2017.

The Role of Internet Use and Parental Mediation on Cyberbullying Victimization among Spanish Children from Rural Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Navarro, Raúl; Serna, Cristina; Martínez, Verónica; Ruiz-Oliva, Roberto

2013-01-01

Cyberbullying victimization research on individual and familial correlates is scarce in Spain. By building upon previous studies, this research examines the role of Internet usage and parental mediation in online victimization. Spanish children from rural public schools (10-12 years; n?=?1068) completed a self-report questionnaire which measured…

Internet Usage by Native Americans with Disabilities Living on American Indian Reservations in the Great Plains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Mars, AnnMaria

2010-01-01

It has been assumed that, due to limited Internet access, electronic media is an ineffective means for information dissemination to Native Americans with disabilities. In this investigation, we surveyed a sample of 467 households of Native Americans with disabilities living on Great Plains reservations regarding access to electronic resources. Of…

Incidental health information use on the Internet.

PubMed

Tian, Yan; Robinson, James D

2009-01-01

This study investigates the correlates of incidental or nonpurposive health information use on the Internet. Through a secondary analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey II data, this study reveals that incidental health information use on the Internet is positively associated with overall Internet use, active health information seeking on the Internet, and incidental health information use from traditional media. Thus, this study extends the notion of media complementarity to incidental media usage in a health communication context. This study also reveals that adults who have been diagnosed with cancer are more likely to have incidental health information use from traditional media but not the Internet. More important, this study suggests that incidental health information use on the Internet is positively associated with health knowledge. The findings have important implications for health information campaigns on the Internet.

Technology and Social Media Use Among Patients Enrolled in Outpatient Addiction Treatment Programs: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

PubMed Central

Lynch, Kevin; Curtis, Brenda

2018-01-01

Background Substance use disorder research and practice have not yet taken advantage of emerging changes in communication patterns. While internet and social media use is widespread in the general population, little is known about how these mediums are used in substance use disorder treatment. Objective The aims of this paper were to provide data on patients' with substance use disorders mobile phone ownership rates, usage patterns on multiple digital platforms (social media, internet, computer, and mobile apps), and their interest in the use of these platforms to monitor personal recovery. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of patients in 4 intensive outpatient substance use disorder treatment facilities in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Logistic regressions were used to examine associations among variables. Results Survey participants (N=259) were mostly male (72.9%, 188/259), African American (62.9%, 163/259), with annual incomes less than US $10,000 (62.5%, 161/259), and averaged 39 (SD 12.24) years of age. The vast majority of participants (93.8%, 243/259) owned a mobile phone and about 64.1% (166/259) owned a mobile phone with app capabilities, of which 85.1% (207/243) accessed the internet mainly through their mobile phone. There were no significant differences in age, gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic status by computer usage, internet usage, number of times participants changed their phone, type of mobile phone contract, or whether participants had unlimited calling plans. The sample was grouped into 3 age groups (Millennials, Generation Xers, and Baby Boomers). The rates of having a social media account differed across these 3 age groups with significant differences between Baby Boomers and both Generation Xers and Millennials (P<.001 in each case). Among participants with a social media account (73.6%, 190/259), most (76.1%, 144/190) reported using it daily and nearly all (98.2%, 186/190) used Facebook. Nearly half of participants (47.4%, 90/190) reported viewing content on social media that triggered substance cravings and an equal percentage reported being exposed to recovery information on social media. There was a significant difference in rates of reporting viewing recovery information on social media across the 3 age groups with Baby Boomers reporting higher rates than Millennials (P<.001). The majority of respondents (70.1%, 181/259) said they would prefer to use a relapse prevention app on their phone or receive SMS (short message service) relapse prevention text messages (72.3%, 186/259), and nearly half (49.1%, 127/259) expressed an interest in receiving support by allowing social media accounts to be monitored as a relapse prevention technique. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first and largest study examining the online behavior and preferences regarding technology-based substance use disorder treatment interventions in a population of patients enrolled in community outpatient treatment programs. Patients were generally receptive to using relapse prevention apps and text messaging interventions and a substantial proportion supported social media surveillance tools. However, the design of technology-based interventions remains as many participants have monthly telephone plans which may limit continuity. PMID:29510968

Use Contexts and Usage Patterns of Interactive Case Simulation Tools by HIV Healthcare Providers in a Statewide Online Clinical Education Program.

PubMed

Wang, Dongwen

2017-01-01

We analyzed four interactive case simulation tools (ICSTs) from a statewide online clinical education program. Results have shown that ICSTs are increasingly used by HIV healthcare providers. Smart phone has become the primary usage platform for specific ICSTs. Usage patterns depend on particular ICST modules, usage stages, and use contexts. Future design of ICSTs should consider these usage patterns for more effective dissemination of clinical evidence to healthcare providers.

Do diabetic veterans use the Internet? Self-reported usage, skills, and interest in using My HealtheVet Web portal.

PubMed

Cho, Alex H; Arar, Nedal H; Edelman, David E; Hartwell, Patricia H; Oddone, Eugene Z; Yancy, William S

2010-06-01

The Veterans Health Administration has developed My HealtheVet (MHV), a Web-based portal that links veterans to their care in the veteran affairs (VA) system. The objective of this study was to measure diabetic veterans' access to and use of the Internet, and their interest in using MHV to help manage their diabetes. Cross-sectional mailed survey of 201 patients with type 2 diabetes and hemoglobin A(1c) > 8.0% receiving primary care at any of five primary care clinic sites affiliated with a VA tertiary care facility. Main measures included Internet usage, access, and attitudes; computer skills; interest in using the Internet; awareness of and attitudes toward MHV; demographics; and socioeconomic status. A majority of respondents reported having access to the Internet at home. Nearly half of all respondents had searched online for information about diabetes, including some who did not have home Internet access. More than a third obtained "some" or "a lot" of their health-related information online. Forty-one percent reported being "very interested" in using MHV to help track their home blood glucose readings, a third of whom did not have home Internet access. Factors associated with being "very interested" were as follows: having access to the Internet at home (p < 0.001), "a lot/some" trust in the Internet as a source of health information (p = 0.002), lower age (p = 0.03), and some college (p = 0.04). Neither race (p = 0.44) nor income (p = 0.25) was significantly associated with interest in MHV. This study found that a diverse sample of older VA patients with sub-optimally controlled diabetes had a level of familiarity with and access to the Internet comparable to an age-matched national sample. In addition, there was a high degree of interest in using the Internet to help manage their diabetes.

The Use of Social Media in Building Interest in Wellness on a College Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, Joseph A.; Elbert, Dennis J.; Moser, Steven B.

2012-01-01

The usage of social media networks, such as websites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, had become the number one activity on the internet by 2010. The sweeping increase in usage led organizations to explore the marketing possibilities the networks offered. The turning point occurred when organizations began to ask whether it was feasible to use…

Pricing by timing: innovating broadband data plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Sangtae; Joe-Wong, Carlee; Sen, Soumya; Chiang, Mung

2012-01-01

Wireless Internet usage is doubling every year. Users are using more of high bandwidth data applications, and the heavy usage concentrates on several peak hours in a day, forcing ISPs to overprovision their networks accordingly. In order to remain profitable, ISPs have been using pricing as a congestion management tool. We review many of such pricing schemes in practice today and argue that they do not solve ISPs' problem of growing data traffic. We believe that dynamic, time-dependent usage pricing, which charges users based on when they access the Internet, can incentivize users to spread out their bandwidth consumption more evenly across different times of the day, thus helping ISPs to overcome the problem of peak congestion. Congestion pricing is not a new idea in itself, but the time for its implementation in data networks has finally arrived. Our key contribution lies in developing new analysis and a fully integrated system architecture, called TUBE (Time-dependent Usage-based Broadband price Engineering) that enables ISPs to implement the proposed TDP plan. The theory, simulation, and system implementation of TUBE system is further complemented with consumer surveys conducted in India and the US, along with preparations for a field trial that is currently underway.

Social Media Use in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

PubMed

Guo, Ling; Reich, Jason; Groshek, Jacob; Farraye, Francis A

2016-05-01

Patients with chronic illnesses such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) have been more keen to utilize the Internet and in particular, social media to obtain patient educational information in recent years. It is important for the gastroenterologist to be aware of these modalities and how they might affect information exchange and ultimately, disease management. This article addresses the current prevalence of social media use, advent of mobile health applications, social media usage in patients with chronic conditions, usage amongst providers, and most notably, the usage and preferences in IBD patients. Over the last decade there has been an increasing desire from patients to receive educational material about their disease through social media. We reviewed the medical literature on the quality of IBD-related information on social media. Given the disparity of information available on the Internet, we remark on the quality of this information and stress the need for further research to assess the validity of IBD information posted on social media.

Thinking About Multiword Constructions: Usage-Based Approaches to Acquisition and Processing.

PubMed

Ellis, Nick C; Ogden, Dave C

2017-07-01

Usage-based approaches to language hold that we learn multiword expressions as patterns of language from language usage, and that knowledge of these patterns underlies fluent language processing. This paper explores these claims by focusing upon verb-argument constructions (VACs) such as "V(erb) about n(oun phrase)." These are productive constructions that bind syntax, lexis, and semantics. It presents (a) analyses of usage patterns of English VACs in terms of their grammatical form, semantics, lexical constituency, and distribution patterns in large corpora; (b) patterns of VAC usage in child-directed speech and child language acquisition; and (c) investigations of VAC free-association and psycholinguistic studies of online processing. We conclude that VACs are highly patterned in usage, that this patterning drives language acquisition, and that language processing is sensitive to the forms of the syntagmatic construction and their distributional statistics, the contingency of their association with meaning, and spreading activation and prototypicality effects in semantic reference. Language users have rich implicit knowledge of the statistics of multiword sequences. Copyright © 2017 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Source Preferences and the Displacement/Supplement Effect between Internet and Traditional Sources of Sexually Transmitted Disease and HIV/AIDS Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Hung-Yi

2009-01-01

This investigation examines the source preferences and the displacement/supplement effect of traditional and new channel usage as Taiwanese college students search for information about sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS from the Internet. The study involved 535 junior and senior college students from four universities. Analytical results…

Internet Usage in Small Businesses in Regional South Australia: Service Learning Opportunities for a Local University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Nina; Sawyer, Janet

2009-01-01

The Internet offers opportunities for electronic trading in the global marketplace and as such it can provide substantial benefits to a business. Despite this, the rate of adoption of e-commerce by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Australia has been slower than anticipated and these benefits are not being realised (Pease & Rowe,…

Internet Usage, User Satisfaction, Task-Technology Fit, and Performance Impact among Public Sector Employees in Yemen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isaac, Osama; Abdullah, Zaini; Ramayah, T.; Mutahar, Ahmed M.

2017-01-01

Purpose: The internet technology becomes an essential tool for individuals, organizations, and nations for growth and prosperity. The purpose of this paper is to integrate the DeLone and McLean IS success model with task-technology fit (TTF) to explain the performance impact of Yemeni Government employees. Design/methodology/approach:…

Digital Natives and Social Media Behaviors: An Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lusk, Brooke

2010-01-01

Internet usage has dramatically increased over the past decade, and adolescents, or digital natives as they are sometimes called, are readily immersing themselves in life online. In the past ten years, teens' use of the internet has risen from just under 75% of teens in 2000 to over 93% in 2009. With so many teens online and able to access the…

Friends, Porn, and Punk: Sensation Seeking in Personal Relationships, Internet Activities, and Music Preference among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisskirch, Robert S.; Murphy, Laurel C.

2004-01-01

One hundred thirty-eight college students completed a questionnaire assessing level of sensation seeking, number of close and casual friends, Internet usage, liking certain styles of music, and genre of music listened to most often. It was found that the number of casual and close friends was positively associated with sensation seeking.…

Does Embedding Social Media Channels in Hotel Websites Influence Travelers' Satisfaction and Purchase Intentions?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aluri, Ajay Kumar

2012-01-01

In the Internet world today, social media channels have emerged as a top share of Internet usage, and more travelers have started using them to make their hotel plans and purchases. Because of the recommendations of researchers and practitioners, hotel organizations have already embraced social media and have embedded their links on their host…

The Internet and the Evolution of Library Research: The Perspective of One Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaeger, Paul T.; Thompson, Kim M.; Lazar, Jonathan

2012-01-01

The impacts of the Internet on library services and information usage since the advent of the World Wide Web have been significant, changing patron expectations for libraries, the ways in which libraries can reach patrons, the amount of information available, the job requirements of librarians, and the roles that libraries can play in their…

Smartphone applications for immersive virtual reality therapy for internet addiction and internet gaming disorder.

PubMed

Zhang, Melvyn W B; Ho, Roger C M

2017-01-01

There have been rapid advances in technologies over the past decade and virtual reality technology is an area which is increasingly utilized as a healthcare intervention in many disciplines including that of Medicine, Surgery and Psychiatry. In Psychiatry, most of the current interventions involving the usage of virtual reality technology is limited to its application for anxiety disorders. With the advances in technology, Internet addiction and Internet gaming disorders are increasingly prevalent. To date, these disorders are still being treated using conventional psychotherapy methods such as cognitive behavioural therapy. However, there is an increasing number of research combining various other therapies alongside with cognitive behavioural therapy, as an attempt possibly to reduce the drop-out rates and to make such interventions more relevant to the targeted group of addicts, who are mostly adolescents. To date, there has been a prior study done in Korea that has demonstrated the comparable efficacy of virtual reality therapy with that of cognitive behavioural therapy. However, the intervention requires the usage of specialized screens and devices. It is thus the objective of the current article to highlight how smartphone applications could be designed and be utilized for immersive virtual reality treatment, alongside low cost wearables.

a Web Service Approach for Linking Sensors and Cellular Spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isikdag, U.

2013-09-01

More and more devices are starting to be connected to the Internet. In the future the Internet will not only be a communication medium for people, it will in fact be a communication environment for devices. The connected devices which are also referred as Things will have an ability to interact with other devices over the Internet, i.) provide information in interoperable form and ii.) consume /utilize such information with the help of sensors embedded in them. This overall concept is known as Internet-of- Things (IoT). This requires new approaches to be investigated for system architectures to establish relations between spaces and sensors. The research presented in this paper elaborates on an architecture developed with this aim, i.e. linking spaces and sensors using a RESTful approach. The objective is making spaces aware of (sensor-embedded) devices, and making devices aware of spaces in a loosely coupled way (i.e. a state/usage/function change in the spaces would not have effect on sensors, similarly a location/state/usage/function change in sensors would not have any effect on spaces). The proposed architecture also enables the automatic assignment of sensors to spaces depending on space geometry and sensor location.

Smartphone dependence classification using tensor factorization.

PubMed

Choi, Jingyun; Rho, Mi Jung; Kim, Yejin; Yook, In Hye; Yu, Hwanjo; Kim, Dai-Jin; Choi, In Young

2017-01-01

Excessive smartphone use causes personal and social problems. To address this issue, we sought to derive usage patterns that were directly correlated with smartphone dependence based on usage data. This study attempted to classify smartphone dependence using a data-driven prediction algorithm. We developed a mobile application to collect smartphone usage data. A total of 41,683 logs of 48 smartphone users were collected from March 8, 2015, to January 8, 2016. The participants were classified into the control group (SUC) or the addiction group (SUD) using the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale for Adults (S-Scale) and a face-to-face offline interview by a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist (SUC = 23 and SUD = 25). We derived usage patterns using tensor factorization and found the following six optimal usage patterns: 1) social networking services (SNS) during daytime, 2) web surfing, 3) SNS at night, 4) mobile shopping, 5) entertainment, and 6) gaming at night. The membership vectors of the six patterns obtained a significantly better prediction performance than the raw data. For all patterns, the usage times of the SUD were much longer than those of the SUC. From our findings, we concluded that usage patterns and membership vectors were effective tools to assess and predict smartphone dependence and could provide an intervention guideline to predict and treat smartphone dependence based on usage data.

Internet Usage among Pregnant Women for Seeking Health Information: A Review Article.

PubMed

Javanmardi, Marzieh; Noroozi, Mahnaz; Mostafavi, Firoozeh; Ashrafi-Rizi, Hasan

2018-01-01

In recent years, the Internet has become one of the most popular sources of health information for users, and pregnant women are no exception. This study aimed to investigate Internet usage among pregnant women for achieving health information on the finding of related studies. This review study was conducted by searching databases such as IranMedex, Magiran, Scientific Information Database, Irandoc, PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and Scopus in December 2016. Restrictions were placed on publication to within 16 years and language of publication was restricted to English and Persian. Keywords used in the search included information-seeking behavior, information-seeking, information needs, access to information, pregnancy, and pregnant women. This search resulted in 106 related publications and among them sixteen articles met inclusion criteria. This review showed that the use of the Internet by pregnant women was driven by information needs, ease, and speed of access and finding people with the same situation. Fetal development, symptoms, and complications of pregnancy, prenatal tests and nutrition, activities during pregnancy, and stages of delivery were the most often mentioned topics of interest. The benefits of internet use include reduced anxiety, personal support, creating an emotional connection and an increased confidence. Health providers must have sufficient ability for interpreting the achieved information from the Internet and should allocate efficient amount of time for discussing information-seeking manners with pregnant women. Furthermore, they must try to respond to the doubts of pregnant women and provide valid and reliable online educational resources.

Digital divide among people with disabilities: Analysis of data from a nationwide study for determinants of Internet use and activities performed online.

PubMed

Duplaga, Mariusz

2017-01-01

The Internet is both an opportunity as well as a challenge for people with disabilities. However, this segment of the population is usually indicated among social groups experiencing digital divide. The study is focused on the analysis of factors determining Internet usage and undertaking specific activities online among people with disabilities based on a nationwide study performed in 2013 in Poland. Secondary analysis was performed on the data of persons who declared disability status in 2013 "Social Diagnosis" study. Multivariate logistic regression models were developed for the use of the Internet and performing three types of activities online. Among 3,556 respondents with disability 51.02% were females, 25.19% 65 years of age and over and 33.05% were Internet users. The predictors of Internet usage included the degree of disability, place of residence, level of education, marital status, occupational status, net income, use of health care service and the use of mobile phone. The odds ratio that a person with disability belonging to the oldest category will use the Internet was only 0.04 (95% CI 0.02-0.09), when compared to the youngest category. The odds that a person with disability from the highest category of education will use the Internet were 18 times higher than in the case of persons with only basic education (OR 18.17, 95% CI 11.70-28.21). Common predictors of online activities (accessing websites of public institutions, checking and sending emails, publishing own content on the Internet) included age category and net income. People with disabilities in Poland are facing a significant digital divide. The factors determining the use of the Internet in this group are similar to those of the general population. On the other hand, people with disabilities who are active online, access diversified types of services including presentation of their own content online.

Use of the Internet by burns patients, their families and friends.

PubMed

Rea, S; Lim, J; Falder, S; Wood, F

2008-05-01

The Internet has also become an increasingly important source of health-related information. However, with this exponential increase comes the problem that although the volume of information is huge, the quality, accuracy and completeness of the information are questionable, not only in the field of medicine. Previous studies of single medical conditions have suggested that web-based health information has limitations. The aim of this study was to evaluate Internet usage among burned patients and the people accompanying them to the outpatient clinic. A customised questionnaire was created and distributed to all patients and accompanying persons in the adult and paediatric burns clinics. This investigated computer usage, Internet access, usefulness of Internet search and topics searched. Two hundred and ten people completed the questionnaire, a response rate of 83%. Sixty three percent of responders were patients, parents 21.9%, spouses 3.3%, siblings, children and friends the remaining 10.8%. Seventy seven percent of attendees had been injured within the last year, 11% between 1 and 5 years previously, and 12% more than 5 years previously. Seventy four percent had computer and Internet access. Twelve percent had performed a search. Topics searched included skin grafts, scarring and scar management treatments such as pressure garments, silicone gel and massage. This study has shown that computer and Internet access is high, however a very small number actually used the Internet to access further medical information. Patients with longer standing injuries were more likely to access the Internet. Parents of burned children were more frequent Internet users. As more burn units develop their own web sites with information for patients and healthcare providers, it is important to inform patients, family members and friends that such a resource exists. By offering such a service patients are provided with accurate, reliable and easily accessible information which is appropriate to their needs.

Digital divide among people with disabilities: Analysis of data from a nationwide study for determinants of Internet use and activities performed online

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Introduction The Internet is both an opportunity as well as a challenge for people with disabilities. However, this segment of the population is usually indicated among social groups experiencing digital divide. The study is focused on the analysis of factors determining Internet usage and undertaking specific activities online among people with disabilities based on a nationwide study performed in 2013 in Poland. Methods Secondary analysis was performed on the data of persons who declared disability status in 2013 “Social Diagnosis” study. Multivariate logistic regression models were developed for the use of the Internet and performing three types of activities online. Results Among 3,556 respondents with disability 51.02% were females, 25.19% 65 years of age and over and 33.05% were Internet users. The predictors of Internet usage included the degree of disability, place of residence, level of education, marital status, occupational status, net income, use of health care service and the use of mobile phone. The odds ratio that a person with disability belonging to the oldest category will use the Internet was only 0.04 (95% CI 0.02–0.09), when compared to the youngest category. The odds that a person with disability from the highest category of education will use the Internet were 18 times higher than in the case of persons with only basic education (OR 18.17, 95% CI 11.70–28.21). Common predictors of online activities (accessing websites of public institutions, checking and sending emails, publishing own content on the Internet) included age category and net income. Conclusions People with disabilities in Poland are facing a significant digital divide. The factors determining the use of the Internet in this group are similar to those of the general population. On the other hand, people with disabilities who are active online, access diversified types of services including presentation of their own content online. PMID:28662125

Usage of E-Learning Tools: A Gap in Existing Teacher Education Curricula in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gupta, Deepty; Singh, Gaurav

2014-01-01

In India, usage of internet in education is not an innovation, but it is still considered to be in initial stages. Government of India has taken a lot of initiatives for the implementation of e-learning at all the levels of education from past many years, but still teacher education programmes around the nation continue to be challenged to prepare…

Is there a “net generation” in veterinary medicine? A comparative study on the use of the Internet and Web 2.0 by students and the veterinary profession

PubMed Central

Tenhaven, Christoph; Tipold, Andrea; Fischer, Martin R.; Ehlers, Jan P.

2013-01-01

Introduction: Informal and formal lifelong learning is essential at university and in the workplace. Apart from classical learning techniques, Web 2.0 tools can be used. It is controversial whether there is a so-called net generation amongst people under 30. Aims: To test the hypothesis that a net generation among students and young veterinarians exists. Methods: An online survey of students and veterinarians was conducted in the German-speaking countries which was advertised via online media and traditional print media. Results: 1780 people took part in the survey. Students and veterinarians have different usage patterns regarding social networks (91.9% vs. 69%) and IM (55.9% vs. 24.5%). All tools were predominantly used passively and in private, to a lesser extent also professionally and for studying. Outlook: The use of Web 2.0 tools is useful, however, teaching information and media skills, preparing codes of conduct for the internet and verification of user generated content is essential. PMID:23467682

Validity of the Malay version of the Internet Addiction Test: a study on a group of medical students in Malaysia.

PubMed

Guan, Ng Chong; Isa, Saramah Mohammed; Hashim, Aili Hanim; Pillai, Subash Kumar; Harbajan Singh, Manveen Kaur

2015-03-01

The use of the Internet has been increasing dramatically over the decade in Malaysia. Excessive usage of the Internet has lead to a phenomenon called Internet addiction. There is a need for a reliable, valid, and simple-to-use scale to measure Internet addiction in the Malaysian population for clinical practice and research purposes. The aim of this study was to validate the Malay version of the Internet Addiction Test, using a sample of 162 medical students. The instrument displayed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .91), parallel reliability (intraclass coefficient = .88, P < .001), and concurrent validity with the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (Pearson's correlation = .84, P < .001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that 43 was the optimal cutoff score to discriminate students with and without Internet dependence. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation identified a 5-factor model. The Malay version of the Internet Addiction Test appeared to be a valid instrument for assessing Internet addiction in Malaysian university students. © 2012 APJPH.

The Impact of Internet Use for Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puspita, R. H.; Rohedi, D.

2018-02-01

Development of Internet technology increasingly modern and sophisticated not only benefit users but also have an effect that is not good for users, especially among students, from a study of 120 students sampled, Internet usage will become addicted and more likely to ha-case negative and less support in learning activities. This is evident from the results of research using the Internet for social media as much as 82 respondents or 68.33% answered always and 50 respondents or 41.67% answered frequently, use for online gaming activity, response of 120 respondents 65 respondents or 54, 17% answered always utilize the internet for online games, 50 respondents or 41.67% answered frequently use the internet for online games, while utilizing the Internet for watch youtube, 56 respondents or 46.67% answered frequently use the Internet to watch youtube and 62 respondents or 51.67% always use the Internet to watch youtube, answers of 120 respondents 41 respondents or 34.17% answered rarely use the Internet to learn and seek information

Problematic Internet use in Chinese adolescents and its relation to psychosomatic symptoms and life satisfaction

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Problematic Internet use (PIU) is a growing problem in Chinese adolescents. Little is known about associations of PIU with physical and psychological health. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of PIU and to test the relationships between PIU and psychosomatic symptoms and life satisfaction among adolescents in mainland China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted comprising a large representative sample of 17 599 students in eight cities of China. PIU was assessed by the 20-item Young Internet Addiction Test (YIAT). The Multidimensional Sub-health Questionnaire of Adolescents and the Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale were administered to obtain information on psychosomatic symptoms and life satisfaction. Demographics and Internet usage patterns were also collected. Logistic regression was used to assess the effects of PIU on psychosomatic symptoms and life satisfaction. Results Approximately 8.1% of subjects showed PIU. Adolescents with PIU were associated with males, high school students, urban, eastern and western areas, upper self-report family economy, service type mostly used for entertainment and relieving loneliness and more frequency of Internet use. Compared with normal Internet users, adolescents with PIU were more likely to suffer from psychosomatic symptoms (P < 0.001), including lack of physical energy (P < 0.001), physiological dysfunction (P < 0.001), weakened immunity (P < 0.001), emotional symptoms (P < 0.001), behavioural symptoms (P < 0.001) and social adaptation problems (P < 0.001). Adolescents with PIU had lower scores on total and all dimensions of life satisfaction (all P < 0.001). Adjusted for the demographic and Internet-related factors, there was positive significant relationship between PIU and psychosomatic symptoms, but negatively related to life satisfaction. Conclusions PIU is common among Chinese students, and PIU was significantly associated with psychosomatic symptoms and life satisfaction. Effective measures are needed to prevent the spread of this problem and interventions to prevent the effects of PIU on psychosomatic symptoms and life satisfaction should be conducted as early as possible. PMID:21995654

Methodological issues in the recruitment of ethnic minority subjects to research via the Internet: a discussion paper.

PubMed

Im, Eun-Ok; Chee, Wonshik

2005-11-01

In this paper, issues in Internet recruitment of ethnic minorities in the US are explored through an analysis of an Internet survey study. The issues include those related to: (a) the difficulties in ensuring authenticity; (b) a lack of cooperation by gate keepers; (c) the flexibility required in the recruitment process; (d) a very low response rate; and (e) selected groups of ethnic minorities. Based on the discussions on the issues, we propose regular updates of knowledge and skills related to Internet interactions and technologies, usage of multiple recruitment sources, pluralistic recruitment approaches, and a quota sampling method.

Analysis of Synonymous Codon Usage Bias of Zika Virus and Its Adaption to the Hosts

PubMed Central

Wang, Hongju; Liu, Siqing; Zhang, Bo

2016-01-01

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus (arbovirus) in the family Flaviviridae, and the symptoms caused by ZIKV infection in humans include rash, fever, arthralgia, myalgia, asthenia and conjunctivitis. Codon usage bias analysis can reveal much about the molecular evolution and host adaption of ZIKV. To gain insight into the evolutionary characteristics of ZIKV, we performed a comprehensive analysis on the codon usage pattern in 46 ZIKV strains by calculating the effective number of codons (ENc), codon adaptation index (CAI), relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU), and other indicators. The results indicate that the codon usage bias of ZIKV is relatively low. Several lines of evidence support the hypothesis that translational selection plays a role in shaping the codon usage pattern of ZIKV. The results from a correspondence analysis (CA) indicate that other factors, such as base composition, aromaticity, and hydrophobicity may also be involved in shaping the codon usage pattern of ZIKV. Additionally, the results from a comparative analysis of RSCU between ZIKV and its hosts suggest that ZIKV tends to evolve codon usage patterns that are comparable to those of its hosts. Moreover, selection pressure from Homo sapiens on the ZIKV RSCU patterns was found to be dominant compared with that from Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Taken together, both natural translational selection and mutation pressure are important for shaping the codon usage pattern of ZIKV. Our findings contribute to understanding the evolution of ZIKV and its adaption to its hosts. PMID:27893824

High mobile phone ownership, but low internet and email usage among pregnant, HIV-infected women attending antenatal care in Johannesburg

PubMed Central

Clouse, Kate; Schwartz, Sheree R.; Van Rie, Annelies; Bassett, Jean; Vermund, Sten H.; Pettifor, Audrey E.

2016-01-01

Summary We investigated mobile phone usage amongst HIV-positive pregnant women attending antenatal services in a primary care clinic in Johannesburg (n=50). We conducted a semi-structured interview and asked them about their mobile phone, Internet and email use. The median age of the women was 28 years, 36% had moved one or more times in the past year, and most were employed or recently employed, albeit earning low wages. Nearly all women (94%) reported that they did not share their phone and 76% of the SIM cards were registered to the woman herself. The median time with the current phone was one year (range 1 month–6 years) and the median time with the current phone number was three years (range 1 month–13 years). Even though 42% of the participants were from outside South Africa, they all had mobile phone numbers local to South Africa. About one-third of respondents reported Internet use (30%) and about one-fifth reported using email (18%). Overall, 20% accessed the Internet and 10% accessed email on their mobile phone. Mobile phone interventions are feasible amongst HIV-positive pregnant women and may be useful in prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). Email and Internet-based interventions may not yet be appropriate. PMID:25586808

High mobile phone ownership, but low Internet and email usage among pregnant, HIV-infected women attending antenatal care in Johannesburg.

PubMed

Clouse, Kate; Schwartz, Sheree R; Van Rie, Annelies; Bassett, Jean; Vermund, Sten H; Pettifor, Audrey E

2015-03-01

We investigated mobile phone usage amongst HIV-positive pregnant women attending antenatal services in a primary care clinic in Johannesburg (n = 50). We conducted a semi-structured interview and asked them about their mobile phone, Internet and email use. The median age of the women was 28 years, 36% had moved one or more times in the past year, and most were employed or recently employed, albeit earning low wages. Nearly all women (94%) reported that they did not share their phone and 76% of the SIM cards were registered to the woman herself. The median time with the current phone was one year (range 1 month-6 years) and the median time with the current phone number was three years (range 1 month-13 years). Even though 42% of the participants were from outside South Africa, they all had mobile phone numbers local to South Africa. About one-third of respondents reported Internet use (30%) and about one-fifth reported using email (18%). Overall, 20% accessed the Internet and 10% accessed email on their mobile phone. Mobile phone interventions are feasible amongst HIV-positive pregnant women and may be useful in prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). Email and Internet-based interventions may not yet be appropriate. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Measuring the global information society - explaining digital inequality by economic level and education standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ünver, H.

2017-02-01

A main focus of this research paper is to investigate on the explanation of the ‘digital inequality’ or ‘digital divide’ by economic level and education standard of about 150 countries worldwide. Inequality regarding GDP per capita, literacy and the so-called UN Education Index seem to be important factors affecting ICT usage, in particular Internet penetration, mobile phone usage and also mobile Internet services. Empirical methods and (multivariate) regression analysis with linear and non-linear functions are useful methods to measure some crucial factors of a country or culture towards becoming information and knowledge based society. Overall, the study concludes that the convergence regarding ICT usage proceeds worldwide faster than the convergence in terms of economic wealth and education in general. The results based on a large data analysis show that the digital divide is declining over more than a decade between 2000 and 2013, since more people worldwide use mobile phones and the Internet. But a high digital inequality explained to a significant extent by the functional relation between technology penetration rates, education level and average income still exists. Furthermore it supports the actions of countries at UN/G20/OECD level for providing ICT access to all people for a more balanced world in context of sustainable development by postulating that policymakers need to promote comprehensive education worldwide by means of using ICT.

Reciprocal Associations between Electronic Media Use and Behavioral Difficulties in Preschoolers.

PubMed

Poulain, Tanja; Vogel, Mandy; Neef, Madlen; Abicht, Franziska; Hilbert, Anja; Genuneit, Jon; Körner, Antje; Kiess, Wieland

2018-04-21

The use of electronic media has increased substantially and is already observable in young children. The present study explored associations of preschoolers’ use of electronic media with age, gender, and socio-economic status, investigated time trends, and examined reciprocal longitudinal relations between children’s use of electronic media and their behavioral difficulties. The study participants included 527 German two- to six-year-old children whose parents had provided information on their use of electronic media and their behavioral difficulties at two time points, with approximately 12 months between baseline and follow-up. The analyses revealed that older vs. younger children, as well as children from families with a lower vs. higher socio-economic status, were more often reported to use electronic media. Furthermore, the usage of mobile phones increased significantly between 2011 and 2016. Most interestingly, baseline usage of computer/Internet predicted more emotional and conduct problems at follow-up, and baseline usage of mobile phones was associated with more conduct problems and hyperactivity or inattention at follow-up. Peer relationship problems at baseline, on the other hand, increased the likelihood of using computer/Internet and mobile phones at follow-up. The findings indicate that preschoolers’ use of electronic media, especially newer media such as computer/Internet and mobile phones, and their behavioral difficulties are mutually related over time.

Reciprocal Associations between Electronic Media Use and Behavioral Difficulties in Preschoolers

PubMed Central

Vogel, Mandy; Neef, Madlen; Abicht, Franziska; Hilbert, Anja; Körner, Antje; Kiess, Wieland

2018-01-01

The use of electronic media has increased substantially and is already observable in young children. The present study explored associations of preschoolers’ use of electronic media with age, gender, and socio-economic status, investigated time trends, and examined reciprocal longitudinal relations between children’s use of electronic media and their behavioral difficulties. The study participants included 527 German two- to six-year-old children whose parents had provided information on their use of electronic media and their behavioral difficulties at two time points, with approximately 12 months between baseline and follow-up. The analyses revealed that older vs. younger children, as well as children from families with a lower vs. higher socio-economic status, were more often reported to use electronic media. Furthermore, the usage of mobile phones increased significantly between 2011 and 2016. Most interestingly, baseline usage of computer/Internet predicted more emotional and conduct problems at follow-up, and baseline usage of mobile phones was associated with more conduct problems and hyperactivity or inattention at follow-up. Peer relationship problems at baseline, on the other hand, increased the likelihood of using computer/Internet and mobile phones at follow-up. The findings indicate that preschoolers’ use of electronic media, especially newer media such as computer/Internet and mobile phones, and their behavioral difficulties are mutually related over time. PMID:29690498

Reconsidering the Rhizome: A Textual Analysis of Web Search Engines as Gatekeepers of the Internet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, A.

Critical theorists have often drawn from Deleuze and Guattari's notion of the rhizome when discussing the potential of the Internet. While the Internet may structurally appear as a rhizome, its day-to-day usage by millions via search engines precludes experiencing the random interconnectedness and potential democratizing function. Through a textual analysis of four search engines, I argue that Web searching has grown hierarchies, or "trees," that organize data in tracts of knowledge and place users in marketing niches rather than assist in the development of new knowledge.

Smartphone dependence classification using tensor factorization

PubMed Central

Kim, Yejin; Yook, In Hye; Yu, Hwanjo; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-01-01

Excessive smartphone use causes personal and social problems. To address this issue, we sought to derive usage patterns that were directly correlated with smartphone dependence based on usage data. This study attempted to classify smartphone dependence using a data-driven prediction algorithm. We developed a mobile application to collect smartphone usage data. A total of 41,683 logs of 48 smartphone users were collected from March 8, 2015, to January 8, 2016. The participants were classified into the control group (SUC) or the addiction group (SUD) using the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale for Adults (S-Scale) and a face-to-face offline interview by a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist (SUC = 23 and SUD = 25). We derived usage patterns using tensor factorization and found the following six optimal usage patterns: 1) social networking services (SNS) during daytime, 2) web surfing, 3) SNS at night, 4) mobile shopping, 5) entertainment, and 6) gaming at night. The membership vectors of the six patterns obtained a significantly better prediction performance than the raw data. For all patterns, the usage times of the SUD were much longer than those of the SUC. From our findings, we concluded that usage patterns and membership vectors were effective tools to assess and predict smartphone dependence and could provide an intervention guideline to predict and treat smartphone dependence based on usage data. PMID:28636614

Social Media and Implication for Education: Case Study in Faculty of Technology and Science Universitas Buddhi Dharma, Tangerang, Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mardiana, Harisa

2016-01-01

Nowadays, people have demonstrated the same amount of internet usage, and surprisingly, students have demonstrated more and have consumed a lot of time of using social media site. Not only the college students but also the educators, and they believe about social media sites because in general social media and the internet were very helpful; they…

National Survey of Internet Usage: Teachers, Computer Coordinators, and School Librarians, Grades 3-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Market Data Retrieval, Inc., Shelton, CT.

A study was conducted to assess the number and type of schools and educators who use the Internet/World Wide Web. The national survey was conducted in November and December of 1996, and included 6,000 teachers, computer coordinators, and school librarians currently working in grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. At the elementary level, classroom teachers…

Real World Use of an Internet Intervention for Pediatric Encopresis

PubMed Central

Ardalan, Kaveh; Thorndike, Frances P; Magee, Joshua C; Saylor, Drew K; Cox, Daniel J; Sutphen, James L; Borowitz, Stephen M

2008-01-01

Background The Internet is a significant source of medical information and is now being shown to be an important conduit for delivering various health-related interventions. Objective This paper aimed to examine the utility and impact of an Internet intervention for childhood encopresis as part of standard medical care in a “real world” setting. Methods Patients diagnosed with encopresis were given a Web-based information prescription to use an Internet intervention for pediatric encopresis. A total of 22 families utilized the intervention between July 2004 and June 2006. A chart review and phone interview were undertaken to collect user characteristics; defecation-related information, including frequency of soiling, bowel movements (BMs) in the toilet, and amount of pain associated with defecation; and information on computer/Internet usage. Three questionnaires were used to examine the utility of, impact of, and adherence to the Internet intervention. Program utilization was obtained from a data tracking system that monitored usage in real time. Results Overall, parents rated the Internet intervention as enjoyable, understandable, and easy to use. They indicated that the Internet intervention positively affected their children, decreasing overall accidents and increasing child comfort on the toilet at home. Of the 20 children who initially reported fecal accidents, 19 (95%) experienced at least a 50% improvement, with a reduction of accident frequency from one fecal accident per day to one accident per week. Although it is not clear whether this improvement is directly related to the use of the Internet intervention, patient feedback suggests that the program was an important element, further establishing Internet interventions as a viable and desirable addition to standard medical care for pediatric encopresis. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first time a pediatric Internet intervention has been examined as part of a “real world” setting. This is an important step toward establishing Internet interventions as an adjunctive component to treatment of pediatric patients in a clinical setting, particularly given the positive user feedback, possible cost savings, and significant potential for large-scale dissemination. PMID:18653440

Self-reported dependence on mobile phones in young adults: A European cross-cultural empirical survey

PubMed Central

Lopez-Fernandez, Olatz; Kuss, Daria J.; Romo, Lucia; Morvan, Yannick; Kern, Laurence; Graziani, Pierluigi; Rousseau, Amélie; Rumpf, Hans-Jürgen; Bischof, Anja; Gässler, Ann-Kathrin; Schimmenti, Adriano; Passanisi, Alessia; Männikkö, Niko; Kääriänen, Maria; Demetrovics, Zsolt; Király, Orsolya; Chóliz, Mariano; Zacarés, Juan José; Serra, Emilia; Griffiths, Mark D.; Pontes, Halley M.; Lelonek-Kuleta, Bernadeta; Chwaszcz, Joanna; Zullino, Daniele; Rochat, Lucien; Achab, Sophia; Billieux, Joël

2017-01-01

Background and aims Despite many positive benefits, mobile phone use can be associated with harmful and detrimental behaviors. The aim of this study was twofold: to examine (a) cross-cultural patterns of perceived dependence on mobile phones in ten European countries, first, grouped in four different regions (North: Finland and UK; South: Spain and Italy; East: Hungary and Poland; West: France, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland), and second by country, and (b) how socio-demographics, geographic differences, mobile phone usage patterns, and associated activities predicted this perceived dependence. Methods A sample of 2,775 young adults (aged 18–29 years) were recruited in different European Universities who participated in an online survey. Measures included socio-demographic variables, patterns of mobile phone use, and the dependence subscale of a short version of the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire (PMPUQ; Billieux, Van der Linden, & Rochat, 2008). Results The young adults from the Northern and Southern regions reported the heaviest use of mobile phones, whereas perceived dependence was less prevalent in the Eastern region. However, the proportion of highly dependent mobile phone users was more elevated in Belgium, UK, and France. Regression analysis identified several risk factors for increased scores on the PMPUQ dependence subscale, namely using mobile phones daily, being female, engaging in social networking, playing video games, shopping and viewing TV shows through the Internet, chatting and messaging, and using mobile phones for downloading-related activities. Discussion and conclusions Self-reported dependence on mobile phone use is influenced by frequency and specific application usage. PMID:28425777

Self-reported dependence on mobile phones in young adults: A European cross-cultural empirical survey.

PubMed

Lopez-Fernandez, Olatz; Kuss, Daria J; Romo, Lucia; Morvan, Yannick; Kern, Laurence; Graziani, Pierluigi; Rousseau, Amélie; Rumpf, Hans-Jürgen; Bischof, Anja; Gässler, Ann-Kathrin; Schimmenti, Adriano; Passanisi, Alessia; Männikkö, Niko; Kääriänen, Maria; Demetrovics, Zsolt; Király, Orsolya; Chóliz, Mariano; Zacarés, Juan José; Serra, Emilia; Griffiths, Mark D; Pontes, Halley M; Lelonek-Kuleta, Bernadeta; Chwaszcz, Joanna; Zullino, Daniele; Rochat, Lucien; Achab, Sophia; Billieux, Joël

2017-06-01

Background and aims Despite many positive benefits, mobile phone use can be associated with harmful and detrimental behaviors. The aim of this study was twofold: to examine (a) cross-cultural patterns of perceived dependence on mobile phones in ten European countries, first, grouped in four different regions (North: Finland and UK; South: Spain and Italy; East: Hungary and Poland; West: France, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland), and second by country, and (b) how socio-demographics, geographic differences, mobile phone usage patterns, and associated activities predicted this perceived dependence. Methods A sample of 2,775 young adults (aged 18-29 years) were recruited in different European Universities who participated in an online survey. Measures included socio-demographic variables, patterns of mobile phone use, and the dependence subscale of a short version of the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire (PMPUQ; Billieux, Van der Linden, & Rochat, 2008). Results The young adults from the Northern and Southern regions reported the heaviest use of mobile phones, whereas perceived dependence was less prevalent in the Eastern region. However, the proportion of highly dependent mobile phone users was more elevated in Belgium, UK, and France. Regression analysis identified several risk factors for increased scores on the PMPUQ dependence subscale, namely using mobile phones daily, being female, engaging in social networking, playing video games, shopping and viewing TV shows through the Internet, chatting and messaging, and using mobile phones for downloading-related activities. Discussion and conclusions Self-reported dependence on mobile phone use is influenced by frequency and specific application usage.

Barriers and facilitators to home computer and internet use among urban novice computer users of low socioeconomic position.

PubMed

Kontos, Emily Z; Bennett, Gary G; Viswanath, K

2007-10-22

Despite the increasing penetration of the Internet and amount of online health information, there are significant barriers that limit its widespread adoption as a source of health information. One is the "digital divide," with people of higher socioeconomic position (SEP) demonstrating greater access and usage compared to those from lower SEP groups. However, as the access gap narrows over time and more people use the Internet, a shift in research needs to occur to explore how one might improve Internet use as well as website design for a range of audiences. This is particularly important in the case of novice users who may not have the technical skills, experience, or social connections that could help them search for health information using the Internet. The focus of our research is to investigate the challenges in the implementation of a project to improve health information seeking among low SEP groups. The goal of the project is not to promote health information seeking as much as to understand the barriers and facilitators to computer and Internet use, beyond access, among members of lower SEP groups in an urban setting. The purpose was to qualitatively describe participants' self-identified barriers and facilitators to computer and Internet use during a 1-year pilot study as well as the challenges encountered by the research team in the delivery of the intervention. Between August and November 2005, 12 low-SEP urban individuals with no or limited computer and Internet experience were recruited through a snowball sampling. Each participant received a free computer system, broadband Internet access, monthly computer training courses, and technical support for 1 year as the intervention condition. Upon completion of the study, participants were offered the opportunity to complete an in-depth semistructured interview. Interviews were approximately 1 hour in length and were conducted by the project director. The interviews were held in the participants' homes and were tape recorded for accuracy. Nine of the 12 study participants completed the semistructured interviews. Members of the research team conducted a qualitative analysis based on the transcripts from the nine interviews using the crystallization/immersion method. Nine of the 12 participants completed the in-depth interview (75% overall response rate), with three men and six women agreeing to be interviewed. Major barriers to Internet use that were mentioned included time constraints and family conflict over computer usage. The monthly training classes and technical assistance components of the intervention surfaced as the most important facilitators to computer and Internet use. The concept of received social support from other study members, such as assistance with computer-related questions, also emerged as an important facilitator to overall computer usage. This pilot study offers important insights into the self-identified barriers and facilitators in computer and Internet use among urban low-SEP novice users as well as the challenges faced by the research team in implementing the intervention.

Internet health seeking behaviour of parents attending a general paediatric outpatient clinic: A cross-sectional observational study.

PubMed

Sebelefsky, Christian; Karner, Denise; Voitl, Jasmin; Klein, Frederic; Voitl, Peter; Böck, Andreas

2015-10-01

Our aim was to examine the internet health seeking behaviour of parents attending a general paediatric outpatient clinic. For this purpose, the proportion of parents going online to obtain child health information, the most commonly used online resources, and factors having an influence on internet usage were identified. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a general paediatric outpatient clinic in Vienna, Austria. Data collection was done by means of an anonymous questionnaire containing 14 items. A total number of 500 questionnaires were collected. Among parents visiting the outpatient clinic, 94.4% use the internet to obtain child health information in general and 21% to be informed about the reason for consultation. Most commonly used online resources are Google (91.4%), websites run by doctors (84.8%), Wikipedia (84.7%), health portals (76.4%), the outpatient clinic's homepage (76.4%), as well as health forums and communities (61.9%). Younger parents (p = 0.022) and parents of younger children (p < 0.01) display a higher tendency to use the internet for child health information purposes. Mothers and fathers (p = 0.151) as well as parents with different completed educational levels (mothers: p = 0.078; fathers: p = 0.388) do not differ in this behaviour. Important reasons for high internet use might be the inexperience of young parents regarding child health as well as the frequent infections, vaccinations, and preventive check-ups which are associated with young age of children. In contrast to former findings relating to health seekers in general, internet usage of parents is independent of their sex and educational level. © The Author(s) 2015.

[Analysis of how elderly internet users react to unexpected situations].

PubMed

Haesner, Marten; Steinert, Anika; O'Sullivan, Julie Lorraine; Steinhagen-Thiessen, Elisabeth

2015-12-01

Although internet usage among older adults is steadily increasing, there is still a digital divide between generations. Younger internet users seem to be more open towards new media. Recent studies showed the negative influence of computer anxiety on internet usage. It is not known how older adults deal with computer and internet issues in their home environment and which problem-solving strategies they apply. The behavior of elderly people in unexpected situations when using an internet portal was analyzed to establish whether older users can solve the problems without assistance and what individual reactions (e.g. facial expressions and gesticulations) they show during the interaction. In a clinical trial with 50 older adults aged 60 years and older various typical problems which may occur while using web platforms were simulated and user behavior was analyzed using logging data, videography and with questionnaires to measure the subjective opinion of the study participants. The study participants had severe problems in solving the tasks on their own and many of them could not find a suitable solution at all. Overall, the videography data indicated an increased concentration of the participants during the whole session, which is in contrast to the low levels of perceived mental workload reported by the participants. Regarding task completion, no differences were found between seniors with and without cognitive impairment. The results showed the serious difficulties of older adults when dealing with unexpected events while using a web platform. For developers of internet platforms for inexperienced seniors, it seems to be crucial to incorporate a simple integration of all available features within the platform, without including features requiring high multi-tasking skills.

Implementing an Internet-based communication network for use during skilled nursing facility to emergency department care transitions: challenges and opportunities for improvement.

PubMed

Hustey, Fredric M; Palmer, Robert M

2012-03-01

To explore the feasibility of implementing an Internet-based communication network for communication of health care information during skilled nursing facility (SNF)-to-ED care transitions, and to identify potential barriers to system implementation. Qualitative. The largest SNF affiliated with the ED of an urban tertiary care center. Consecutive sample of all patients transferred from SNF to ED over 8 months between June 2007 and January 2008; ED and SNF care providers. The development and implementation of an Internet-based communication network for use during SNF-to-ED care transitions. This network was developed by adapting a preexisting Internet-based system that is widely used to facilitate placement of hospitalized patients into SNFs. Internet-based SNF and ED surveys were used to help identify barriers to implementation. There were 276/276 care transitions reviewed. The Internet-based communication network was used in 76 (28%) care transitions, with usage peaking at 40% near the end of the study. Barriers to success that were identified included lack of an electronic medical record (EMR) at the SNF; pervasive negative attitudes between ED and SNF personnel; time necessary for network use during care transitions; frustration by emergency physicians at low system usage rates by SNF personnel; and additional login requirements by ED personnel. Although implementing an Internet-based network for nursing home to ED communication may be feasible, significant barriers were identified in this study that are likely generalizable to other health care settings. Understanding such barriers is an essential first step toward building successful electronic communication networks in the future. Copyright © 2012 American Medical Directors Association, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Problematic usage among highly-engaged players of massively multiplayer online role playing games.

PubMed

Peters, Christopher S; Malesky, L Alvin

2008-08-01

One popular facet of Internet gaming is the massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG). Some individuals spend so much time playing these games that it creates problems in their lives. This study focused on players of World of Warcraft. Factor analysis revealed one factor related to problematic usage, which was correlated with amount of time played, and personality characteristics of agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and extraversion.

[Medication rule for treatment of functional dyspepsia: an analysis of traditional Chinese medicine literature based on China National Knowledge Internet].

PubMed

Xiao, Hong-ling; Wu, Yuan-jie; Wang, Xiang; Li, Yi-fang; Fang, Zheng-qing

2015-10-01

By retrieving the clinical research literature of treatment functional dyspepsia by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) from January 2004 to December 2014 based on China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), we would establish a TCM decoction database for treating functional dyspepsia in this study. One hundred and sixty-four literature were included, involving 159 prescriptions, 377 medicines, in a total of 1 990 herbs. These herbs can be divided into 18 categories according to the effectiveness; and qi-regulating herbs, blood circulation herbs, and antipyretic herbs ranked top three ones according to the frequency of usage of the herbs, whose medicine usage frequency accounted for 51.81%. Usage frequency of 16 herbs was over 30, and Atractylodes, Radix, Poriaranked top three according to the usage frequency. Medicinal properties were divided into 9 kinds according to the frequency statistics, and the top three were warm, flat, and cold. Taste frequency statistics were classifiedinto 9 kinds, and the top three were acrid, sweet, and bitter. In frequency statistics of the meridian tropism of herbs, it was classifiedinto 11 kinds, and the top three were spleen, stomach, lung. The analysis can provide a reference for treatment and study of TCM of functional dyspepsia.

Technology Use Among Patients in a Nonurban Southern U.S. HIV Clinic in 2015

PubMed Central

Waldman, Ava Lena; Ritterband, Lee; Dillingham, Rebecca; Bullock, Linda; Ingersoll, Karen S.

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: Behavioral interventions can be delivered over the Internet, but nonurban subpopulations living with HIV may still have inadequate Internet access to make this feasible. Methods: We report on a survey conducted in 2015 among 150 patients receiving care at a university-based Infectious Disease Clinic serving a nonurban and rural population in central Virginia. Our aim was to determine the rate of computer, tablet, and smartphone usage, as well as Internet access, to inform the delivery of a novel intervention using Internet and mobile technology. Results: The participants' mean age was 46; 111 patients used computers, 101 used smartphones, and 41 used tablets. The results showed that 87% of patients had Internet access. Of those, 49 reported daily Internet use, while 18% reported weekly Internet use, and 33% reported less frequent Internet use. Conclusions: The survey study data suggest that Internet access among nonurban and rural patients with HIV is adequate to support trials testing Internet-delivered interventions. It is time to develop and deliver Internet interventions tailored for this often isolated subpopulation. PMID:27123688

The Relationship Between Trait Procrastination, Internet Use, and Psychological Functioning: Results From a Community Sample of German Adolescents.

PubMed

Reinecke, Leonard; Meier, Adrian; Beutel, Manfred E; Schemer, Christian; Stark, Birgit; Wölfling, Klaus; Müller, Kai W

2018-01-01

Adolescents with a strong tendency for irrational task delay (i.e., high trait procrastination) may be particularly prone to use Internet applications simultaneously to other tasks (e.g., during homework) and in an insufficiently controlled fashion. Both Internet multitasking and insufficiently controlled Internet usage may thus amplify the negative mental health implications that have frequently been associated with trait procrastination. The present study explored this role of Internet multitasking and insufficiently controlled Internet use for the relationship between trait procrastination and impaired psychological functioning in a community sample of N = 818 early and middle adolescents. Results from multiple regression analyses indicate that trait procrastination was positively related to Internet multitasking and insufficiently controlled Internet use. Insufficiently controlled Internet use, but not Internet multitasking, was found to partially statistically mediate the association between trait procrastination and adolescents' psychological functioning (i.e., stress, sleep quality, and relationship satisfaction with parents). The study underlines that adolescents with high levels of trait procrastination may have an increased risk for negative outcomes of insufficiently controlled Internet use.

The Relationship Between Trait Procrastination, Internet Use, and Psychological Functioning: Results From a Community Sample of German Adolescents

PubMed Central

Reinecke, Leonard; Meier, Adrian; Beutel, Manfred E.; Schemer, Christian; Stark, Birgit; Wölfling, Klaus; Müller, Kai W.

2018-01-01

Adolescents with a strong tendency for irrational task delay (i.e., high trait procrastination) may be particularly prone to use Internet applications simultaneously to other tasks (e.g., during homework) and in an insufficiently controlled fashion. Both Internet multitasking and insufficiently controlled Internet usage may thus amplify the negative mental health implications that have frequently been associated with trait procrastination. The present study explored this role of Internet multitasking and insufficiently controlled Internet use for the relationship between trait procrastination and impaired psychological functioning in a community sample of N = 818 early and middle adolescents. Results from multiple regression analyses indicate that trait procrastination was positively related to Internet multitasking and insufficiently controlled Internet use. Insufficiently controlled Internet use, but not Internet multitasking, was found to partially statistically mediate the association between trait procrastination and adolescents’ psychological functioning (i.e., stress, sleep quality, and relationship satisfaction with parents). The study underlines that adolescents with high levels of trait procrastination may have an increased risk for negative outcomes of insufficiently controlled Internet use. PMID:29942268

Comparing the Self-Report and Measured Smartphone Usage of College Students: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Lee, Heyoung; Ahn, Heejune; Nguyen, Trung Giang; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dae Jin

2017-03-01

Nowadays smartphone overuse has become a social and medical concern. For the diagnosis and treatment, clinicians use the self-report information, but the report data often does not match actual usage pattern. The paper examines the similarity and variance in smartphone usage patterns between the measured data and self-reported data. Together with the self-reported data, the real usage log data is collected from 35 college students in a metropolitan region of Northeast Asia, using Android smartphone monitoring application developed by the authors. The unconscious users underestimate their usage time by 40%, in spite of 15% more use in the actual usage. Messengers are most-used application regardless of their self-report, and significant preference to SNS applications was observed in addict group. The actual hourly pattern is consistent with the reported one. College students use more in the afternoon, when they have more free time and cannot use PCs. No significant difference in hourly pattern is observed between the measured and self-report. The result shows there are significant cognitive bias in actual usage patterns exists in self report of smartphone addictions. Clinicians are recommended to utilize measurement tools in diagnosis and treatment of smartphone overusing subjects.

What Are the Usage Conditions of Web 2.0 Tools Faculty of Education Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agir, Ahmet

2014-01-01

As a result of advances in technology and then the emergence of using Internet in every step of life, web that provides access to the documents such as picture, audio, animation and text in Internet started to be used. At first, web consists of only visual and text pages that couldn't enable to make user's interaction. However, it is seen that not…

A Mixed Method Case Study Investigation of the Digital Divide in West Virginia: Residential Broadband Saturation Levels and Obstacles to Adoption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Anna M.

2013-01-01

In recent decades Internet usage as a ready service in the home has become an assumed part of everyday life for most Americans. There are, however, some without residential broadband Internet service. The literature defined this circumstance as the digital divide, a phenomena that was reportedly receding, but was a greater issue in rural areas of…

Engaging Participation and Promoting Active Learning through Student Usage of the Internet to Create Notes for General Chemistry in Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Renee Monica

2017-01-01

Reported here is a study of an interactive component to General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II where a new pedagogy for taking notes in class was developed. These notes, called key word created class notes, prompted students to locate information using the Internet guided by a key word. Reference Web sites were added to a next generation of…

The Role and Implications of the Internet in Healthcare Delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broom, Alex

Drawing on a study of the Internet usage of Australian men with prostate cancer, this chapter investigates how access to information and online support affects men’s experiences of disease and, in particular, the possible implications of Internet-informed patients for the doctor/patient relationship. The data reveal that accessing information and/or support online can have a profound effect on men’s experiences of prostate cancer, providing a method of taking some control over their disease and limiting inhibitions experienced in face-to-face encounters. However, it is also clear that some medical specialists view Internet-informed patients as a challenge to their power within medical encounters and, as a result, employ disciplinary strategies that reinforce traditional patient roles and alienate patients who use the Internet.

Depression, loneliness, anger behaviours and interpersonal relationship styles in male patients admitted to internet addiction outpatient clinic in Turkey.

PubMed

Senormancı, Omer; Konkan, Ramazan; Güçlü, Oya; Senormancı, Güliz

2014-03-01

'Internet addiction' is excessive computer use that interferes with daily life of a person. We designed this study in order to evaluate the predictor effect of depression, loneliness, anger and interpersonal relationship styles for internet addiction as well as develop a model. Forty (40) male internet addicted patients were selected from our hospital's internet Addiction Outpatient Clinic. During the study, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State Trait Anger Expression Scale (STAXI), the UCLA-Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS), and the Interpersonal Relationship Styles Scale (IRSS) were used for the evaluation of the patients. The results of this study showed that the 'duration of internet use' (B=2.353, p=0.01) and STAXI 'anger in' subscale (B=1.487, p=0.01) were the predictors of internet addiction. When the clinicians suspect for the internet overuse, regulation of internet usage might be helpful. Psychiatric treatments for expressing anger and therapies that focus on validation of the feelings may be useful.

A study on Turkish adolescent's Internet use: possible predictors of Internet addiction.

PubMed

Ak, Serife; Koruklu, Nermin; Yılmaz, Yusuf

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the internet use of Turkish adolescents, with a (particular) focus on the risk of Internet addiction. A web-based questionnaire was completed by a total of 4,311 adolescents attending public high schools in grades 9-12, in a small-sized city in western Turkey. Ages ranged from 15 to 19 years, 54 percent were female and 46 percent male. The questionnaire included items on sociodemographic information, Internet usage, and a Turkish version of the Young's Internet Addiction Test. The data were analyzed in SPPS 15.0 program using the t test, the Mann-Whitney U test, correlation and hierarchic regression analysis. The findings show that, regardless of gender, Facebook ranked highest in the classification of students' purpose of Internet use; it was also found that females mainly used the Internet for communication, whereas males were more interested in playing online games and reading newspapers and magazines. The results of hierarchic regression analysis indicated that the significant predictors of the internet addiction were the presence of Internet access at home, gender, and family income levels.

What explains usage of mobile physician-rating apps? Results from a web-based questionnaire.

PubMed

Bidmon, Sonja; Terlutter, Ralf; Röttl, Johanna

2014-06-11

Consumers are increasingly accessing health-related information via mobile devices. Recently, several apps to rate and locate physicians have been released in the United States and Germany. However, knowledge about what kinds of variables explain usage of mobile physician-rating apps is still lacking. This study analyzes factors influencing the adoption of and willingness to pay for mobile physician-rating apps. A structural equation model was developed based on the Technology Acceptance Model and the literature on health-related information searches and usage of mobile apps. Relationships in the model were analyzed for moderating effects of physician-rating website (PRW) usage. A total of 1006 randomly selected German patients who had visited a general practitioner at least once in the 3 months before the beginning of the survey were randomly selected and surveyed. A total of 958 usable questionnaires were analyzed by partial least squares path modeling and moderator analyses. The suggested model yielded a high model fit. We found that perceived ease of use (PEOU) of the Internet to gain health-related information, the sociodemographic variables age and gender, and the psychographic variables digital literacy, feelings about the Internet and other Web-based applications in general, patients' value of health-related knowledgeability, as well as the information-seeking behavior variables regarding the amount of daily private Internet use for health-related information, frequency of using apps for health-related information in the past, and attitude toward PRWs significantly affected the adoption of mobile physician-rating apps. The sociodemographic variable age, but not gender, and the psychographic variables feelings about the Internet and other Web-based applications in general and patients' value of health-related knowledgeability, but not digital literacy, were significant predictors of willingness to pay. Frequency of using apps for health-related information in the past and attitude toward PRWs, but not the amount of daily Internet use for health-related information, were significant predictors of willingness to pay. The perceived usefulness of the Internet to gain health-related information and the amount of daily Internet use in general did not have any significant effect on both of the endogenous variables. The moderation analysis with the group comparisons for users and nonusers of PRWs revealed that the attitude toward PRWs had significantly more impact on the adoption and willingness to pay for mobile physician-rating apps in the nonuser group. Important variables that contribute to the adoption of a mobile physician-rating app and the willingness to pay for it were identified. The results of this study are important for researchers because they can provide important insights about the variables that influence the acceptance of apps that allow for ratings of physicians. They are also useful for creators of mobile physician-rating apps because they can help tailor mobile physician-rating apps to the consumers' characteristics and needs.

What Explains Usage of Mobile Physician-Rating Apps? Results From a Web-Based Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Terlutter, Ralf; Röttl, Johanna

2014-01-01

Background Consumers are increasingly accessing health-related information via mobile devices. Recently, several apps to rate and locate physicians have been released in the United States and Germany. However, knowledge about what kinds of variables explain usage of mobile physician-rating apps is still lacking. Objective This study analyzes factors influencing the adoption of and willingness to pay for mobile physician-rating apps. A structural equation model was developed based on the Technology Acceptance Model and the literature on health-related information searches and usage of mobile apps. Relationships in the model were analyzed for moderating effects of physician-rating website (PRW) usage. Methods A total of 1006 randomly selected German patients who had visited a general practitioner at least once in the 3 months before the beginning of the survey were randomly selected and surveyed. A total of 958 usable questionnaires were analyzed by partial least squares path modeling and moderator analyses. Results The suggested model yielded a high model fit. We found that perceived ease of use (PEOU) of the Internet to gain health-related information, the sociodemographic variables age and gender, and the psychographic variables digital literacy, feelings about the Internet and other Web-based applications in general, patients’ value of health-related knowledgeability, as well as the information-seeking behavior variables regarding the amount of daily private Internet use for health-related information, frequency of using apps for health-related information in the past, and attitude toward PRWs significantly affected the adoption of mobile physician-rating apps. The sociodemographic variable age, but not gender, and the psychographic variables feelings about the Internet and other Web-based applications in general and patients’ value of health-related knowledgeability, but not digital literacy, were significant predictors of willingness to pay. Frequency of using apps for health-related information in the past and attitude toward PRWs, but not the amount of daily Internet use for health-related information, were significant predictors of willingness to pay. The perceived usefulness of the Internet to gain health-related information and the amount of daily Internet use in general did not have any significant effect on both of the endogenous variables. The moderation analysis with the group comparisons for users and nonusers of PRWs revealed that the attitude toward PRWs had significantly more impact on the adoption and willingness to pay for mobile physician-rating apps in the nonuser group. Conclusions Important variables that contribute to the adoption of a mobile physician-rating app and the willingness to pay for it were identified. The results of this study are important for researchers because they can provide important insights about the variables that influence the acceptance of apps that allow for ratings of physicians. They are also useful for creators of mobile physician-rating apps because they can help tailor mobile physician-rating apps to the consumers’ characteristics and needs. PMID:24918859

Internet bullying.

PubMed

Donnerstein, Ed

2012-06-01

There is substantial literature on the impact of the mass media on children's and adolescents' health and development. The question of what role new technology plays in the media's influence is now a subject of both review and discussion, particularly regarding health risks and intervention. This article takes a brief look at online usage and the theoretical mechanisms that might make Internet access more problematic in terms of risks, compared with more traditional media such as television and film. One of these risks, known today as cyberbullying or Internet harassment, is scrutinized in detail. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Motivations to play specifically predict excessive involvement in massively multiplayer online role-playing games: evidence from an online survey.

PubMed

Zanetta Dauriat, Francesca; Zermatten, Ariane; Billieux, Joël; Thorens, Gabriel; Bondolfi, Guido; Zullino, Daniele; Khazaal, Yasser

2011-01-01

Several studies have linked massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) with possible problematic usage or internet addiction. The main goal of the present study was to assess links between motivations to play in MMORPGs and addictive involvement in such types of games. A total of 696 gamers responded to an online survey. Five distinct motivations to play were identified in gamers: achievement, socializing, immersion, relaxing and escaping. Multiple regression analysis revealed that addictive MMORPG use patterns are predicted by achievement, escapism and socializing motives. Gender was also a significant predictor of problematic involvement in MMORPGs. Moreover, addictive MMORPG use positively correlated with the weekly time devoted to playing MMORPGs. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Comparing the Self-Report and Measured Smartphone Usage of College Students: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Lee, Heyoung; Nguyen, Trung Giang; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dae Jin

2017-01-01

Objective Nowadays smartphone overuse has become a social and medical concern. For the diagnosis and treatment, clinicians use the self-report information, but the report data often does not match actual usage pattern. The paper examines the similarity and variance in smartphone usage patterns between the measured data and self-reported data. Methods Together with the self-reported data, the real usage log data is collected from 35 college students in a metropolitan region of Northeast Asia, using Android smartphone monitoring application developed by the authors. Results The unconscious users underestimate their usage time by 40%, in spite of 15% more use in the actual usage. Messengers are most-used application regardless of their self-report, and significant preference to SNS applications was observed in addict group. The actual hourly pattern is consistent with the reported one. College students use more in the afternoon, when they have more free time and cannot use PCs. No significant difference in hourly pattern is observed between the measured and self-report. Conclusion The result shows there are significant cognitive bias in actual usage patterns exists in self report of smartphone addictions. Clinicians are recommended to utilize measurement tools in diagnosis and treatment of smartphone overusing subjects. PMID:28326119

[Internet use and pathological internet engagement in a sample of college students].

PubMed

Tsouvelas, G; Giotakos, O

2011-01-01

Recent studies indicate multiple consequences of pathologically excessive internet use. This study investigated the correlate of internet usage, with pathological internet engagement. Participants were 514 college students from the University of Athens who completed a questionnaire covering various aspects of internet use, Young's Internet Addiction Test, scales investigating online gambling addiction and cybersexual addiction and scales investigating suicidal ideation and the use of psychoactive substances. We found that the daily Internet use (b=0,38, t=10,38, p<0,001), the use of interactive online games (b=0,21, t=5,15, p<0,001), making acquaintances on the internet (b=0,20, t=5,11, p<0,001) and the participation in online forums (b=0,15, t=3,64, p<0,001) account for 42% of the variance of pathological internet engagement. Subjects at risk for developing pathological internet engagement had significantly higher levels of online gambling addiction, cybersexual addiction, suicidal ideation and alcohol abuse, compared with other groups. Pathological internet engagement, particularly in young people, is a new psychopathological parameter that should be incorporated in the diagnostic and therapeutic horizon of mental health professionals.

Characterizing Internet Searchers of Smoking Cessation Information

PubMed Central

Graham, Amanda L

2006-01-01

Background The Internet is a viable channel to deliver evidence-based smoking cessation treatment that has the potential to make a large population impact on reducing smoking prevalence. There is high demand for smoking cessation information and support on the Internet. Approximately 7% (10.2 million) of adult American Internet users have searched for information on quitting smoking. Little is known about these individuals, their smoking status, what type of cessation services they are seeking on the Internet, or how frequently these searches for cessation information are conducted. Objective The primary goal of this study was to characterize individuals who search for smoking cessation information on the Internet to determine appropriate triage and treatment strategies. The secondary goal was to estimate the incidence of searches for cessation information using publicly available search engine data. Methods We recruited individuals who clicked on a link to a leading smoking cessation website (QuitNet) from within the results of a search engine query. Individuals were “intercepted” before seeing the QuitNet home page and were invited to participate in the study. Those accepting the invitation were routed to an online survey about demographics, smoking characteristics, preferences for specific cessation services, and Internet search patterns. To determine the generalizability of our sample, national datasets on search engine usage patterns, market share, and keyword rankings were examined. These datasets were then used to estimate the number of queries for smoking cessation information each year. Results During the 10-day study period, 2265 individuals were recruited and 29% (N = 655) responded. Of these, 59% were female and overall tended to be younger than the previously characterized general Internet population. Most (76%) respondents were current smokers; 17% had quit within the last 7 days, and 7% had quit more than 7 days ago. Slightly more than half of active smokers (53%) indicated that they were planning to quit in the next 30 days. Smokers were more likely to seek information on how to quit and on medications; former smokers were more interested in how to cope with withdrawal. All participants rated withdrawal information and individually tailored information as being more useful, while displaying little interest in telephone counseling, expert support, or peer support. Publicly available data from large search engines suggest that 4 million Americans search for resources on smoking cessation each year. Conclusions This study adds to the limited data available on individuals who search for smoking cessation information on the Internet, supports the prior estimates of the size of the population, and indicates that these individuals are in appropriate stages for both active cessation interventions and aggressive relapse prevention efforts. Continued development and evaluation of online interventions is warranted, and organizations seeking to promote cessation should carefully evaluate the Internet as a possible modality for treatment and as a gateway to other traditional programs. PMID:17032633

Barriers and Facilitators to Home Computer and Internet Use Among Urban Novice Computer Users of Low Socioeconomic Position

PubMed Central

Bennett, Gary G; Viswanath, K

2007-01-01

Background Despite the increasing penetration of the Internet and amount of online health information, there are significant barriers that limit its widespread adoption as a source of health information. One is the “digital divide,” with people of higher socioeconomic position (SEP) demonstrating greater access and usage compared to those from lower SEP groups. However, as the access gap narrows over time and more people use the Internet, a shift in research needs to occur to explore how one might improve Internet use as well as website design for a range of audiences. This is particularly important in the case of novice users who may not have the technical skills, experience, or social connections that could help them search for health information using the Internet. The focus of our research is to investigate the challenges in the implementation of a project to improve health information seeking among low SEP groups. The goal of the project is not to promote health information seeking as much as to understand the barriers and facilitators to computer and Internet use, beyond access, among members of lower SEP groups in an urban setting. Objective The purpose was to qualitatively describe participants’ self-identified barriers and facilitators to computer and Internet use during a 1-year pilot study as well as the challenges encountered by the research team in the delivery of the intervention. Methods Between August and November 2005, 12 low-SEP urban individuals with no or limited computer and Internet experience were recruited through a snowball sampling. Each participant received a free computer system, broadband Internet access, monthly computer training courses, and technical support for 1 year as the intervention condition. Upon completion of the study, participants were offered the opportunity to complete an in-depth semistructured interview. Interviews were approximately 1 hour in length and were conducted by the project director. The interviews were held in the participants’ homes and were tape recorded for accuracy. Nine of the 12 study participants completed the semistructured interviews. Members of the research team conducted a qualitative analysis based on the transcripts from the nine interviews using the crystallization/immersion method. Results Nine of the 12 participants completed the in-depth interview (75% overall response rate), with three men and six women agreeing to be interviewed. Major barriers to Internet use that were mentioned included time constraints and family conflict over computer usage. The monthly training classes and technical assistance components of the intervention surfaced as the most important facilitators to computer and Internet use. The concept of received social support from other study members, such as assistance with computer-related questions, also emerged as an important facilitator to overall computer usage. Conclusions This pilot study offers important insights into the self-identified barriers and facilitators in computer and Internet use among urban low-SEP novice users as well as the challenges faced by the research team in implementing the intervention. PMID:17951215

Media multitasking behavior: concurrent television and computer usage.

PubMed

Brasel, S Adam; Gips, James

2011-09-01

Changes in the media landscape have made simultaneous usage of the computer and television increasingly commonplace, but little research has explored how individuals navigate this media multitasking environment. Prior work suggests that self-insight may be limited in media consumption and multitasking environments, reinforcing a rising need for direct observational research. A laboratory experiment recorded both younger and older individuals as they used a computer and television concurrently, multitasking across television and Internet content. Results show that individuals are attending primarily to the computer during media multitasking. Although gazes last longer on the computer when compared to the television, the overall distribution of gazes is strongly skewed toward very short gazes only a few seconds in duration. People switched between media at an extreme rate, averaging more than 4 switches per min and 120 switches over the 27.5-minute study exposure. Participants had little insight into their switching activity and recalled their switching behavior at an average of only 12 percent of their actual switching rate revealed in the objective data. Younger individuals switched more often than older individuals, but other individual differences such as stated multitasking preference and polychronicity had little effect on switching patterns or gaze duration. This overall pattern of results highlights the importance of exploring new media environments, such as the current drive toward media multitasking, and reinforces that self-monitoring, post hoc surveying, and lay theory may offer only limited insight into how individuals interact with media.

Media Multitasking Behavior: Concurrent Television and Computer Usage

PubMed Central

Gips, James

2011-01-01

Abstract Changes in the media landscape have made simultaneous usage of the computer and television increasingly commonplace, but little research has explored how individuals navigate this media multitasking environment. Prior work suggests that self-insight may be limited in media consumption and multitasking environments, reinforcing a rising need for direct observational research. A laboratory experiment recorded both younger and older individuals as they used a computer and television concurrently, multitasking across television and Internet content. Results show that individuals are attending primarily to the computer during media multitasking. Although gazes last longer on the computer when compared to the television, the overall distribution of gazes is strongly skewed toward very short gazes only a few seconds in duration. People switched between media at an extreme rate, averaging more than 4 switches per min and 120 switches over the 27.5-minute study exposure. Participants had little insight into their switching activity and recalled their switching behavior at an average of only 12 percent of their actual switching rate revealed in the objective data. Younger individuals switched more often than older individuals, but other individual differences such as stated multitasking preference and polychronicity had little effect on switching patterns or gaze duration. This overall pattern of results highlights the importance of exploring new media environments, such as the current drive toward media multitasking, and reinforces that self-monitoring, post hoc surveying, and lay theory may offer only limited insight into how individuals interact with media. PMID:21381969

Multiple Evolutionary Selections Involved in Synonymous Codon Usages in the Streptococcus agalactiae Genome.

PubMed

Ma, Yan-Ping; Ke, Hao; Liang, Zhi-Ling; Liu, Zhen-Xing; Hao, Le; Ma, Jiang-Yao; Li, Yu-Gu

2016-02-24

Streptococcus agalactiae is an important human and animal pathogen. To better understand the genetic features and evolution of S. agalactiae, multiple factors influencing synonymous codon usage patterns in S. agalactiae were analyzed in this study. A- and U-ending rich codons were used in S. agalactiae function genes through the overall codon usage analysis, indicating that Adenine (A)/Thymine (T) compositional constraints might contribute an important role to the synonymous codon usage pattern. The GC3% against the effective number of codon (ENC) value suggested that translational selection was the important factor for codon bias in the microorganism. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that (i) mutational pressure was the most important factor in shaping codon usage of all open reading frames (ORFs) in the S. agalactiae genome; (ii) strand specific mutational bias was not capable of influencing the codon usage bias in the leading and lagging strands; and (iii) gene length was not the important factor in synonymous codon usage pattern in this organism. Additionally, the high correlation between tRNA adaptation index (tAI) value and codon adaptation index (CAI), frequency of optimal codons (Fop) value, reinforced the role of natural selection for efficient translation in S. agalactiae. Comparison of synonymous codon usage pattern between S. agalactiae and susceptible hosts (human and tilapia) showed that synonymous codon usage of S. agalactiae was independent of the synonymous codon usage of susceptible hosts. The study of codon usage in S. agalactiae may provide evidence about the molecular evolution of the bacterium and a greater understanding of evolutionary relationships between S. agalactiae and its hosts.

Multiple Evolutionary Selections Involved in Synonymous Codon Usages in the Streptococcus agalactiae Genome

PubMed Central

Ma, Yan-Ping; Ke, Hao; Liang, Zhi-Ling; Liu, Zhen-Xing; Hao, Le; Ma, Jiang-Yao; Li, Yu-Gu

2016-01-01

Streptococcus agalactiae is an important human and animal pathogen. To better understand the genetic features and evolution of S. agalactiae, multiple factors influencing synonymous codon usage patterns in S. agalactiae were analyzed in this study. A- and U-ending rich codons were used in S. agalactiae function genes through the overall codon usage analysis, indicating that Adenine (A)/Thymine (T) compositional constraints might contribute an important role to the synonymous codon usage pattern. The GC3% against the effective number of codon (ENC) value suggested that translational selection was the important factor for codon bias in the microorganism. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that (i) mutational pressure was the most important factor in shaping codon usage of all open reading frames (ORFs) in the S. agalactiae genome; (ii) strand specific mutational bias was not capable of influencing the codon usage bias in the leading and lagging strands; and (iii) gene length was not the important factor in synonymous codon usage pattern in this organism. Additionally, the high correlation between tRNA adaptation index (tAI) value and codon adaptation index (CAI), frequency of optimal codons (Fop) value, reinforced the role of natural selection for efficient translation in S. agalactiae. Comparison of synonymous codon usage pattern between S. agalactiae and susceptible hosts (human and tilapia) showed that synonymous codon usage of S. agalactiae was independent of the synonymous codon usage of susceptible hosts. The study of codon usage in S. agalactiae may provide evidence about the molecular evolution of the bacterium and a greater understanding of evolutionary relationships between S. agalactiae and its hosts. PMID:26927064

Association of eHealth Literacy With Colorectal Cancer Knowledge and Screening Practice Among Internet Users in Japan

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In rapidly developing Internet-user societies, eHealth literacy has become important in promoting wellness. Although previous studies have observed that poor health literacy is associated with less knowledge and screening practice of colorectal cancer (CRC), little is known about whether eHealth literacy is associated with these variables. Objective The present study examined associations between eHealth literacy, knowledge of CRC, and CRC screening practices. Methods Data were analyzed for 2970 Japanese adults (men, 49.9%; mean age ± SD, 39.7 ± 10.9 years) who responded to an Internet-based cross-sectional survey. Knowledge of the definition of CRC, its risk factors and screening practice, previous experience of CRC screening, score on the Japanese version of the eHEALS (J-eHEALS), sociodemographic attributes (sex, age, marital status, educational attainment, and household income level), and frequency of Internet usage were obtained. Sociodemographic attributes and frequency of Internet usage were used as control variables in the multiple regression and logistic regression models. Results eHealth literacy was positively associated with CRC knowledge (β = .116, < .001), when the covariables of both eHealth literacy and CRC knowledge were used in the multiple regression model. Moreover, after controlling for sociodemographic factors, which were significantly associated with eHealth literacy and CRC screening practice, an increase of 1 point in the eHEALS score signified that participants were 1.03 times (95% CI = 1.01–1.05) more likely to undergo CRC screening. Conclusions Internet users with high eHealth literacy are more likely to have knowledge and previous screening practice related to CRC compared to those with low eHealth literacy. PMID:23149453

Association of eHealth literacy with colorectal cancer knowledge and screening practice among internet users in Japan.

PubMed

Mitsutake, Seigo; Shibata, Ai; Ishii, Kaori; Oka, Koichiro

2012-11-13

In rapidly developing Internet-user societies, eHealth literacy has become important in promoting wellness. Although previous studies have observed that poor health literacy is associated with less knowledge and screening practice of colorectal cancer (CRC), little is known about whether eHealth literacy is associated with these variables. The present study examined associations between eHealth literacy, knowledge of CRC, and CRC screening practices. Data were analyzed for 2970 Japanese adults (men, 49.9%; mean age±SD, 39.7±10.9 years) who responded to an Internet-based cross-sectional survey. Knowledge of the definition of CRC, its risk factors and screening practice, previous experience of CRC screening, score on the Japanese version of the eHEALS (J-eHEALS), sociodemographic attributes (sex, age, marital status, educational attainment, and household income level), and frequency of Internet usage were obtained. Sociodemographic attributes and frequency of Internet usage were used as control variables in the multiple regression and logistic regression models. eHealth literacy was positively associated with CRC knowledge (β=.116, <.001), when the covariables of both eHealth literacy and CRC knowledge were used in the multiple regression model. Moreover, after controlling for sociodemographic factors, which were significantly associated with eHealth literacy and CRC screening practice, an increase of 1 point in the eHEALS score signified that participants were 1.03 times (95% CI=1.01-1.05) more likely to undergo CRC screening. Internet users with high eHealth literacy are more likely to have knowledge and previous screening practice related to CRC compared to those with low eHealth literacy.

Factors influencing Internet usage in older adults (65 years and above) living in rural and urban Sweden.

PubMed

Berner, Jessica; Rennemark, Mikael; Jogréus, Claes; Anderberg, Peter; Sköldunger, Anders; Wahlberg, Maria; Elmståhl, Sölve; Berglund, Johan

2015-09-01

Older adults living in rural and urban areas have shown to distinguish themselves in technology adoption; a clearer profile of their Internet use is important in order to provide better technological and health-care solutions. Older adults' Internet use was investigated across large to midsize cities and rural Sweden. The sample consisted of 7181 older adults ranging from 59 to 100 years old. Internet use was investigated with age, education, gender, household economy, cognition, living alone/or with someone and rural/urban living. Logistic regression was used. Those living in rural areas used the Internet less than their urban counterparts. Being younger and higher educated influenced Internet use; for older urban adults, these factors as well as living with someone and having good cognitive functioning were influential. Solutions are needed to avoid the exclusion of some older adults by a society that is today being shaped by the Internet. © The Author(s) 2014.

Children's Internet use in a family context: influence on family relationships and parental mediation.

PubMed

Lee, Sook-Jung; Chae, Young-Gil

2007-10-01

We conducted a survey of 222 fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade Korean children to examine (a) whether children's Internet use influences declines in family time and family communication and (b) how parental mediation techniques are related to children's online activities. According to the findings, total time using the Internet was related to perceived declines in family time but not related to family communication. The influence of the Internet on family time and family communication differed by the type of children's online activities. The analysis of the relationship between parental mediation techniques and children's online activities indicated that parents' recommendation of useful Web sites and co-using were positively related to frequency of children's educational online activities. However, parental restrictions on time and Web sites did not alter children's actual Internet usage.

[Computer usage among primary health care physicians in the Vukovar-Srijem County].

PubMed

Iveković, Hrvoje

2002-01-01

A survey was carried out, aiming at identification of the current usage of computers among primary health care physicians of the Vukovar-Srijem County. The results indicated poor knowledge and practice concerning the computer usage among examinees: 58% of the responders are not aware of the possibilities of computer usage in a GP office and 82% have not had an opportunity to see the software specialised for usage at GP offices. The results obtained from this survey indicate that none of the examinees use computer during daily routine work at the GP office. Only 26% of the examinees have got a computer, and use it at home, mostly for text processing. The Internet is used actively by 8% of examinees. Lack of education and equipment have been identified as main obstacles in the process of introducing computers to GP offices. Positive attitude towards computer usage has been identified, representing an important stimulus towards a more active role of the health centres management in solving this problem.

Spatial Distribution of Partner-Seeking Men Who Have Sex With Men Using Geosocial Networking Apps: Epidemiologic Study.

PubMed

Algarin, Angel B; Ward, Patrick J; Christian, W Jay; Rudolph, Abby E; Holloway, Ian W; Young, April M

2018-05-31

Geosocial networking apps have made sexual partner-seeking easier for men who have sex with men, raising both challenges and opportunities for human immunodeficiency virus and sexually transmitted infection prevention and research. Most studies on men who have sex with men geosocial networking app use have been conducted in large urban areas, despite research indicating similar patterns of online- and app-based sex-seeking among men who have sex with men in rural and midsize cities. The goal of our research was to examine the spatial distribution of geosocial networking app usage and characterize areas with increasing numbers of partner-seeking men who have sex with men in a midsize city in the South. Data collection points (n=62) were spaced in 2-mile increments along 9 routes (112 miles) covering the county encompassing the city. At each point, staff logged into 3 different geosocial networking apps to record the number of geosocial networking app users within a 1-mile radius. Data were collected separately during weekday daytime (9:00 AM to 4:00 PM) and weekend nighttime (8:00 PM to 12:00 AM) hours. Empirical Bayesian kriging was used to create a raster estimating the number of app users throughout the county. Raster values were summarized for each of the county's 208 Census block groups and used as the outcome measure (ie, geosocial networking app usage). Negative binomial regression and Wilcoxon signed rank sum tests were used to examine Census block group variables (eg, median income, median age) associated with geosocial networking app usage and temporal differences in app usage, respectively. The number of geosocial networking app users within a 1-mile radius of the data collection points ranged from 0 to 36 during weekday daytime hours and 0 to 39 during weekend nighttime hours. In adjusted analyses, Census block group median income and percent Hispanic ethnicity were negatively associated with geosocial networking app usage for all 3 geosocial networking apps during weekday daytime and weekend nighttime hours. Population density and the presence of businesses were positively associated with geosocial networking app usage for all 3 geosocial networking apps during both times. In this midsize city, geosocial networking app usage was highest in areas that were more population-dense, were lower income, and had more businesses. This research is an example of how geosocial networking apps' geospatial capabilities can be used to better understand patterns of virtual partner-seeking among men who have sex with men. ©Angel B Algarin, Patrick J Ward, W Jay Christian, Abby E Rudolph, Ian W Holloway, April M Young. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 31.05.2018.

Searching for Information Online: Using Big Data to Identify the Concerns of Potential Army Recruits

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

software. For instance, such Internet search engines as Google or Yahoo! often gather anonymized data regarding the topics that people search for, as...suggesting that these and other information needs may be fur- ther reflected in usage of online search engines . Google makes aggregated and anonymized...Internet search engines such as Google or Yahoo! often gather anonymized data regarding the topics that people search for, as well as the date and

Factors associated with intention to use internet-based testing for sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Gilbert, Mark; Hottes, Travis Salway; Kerr, Thomas; Taylor, Darlene; Fairley, Christopher K; Lester, Richard; Wong, Tom; Trussler, Terry; Marchand, Rick; Shoveller, Jean; Ogilvie, Gina

2013-11-14

Internet-based testing programs are being increasingly used to reduce testing barriers for individuals at higher risk of infection, yet the population impact and potential for exacerbation of existing health inequities of these programs are not well understood. We used a large online sample of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Canada to measure acceptability of Internet-based testing and perceived advantages and disadvantages of this testing approach. We asked participants of the 2011/2012 Sex Now Survey (a serial online survey of gay and bisexual men in Canada) whether they intended to use Internet-based testing and their perceived benefits and disadvantages of use. We examined whether intention to use was associated with explanatory variables spanning (A) sociodemographics, (B) Internet and technology usage, (C) sexually transmitted infections (STI)/ human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and risk, and (D) health care access and testing, using multivariable logistic regression (variable selection using Bayesian information criterion). Overall, intention to use was high (5678/7938, 71.53%) among participants with little variation by participant characteristics. In our final model, we retained the variables related to (B) Internet and technology usage: use of Internet to cruise for sex partners (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.46, 95% CI 1.25-1.70), use of Internet to search for sexual health information (AOR 1.36, 95% CI 1.23-1.51), and mobile phone usage (AOR 1.19, 95% 1.13-1.24). We also retained the variables for (D) health care access and testing: not "out" to primary care provider (AOR 1.24, 95% CI 1.10-1.41), delayed/avoided testing due to privacy concerns (AOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.49-2.11), and delayed/avoided testing due to access issues (AOR 1.65, 95% CI 1.40-1.95). Finally, we retained the variable being HIV positive (AOR 0.56, 95% CI 0.46-0.68) or HIV status unknown (AOR 0.89, 95% CI 0.77-1.01), age <30 years (AOR 1.41, 95% CI 1.22-1.62), and identifying as bisexual (AOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.34) or straight/other (AOR 0.67, 95% CI 0.50-0.90). The greatest perceived benefits of Internet-based testing were privacy (2249/8388, 26.81%), general convenience (1701/8388, 20.28%), and being able to test at any time (1048/8388, 12.49%). The greatest perceived drawbacks were the inability to see a doctor or nurse (1507/8388, 17.97%), wanting to talk to someone about results (1430/8388, 17.97%), not wanting online results (1084/8388, 12.92%), and low trust (973/8388, 11.60%). The high and wide-ranging intention to use that we observed suggests Internet-based testing has the potential to reach into all subgroups of MSM and may be particularly appealing to those facing current barriers to accessing STI/HIV testing and who are more comfortable with technology. These findings will be used to inform the promotion and further evaluation of an Internet-based testing program currently under development in British Columbia, Canada.

Characteristics of Internet use in relation to game genre in Korean adolescents.

PubMed

Lee, Moon-Soo; Ko, Young-Hoon; Song, Hyoung-Seok; Kwon, Ku-Hyung; Lee, Hyeon-Soo; Nam, Min; Jung, In-Kwa

2007-04-01

As the number of internet users increases, a new game genre using the internet as a networking tool is emerging. Some game genres are regarded as having greater addiction potentials than others. Games and the internet are closely related. We investigated games frequently used by adolescents and classified each of them with the help of game professionals. We also examined internet use patterns to identify relationships between game genre and internet use patterns. 627 middle school and high school students (male 488, female 139) completed questionnaires concerning computer and game use patterns and Korean internet addiction scales. Game genres were divided into eight criteria (simulation, role playing game, web board, community, action, adventure, shooting, and sports). Using Korean internet addiction scales, 627 participants were divided into a normal group (474), a potential risk group (128), and a high-risk group (25). Each group showed significant differences in total internet addiction scores. We classified players into specific game users based upon the game types they most prefer. Role playing game users showed significantly higher internet addiction scores than web board and sports game users. Game and internet addictions are also connected with interpersonal relationship patterns. We suggest that users of some game genre have unique psychological addiction potentials that are different from others and that this influences both game selection and internet use.

Influence of legislations and news on Indian internet search query patterns of e-cigarettes.

PubMed

Thavarajah, Rooban; Mohandoss, Anusa Arunachalam; Ranganathan, Kannan; Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas

2017-01-01

There is a paucity of data on the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) in India. In addition, the Indian internet search pattern for ENDS has not been studied. We aimed to address this lacuna. Moreover, the influence of the tobacco legislations and news pieces on such search volume is not known. Given the fact that ENDS could cause oral lesions, these data are pertinent to dentists. Using a time series analysis, we examined the effect of tobacco-related legislations and news pieces on total search volume (TSV) from September 1, 2012, to August 31, 2016. TSV data were seasonally adjusted and analyzed using time series modeling. The TSV clocked during the month of legislations and news pieces were analyzed for their influence on search pattern of ENDS. The overall mean ± standard deviation (range) TSV was 22273.75 ± 6784.01 (12310-40510) during the study with seasonal variations. Individually, the best model for TSV-legislation and news pieces was autoregressive integrated moving average model, and when influence of legislations and news events were combined, it was the Winter's additive model. In the legislation alone model, the pre-event, event and post-event month TSV was not a better indicator of the effect, barring for post-event month of 2 nd legislation, which involved pictorial warnings on packages in the study period. Similarly, a news piece on Pan-India ban on ENDS influenced the model in the news piece model. When combined, no "events" emerged significant. These findings suggest that search for information on ENDS is increasing and that these tobacco control policies and news items, targeting tobacco usage reduction, have only a short-term effect on the rate of searching for information on ENDS.

A Prescription for Internet Access: Appealing to Middle-Aged and Older Racial and Ethnic Minorities Through Social Network Sites to Combat Colorectal Cancer.

PubMed

Lumpkins, Crystal Y; Mabachi, Natabhona; Lee, Jaehoon; Pacheco, Christina; Greiner, K Allen; Geana, Mugur

2017-07-01

The popularity and usage of social media networks or SNS (social networking sites) among American Internet users age 50 and over doubled between 2009 and 2010 and has steadily climbed. Part of this increased access may be the result of older adults who are living with a chronic disease and are reaching out for online support. Colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is among those concerns, particularly among middle-age and older minority populations where disparities exist. This exploratory study investigates information seeking behavior related to cancer factors (e.g. testing for colon cancer, cancer fatalism) and current social media usage among racial and ethnic minority groups (African American and Latinos) and Whites age 50 and older. The secondary data from the 2012 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) was analyzed to compare these populations. Results show that African Americans and Latinos were only slightly more likely to use social network sites to seek out cancer information compared to Whites. However, Whites were more likely to use the Internet to seek health information compared to African Americans and Latinos. In this sample, Whites were also more likely to be informed by a physician about CRC testing (p <.01). Whites were also more fatalistic about CRC (p<.001) and more likely to have self-reported receiving a positive diagnosis (p <.001). Implications of this study suggest that use of both traditional health information sources (physician) and the Internet (social media networks, Internet sites) have increased among older Americans and can serve as critical channels for cancer information and education.

Increasing utilization of Internet-based resources following efforts to promote evidence-based medicine: a national study in Taiwan.

PubMed

Weng, Yi-Hao; Kuo, Ken N; Yang, Chun-Yuh; Lo, Heng-Lien; Shih, Ya-Hui; Chen, Chiehfeng; Chiu, Ya-Wen

2013-01-07

Since the beginning of 2007, the National Health Research Institutes has been promoting the dissemination of evidence-based medicine (EBM). The current study examined longitudinal trends of behaviors in how hospital-based physicians and nurses have searched for medical information during the spread of EBM. Cross-sectional postal questionnaire surveys were conducted in nationally representative regional hospitals of Taiwan thrice in 2007, 2009, and 2011. Demographic data were gathered concerning gender, age, working experience, teaching appointment, academic degree, and administrative position. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine predictors and changes over time. Data from physicians and nurses were collected in 2007 (n = 1156), 2009 (n = 2975), and 2011 (n = 3999). There were significant increases in the use of four Internet-based resources - Web portals, online databases, electronic journals, and electronic books - across the three survey years among physicians and nurses (p < 0.001). Access to textbooks and printed journals, however, did not change over the 4-year study period. In addition, there were significant relationships between the usage of Internet-based resources and users' characteristics. Age and faculty position were important predictors in relation to the usage among physicians and nurses, while academic degree served as a critical factor among nurses only. Physicians and nurses used a variety of sources to look for medical information. There was a steady increase in use of Internet-based resources during the diffusion period of EBM. The findings highlight the importance of the Internet as a prominent source of medical information for main healthcare professionals.

Are Malaysian Diabetic Patients Ready to Use The New Generation of Health Care Service Delivery? A Telehealth Interest Assessment.

PubMed

Samiei, Vida; Wan Puteh, Sharifa Ezat; Abdul Manaf, Mohd Rizal; Abdul Latip, Khalib; Ismail, Aniza

2016-03-01

The idea of launching an internet-based self-management program for patients with diabetes led us to do a cross-sectional study to find out about the willingness, interest, equipment, and level of usage of computer and internet in a medium- to low-social class area and to find the feasibility of using e-telemonitoring systems for these patients. A total of 180 patients with type 2 diabetes participated in this study and fulfilled the self-administered questionnaire in Diabetes Clinic of Primary Medical Center of University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre; the response rate was 84%. We used the universal sampling method and assessed three groups of factors including sociodemographic, information and communication technology (ICT), willingness and interest, and disease factors. Our results showed that 56% of the patients with diabetes were interested to use such programs; majority of the patients were Malay, and patients in the age group of 51-60 years formed the largest group. Majority of these patients studied up to secondary level of education. Age, education, income, and money spent for checkup were significantly associated with the interest of patients with diabetes to the internet-based programs. ICT-related factors such as computer ownership, computer knowledge, access to the internet, frequency of using the internet and reasons of internet usage had a positive effect on patients' interest. Our results show that among low to intermediate social class of Malaysian patients with type 2 diabetes, more than 50% of them can and wanted to use the internet-based self-management programs. Furthermore, we also show that patients equipped with more ICT-related factors had more interest toward these programs. Therefore, we propose making ICT more affordable and integrating it into the health care system at primary care level and then extending it nationwide.

Improving Smart Home Concept with the Internet of Things Concept Using RaspberryPi and NodeMCU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amri, Yasirli; Andri Setiawan, Mukhammad

2018-03-01

The Internet of things (IoT) is getting more tractions in recent years. One of the usage scenario of IoT is smart home. Smart home basically provides home automation for installed devices at home such as thermostat, lighting, air conditioning, etc and allows devices connected to the Internet to be monitored and controlled remotely by user. However many studies on smart home concept focusing only on few main features. They still lack of important usage of IoT i.e. providing energy efficiency, energy monitoring, dealing with security, and managing privacy. This paper proposes a smart home system with RaspberryPi and NodeMCU as the backend that not only serves as home automation and merely a switch replacement, but to also record and report important things to the owner of the house e.g. when someone trespasses the house (security perimeter), or to report the calculation of how much money has been spent in consuming the electrical appliances. We successfully examine our proposed system in a real life working scenario. The communication between user and the system is done using Telegram Bot.

Psychological barriers to Internet usage among older adults in the UK.

PubMed

Adams, Nichola; Stubbs, David; Woods, Valerie

2005-03-01

The Internet is an important tool in assisting the older population to lead independent and social lives. However, the majority of Internet users are under 55. This study investigated the following psychological barriers to Internet use by older adults: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, Internet efficacy, perceived complexity of navigation and perceived complexity of terminology. Twenty-three subjects (aged 55 - 75 years) were interviewed in the UK. The influences of age, computer and Internet experience, and training on these psychological barriers were explored. The results showed that the majority of the older adults who had a positive perception of usefulness, ease of use, and efficacy of the Internet or e-mail, used the Internet or e-mail more often. In addition, it was found that computer or Internet experience increased perceptions of ease of use and efficacy of the Internet and reduced perceived complexity of navigation. There was no difference between the two age groups (55 - 65 and 66 - 75 years) in these psychological barriers. It was concluded that increased marketing of the Internet (aimed at the older user), more simple and uniformly designed Internet pages, more user-friendly online help and error message terminology, and increased provision of training for the older user would assist uptake of the World Wide Web.

Developmental stage related patterns of codon usage and genomic GC content: searching for evolutionary fingerprints with models of stem cell differentiation

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

Background The usage of synonymous codons shows considerable variation among mammalian genes. How and why this usage is non-random are fundamental biological questions and remain controversial. It is also important to explore whether mammalian genes that are selectively expressed at different developmental stages bear different molecular features. Results In two models of mouse stem cell differentiation, we established correlations between codon usage and the patterns of gene expression. We found that the optimal codons exhibited variation (AT- or GC-ending codons) in different cell types within the developmental hierarchy. We also found that genes that were enriched (developmental-pivotal genes) or specifically expressed (developmental-specific genes) at different developmental stages had different patterns of codon usage and local genomic GC (GCg) content. Moreover, at the same developmental stage, developmental-specific genes generally used more GC-ending codons and had higher GCg content compared with developmental-pivotal genes. Further analyses suggest that the model of translational selection might be consistent with the developmental stage-related patterns of codon usage, especially for the AT-ending optimal codons. In addition, our data show that after human-mouse divergence, the influence of selective constraints is still detectable. Conclusion Our findings suggest that developmental stage-related patterns of gene expression are correlated with codon usage (GC3) and GCg content in stem cell hierarchies. Moreover, this paper provides evidence for the influence of natural selection at synonymous sites in the mouse genome and novel clues for linking the molecular features of genes to their patterns of expression during mammalian ontogenesis. PMID:17349061

Seeing the "Big" Picture: Big Data Methods for Exploring Relationships Between Usage, Language, and Outcome in Internet Intervention Data.

PubMed

Carpenter, Jordan; Crutchley, Patrick; Zilca, Ran D; Schwartz, H Andrew; Smith, Laura K; Cobb, Angela M; Parks, Acacia C

2016-08-31

Assessing the efficacy of Internet interventions that are already in the market introduces both challenges and opportunities. While vast, often unprecedented amounts of data may be available (hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions of participants with high dimensions of assessed variables), the data are observational in nature, are partly unstructured (eg, free text, images, sensor data), do not include a natural control group to be used for comparison, and typically exhibit high attrition rates. New approaches are therefore needed to use these existing data and derive new insights that can augment traditional smaller-group randomized controlled trials. Our objective was to demonstrate how emerging big data approaches can help explore questions about the effectiveness and process of an Internet well-being intervention. We drew data from the user base of a well-being website and app called Happify. To explore effectiveness, multilevel models focusing on within-person variation explored whether greater usage predicted higher well-being in a sample of 152,747 users. In addition, to explore the underlying processes that accompany improvement, we analyzed language for 10,818 users who had a sufficient volume of free-text response and timespan of platform usage. A topic model constructed from this free text provided language-based correlates of individual user improvement in outcome measures, providing insights into the beneficial underlying processes experienced by users. On a measure of positive emotion, the average user improved 1.38 points per week (SE 0.01, t122,455=113.60, P<.001, 95% CI 1.36-1.41), about an 11% increase over 8 weeks. Within a given individual user, more usage predicted more positive emotion and less usage predicted less positive emotion (estimate 0.09, SE 0.01, t6047=9.15, P=.001, 95% CI .07-.12). This estimate predicted that a given user would report positive emotion 1.26 points (or 1.26%) higher after a 2-week period when they used Happify daily than during a week when they didn't use it at all. Among highly engaged users, 200 automatically clustered topics showed a significant (corrected P<.001) effect on change in well-being over time, illustrating which topics may be more beneficial than others when engaging with the interventions. In particular, topics that are related to addressing negative thoughts and feelings were correlated with improvement over time. Using observational analyses on naturalistic big data, we can explore the relationship between usage and well-being among people using an Internet well-being intervention and provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms that accompany it. By leveraging big data to power these new types of analyses, we can explore the workings of an intervention from new angles, and harness the insights that surface to feed back into the intervention and improve it further in the future.

Seeing the “Big” Picture: Big Data Methods for Exploring Relationships Between Usage, Language, and Outcome in Internet Intervention Data

PubMed Central

Carpenter, Jordan; Crutchley, Patrick; Zilca, Ran D; Schwartz, H Andrew; Smith, Laura K; Cobb, Angela M

2016-01-01

Background Assessing the efficacy of Internet interventions that are already in the market introduces both challenges and opportunities. While vast, often unprecedented amounts of data may be available (hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions of participants with high dimensions of assessed variables), the data are observational in nature, are partly unstructured (eg, free text, images, sensor data), do not include a natural control group to be used for comparison, and typically exhibit high attrition rates. New approaches are therefore needed to use these existing data and derive new insights that can augment traditional smaller-group randomized controlled trials. Objective Our objective was to demonstrate how emerging big data approaches can help explore questions about the effectiveness and process of an Internet well-being intervention. Methods We drew data from the user base of a well-being website and app called Happify. To explore effectiveness, multilevel models focusing on within-person variation explored whether greater usage predicted higher well-being in a sample of 152,747 users. In addition, to explore the underlying processes that accompany improvement, we analyzed language for 10,818 users who had a sufficient volume of free-text response and timespan of platform usage. A topic model constructed from this free text provided language-based correlates of individual user improvement in outcome measures, providing insights into the beneficial underlying processes experienced by users. Results On a measure of positive emotion, the average user improved 1.38 points per week (SE 0.01, t122,455=113.60, P<.001, 95% CI 1.36–1.41), about a 27% increase over 8 weeks. Within a given individual user, more usage predicted more positive emotion and less usage predicted less positive emotion (estimate 0.09, SE 0.01, t6047=9.15, P=.001, 95% CI .07–.12). This estimate predicted that a given user would report positive emotion 1.26 points higher after a 2-week period when they used Happify daily than during a week when they didn’t use it at all. Among highly engaged users, 200 automatically clustered topics showed a significant (corrected P<.001) effect on change in well-being over time, illustrating which topics may be more beneficial than others when engaging with the interventions. In particular, topics that are related to addressing negative thoughts and feelings were correlated with improvement over time. Conclusions Using observational analyses on naturalistic big data, we can explore the relationship between usage and well-being among people using an Internet well-being intervention and provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms that accompany it. By leveraging big data to power these new types of analyses, we can explore the workings of an intervention from new angles, and harness the insights that surface to feed back into the intervention and improve it further in the future. PMID:27580524

Health literacy, health information seeking behaviors and internet use among patients attending a private and public clinic in the same geographic area.

PubMed

Gutierrez, Natalia; Kindratt, Tiffany B; Pagels, Patti; Foster, Barbara; Gimpel, Nora E

2014-02-01

Despite the growing body of health information available online, patients with limited health literacy may lack either internet access or skills necessary to utilize this information. Nonetheless, patients at all health literacy levels may prefer other primary sources to obtain health information. We conducted a cross-sectional study to measure health literacy of patients attending two clinics in Dallas, TX and determine associations between health literacy, health information access and internet usage before and after controlling for confounders. Patients from both clinics (county N = 265; private N = 233) completed a brief survey which included sociodemographics, internet patterns, confidence in filling out medical forms and a self-administered Newest Vital Sign to measure health literacy. In the county clinic, most patients (61.5 %) were Hispanic, had low income (<$19,000/year), limited education (<11th grade) and a high likelihood or possibility of limited health literacy (68.5 %). In the private clinic, participants were mostly black (40.4 %) or white (38.6 %), had higher incomes (≥$46,000), higher education (technical college or college) and adequate health literacy (75.1 %). The primary source of obtaining health information in both clinics was their health care professional (50.6 % county; 40.1 % private). In multivariate analyses to determine differences by health literacy level, there were no statistically significant differences between patients with limited and adequate health literacy and their primary information source. Regardless of health literacy, patients rely on their health care providers to obtain health information. These results showcase the importance of providers' effective communication with patients to make shared decisions about their health regardless of other factors.

Student Media Usage Patterns and Non-Traditional Learning in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zawacki-Richter, Olaf; Müskens, Wolfgang; Krause, Ulrike; Alturki, Uthman; Aldraiweesh, Ahmed

2015-01-01

A total of 2,338 students at German universities participated in a survey, which investigated media usage patterns of so-called traditional and non-traditional students (Schuetze & Wolter, 2003). The students provided information on the digital devices that they own or have access to, and on their usage of media and e-learning tools and…

2003 motor carrier survey.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-02-01

The goal of this study was to conduct a survey to evaluate usage and satisfaction with the KYTCs new program allowing motor carriers to credential vehicles and pay taxes via the Internet. Specifically, the study was to examine how many Kentucky mo...

Securing internet by eliminating DDOS attacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niranchana, R.; Gayathri Devi, N.; Santhi, H.; Gayathri, P.

2017-11-01

The major threat caused to the authorised usage of Internet is Distributed Denial of Service attack. The mechanisms used to prevent the DDoS attacks are said to overcome the attack’s ability in spoofing the IP packets source addresses. By utilising Internet Protocol spoofing, the attackers cause a consequential load over the networks destination for policing attack packets. To overcome the IP Spoofing level on the Internet, We propose an Inter domain Packet Filter (IPF) architecture. The proposed scheme is not based on global routing information. The packets with reliable source addresses are not rejected, the IPF frame work works in such a manner. The spoofing capability of attackers is confined by IPF, and also the filter identifies the source of an attack packet by minimal number of candidate network.

Do lessons learned in a training intervention on web-based health care resources diffuse to nonexposed members in the primary care setting? A comparative study.

PubMed

Homa, Karen; Schifferdecker, Karen E; Reed, Virginia A

2008-01-01

The Internet offers a significant information resource for health professionals. A strategy to improve the use of these resources is for health care providers and staff to receive specific training. The aim of this study was to determine whether those who attended an Internet health care resource training intervention transferred knowledge and skills to others in the practice. Twenty-four primary care practices participated in the study in which 64 providers and staff attended a training intervention and 288 did not. A preintervention questionnaire that assessed knowledge, skill, and Internet usage was compared with a postintervention questionnaire. The main effect of interest in the linear model was the group by time interaction term, to determine whether knowledge and skill improved for both groups. There were 41 attendees and 222 nonattendees that completed both pre- and postintervention questionnaires. There were 9 variables that showed a possible diffusion pattern, in which both attendees and nonattendees improved between pre- and postintervention. Overall, the training intervention seemed to have impacted knowledge and skills of the respondents and also reported improvements in the clinical area of patient education, but frequency of use for most Web resources for medical decision making did not improve. An improvement strategy that depends on a training intervention for a few members in a practice may not necessarily transfer relative to all aspects of patient care.

Do Lessons Learned in a Training Intervention on Web-Based Health Care Resources Diffuse to Nonexposed Members in the Primary Care Setting? A Comparative Study

PubMed Central

Homa, Karen; Schifferdecker, Karen E.; Reed, Virginia A.

2009-01-01

Objective The Internet offers a significant information resource for health professionals. A strategy to improve the use of these resources is for health care providers and staff to receive specific training. The aim of this study was to determine whether those who attended an Internet health care resource training intervention transferred knowledge and skills to others in the practice. Methods Twenty-four primary care practices participated in the study in which 64 providers and staff attended a training intervention and 288 did not. A preintervention questionnaire that assessed knowledge, skill, and Internet usage was compared with a postintervention questionnaire. The main effect of interest in the linear model was the group by time interaction term, to determine whether knowledge and skill improved for both groups. Results There were 41 attendees and 222 nonattendees that completed both pre- and postintervention questionnaires. There were 9 variables that showed a possible diffusion pattern, in which both attendees and nonattendees improved between pre- and postintervention. Overall, the training intervention seemed to have impacted knowledge and skills of the respondents and also reported improvements in the clinical area of patient education, but frequency of use for most Web resources for medical decision making did not improve. Conclusion An improvement strategy that depends on a training intervention for a few members in a practice may not necessarily transfer relative to all aspects of patient care. PMID:19020403

Adolescent Internet usage in Taiwan: exploring gender differences.

PubMed

Lin, Chien-Huang; Yu, Shu-Fen

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore gender differences in adolescent Internet accessibility, motives for use, and online activities in Taiwan; 629 5th and 6th graders were surveyed. Findings revealed that the gap in gender differences with regard to Internet use has decreased in this generation. Even though the Internet is the most recent form of major media in the world, it has become the second most important medium as perceived by boys and girls. No gender difference was found in adolescents' motives for using the Internet. The ranking of relative importance of motives for adolescents going online was searching for information, followed by socializing, and boredom avoidance for both boys and girls. However, a gender difference in online activities seems to persist. Searching for homework information and playing games were the most popular online activities for all adolescents. However, while girls tended to view the Internet more as a means of searching for information and e-mailing friends, boys tended to use it more for playing games and down-loading software.

The role of the Internet in cancer patients' engagement with complementary and alternative treatments.

PubMed

Broom, Alex; Tovey, Philip

2008-04-01

This article draws on a study of 80 National Health Service cancer patients and their experiences of using the Internet within disease and treatment processes. It focuses on the role the Internet plays in the context of potential or actual engagement with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The results depart from previous conceptualizations of the Internet as a major source of CAM knowledge, and second, as a major pathway to patient CAM usage. Moreover, the results highlight significant anxiety as patients attempt to process vast amounts of complex biomedical diagnostic and prognostic information online. For patients attempting to embrace alternative therapeutic models of cancer care, exposure to prognostic data may pose considerable risks to individual well-being and engagement with healing practices. On the basis of these results we problematize social theorizations of the Internet as contributing to such things as: the democratization of knowledge; the deprofessionalization of medicine; and patient empowerment. We emphasize, instead, the potential role of the Internet in reinforcing biomedicine's paradigmatic dominance in cancer care.

The impact of digital media on health: children's perspectives.

PubMed

Smahel, David; Wright, Michelle F; Cernikova, Martina

2015-02-01

Previous research has mainly focused on the effects of excessive digital media use or overuse on the health of children, primarily utilizing quantitative designs. More research should be conducted on general populations of children, rather than focusing exclusively on excessive technology users. This qualitative study describes technology's impact on physical and mental health from children's perspectives. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with children between the ages of 9 and 16 in 9 European countries (N = 368). During focus groups and interviews, researchers asked what children perceive as being potentially negative or problematic while using the internet and technology. In this study, children reported several physical and mental health problems without indicating internet addiction or overuse. Physical health symptoms included eye problems, headaches, not eating, and tiredness. For mental health symptoms, children reported cognitive salience of online events, aggression, and sleeping problems. Sometimes they reported these problems within 30 min of technology usage. This suggests that even shorter time usage can cause self-reported health problems for some children. Qualitative methodology helps to understand what children's perspectives are concerning the impact of digital media on health. We recommend future studies focused on average technology users and low technology users to determine whether average levels of technology usage relate to health problems of children. Parents and teachers should also be informed about the possible physical and mental health issues associated with children's average usage of technology.

The Primary Care Electronic Library (PCEL) five years on: open source evaluation of usage.

PubMed

Robinson, Judas; de Lusignan, Simon; Kostkova, Patty

2005-01-01

The Primary Care Electronic Library (PCEL) is a collection of indexed and abstracted internet resources. PCEL contains a directory of quality-assured internet material with associated search facilities. PCEL has been indexed, using metadata and established taxonomies. Site development requires an understanding of usage; this paper reports the use of open source tools to evaluate usage. This evaluation was conducted during a six-month period of development of PCEL. To use open source to evaluate changes in usage of an electronic library. We defined data we needed for analysis; this included: page requests, visits, unique visitors, page requests per visit, geographical location of users, NHS users, chronological information about users and resources used. During the evaluation period, page requests increased from 3500 to 10,000; visits from 1250 to 2300; and unique visitors from 750 to 1500. Up to 83% of users come from the UK, 15% were NHS users. The page requests of NHS users are slowly increasing but not as fast as requests by other users in the UK. PCEL is primarily used Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday is the busiest day with use lessening through the week. NHS users had a different list of top ten resources accessed than non-NHS users, with only four resources appearing in both. Open source tools provide useful data which can be used to evaluate online resources. Improving the functionality of PCEL has been associated with increased use.

Media and Technology Use Among Hispanics/Latinos in New York: Implications for Health Communication Programs.

PubMed

Manganello, Jennifer A; Gerstner, Gena; Pergolino, Kristen; Graham, Yvonne; Strogatz, David

2016-09-01

There is limited information about media and technology use, as well as health information-seeking patterns, specifically for Hispanics/Latinos at the state level. An understanding of access, usage patterns, and preferences for receiving health information is critical for state-level organizations to effectively reach and serve this growing population. A telephone survey was developed to assess media and technology access, use patterns, health-seeking information patterns, and preferences for receiving health information. The survey was conducted in New York state from August 8 to November 4, 2013, using random digit dialing. The overall sample of 1350 included 412 Hispanic/Latino adults who are the focus of this study. Most Hispanic/Latino respondents reported having at least one working computer at home (78 %) and using the Internet (84 %); almost all who had a computer reported having high-speed Internet service (90 %). Cell phone ownership was common (88 %), and many had a smartphone (71 %). Activities most likely to occur several times per day were sending text messages (61 %), using phone apps (49 %), using a search engine (40 %), using email (34 %), and using social networking sites (32 %). The most preferred channels of receiving health information were websites, mail, and television. Older respondents were significantly less likely to have the technologies, engage in technology activities, and prefer newer forms of information dissemination (i.e., text messages). Education and income were important predictors in some cases. While most Hispanics/Latinos have access to various technologies, the reason for using those technologies and preferences for receiving health information most often varies by age and, sometimes, by education and income. Older adults tend to seek health information from traditional sources such as television and brochures, while younger adults favored newer technologies. Knowing preferences of the population can help ensure proper media channels are selected for dissemination of health information to Hispanic/Latino communities.

The 2D:4D Marker and Different Forms of Internet Use Disorder.

PubMed

Müller, Marko; Brand, Matthias; Mies, Julia; Lachmann, Bernd; Sariyska, Rayna Yordanova; Montag, Christian

2017-01-01

Internet use disorder (IUD) presents a growing problem worldwide. Among others, it manifests in loss of control over Internet usage and social problems due to problematic Internet use. Although IUD currently is not an official diagnosis in DSM-5 or ICD-10, mounting evidence suggests that IUD indeed could be categorized as a behavioral addiction. On a systemic neuroscientific level, IUD is well characterized and dysfunctions in the fronto-striatal-limbic loop have been observed in persons being afflicted with IUD. On a molecular level underlying these neural dysfunctions less is known. Therefore, the present research investigates the influence of prenatal testosterone as measured via the 2D:4D marker of the hand on IUD. Testosterone represents an interesting hormonal marker, because sex differences in IUD have been observed, e.g., males show higher tendencies toward Internet gaming disorder (IGD) or females toward overusage of online social networks (both compared to the contrary sex). In N  = 217 participants associations between the 2D:4D marker of the hand and both unspecified IUD and specific forms of IUD were investigated. It appeared that more female hands (right side; characterized by higher digit ratio of the index to the ring finger, i.e., >1, meaning lower prenatal testosterone) were associated with lower IGD ( rho  = -0.17, p  = 0.01, N  = 211). This effect was driven by the facet of loss of control of Internet Gaming in the whole sample ( rho  = -0.20, p  < 0.01, N  = 211) and the female subsample ( rho  = -0.20, p  = 0.02, N(f)  = 137). Aside from this, a negative association appeared between the facet of loss of control of generalized IUD and the right digit ratio in males underlining earlier work. In sum, the present work demonstrates that the 2D:4D marker is an interesting marker for Internet addiction and can be easily included as a biomarker to understand the biological underpinnings of Internet (over-)usage.

The 2D:4D Marker and Different Forms of Internet Use Disorder

PubMed Central

Müller, Marko; Brand, Matthias; Mies, Julia; Lachmann, Bernd; Sariyska, Rayna Yordanova; Montag, Christian

2017-01-01

Internet use disorder (IUD) presents a growing problem worldwide. Among others, it manifests in loss of control over Internet usage and social problems due to problematic Internet use. Although IUD currently is not an official diagnosis in DSM-5 or ICD-10, mounting evidence suggests that IUD indeed could be categorized as a behavioral addiction. On a systemic neuroscientific level, IUD is well characterized and dysfunctions in the fronto-striatal-limbic loop have been observed in persons being afflicted with IUD. On a molecular level underlying these neural dysfunctions less is known. Therefore, the present research investigates the influence of prenatal testosterone as measured via the 2D:4D marker of the hand on IUD. Testosterone represents an interesting hormonal marker, because sex differences in IUD have been observed, e.g., males show higher tendencies toward Internet gaming disorder (IGD) or females toward overusage of online social networks (both compared to the contrary sex). In N = 217 participants associations between the 2D:4D marker of the hand and both unspecified IUD and specific forms of IUD were investigated. It appeared that more female hands (right side; characterized by higher digit ratio of the index to the ring finger, i.e., >1, meaning lower prenatal testosterone) were associated with lower IGD (rho = −0.17, p = 0.01, N = 211). This effect was driven by the facet of loss of control of Internet Gaming in the whole sample (rho = −0.20, p < 0.01, N = 211) and the female subsample (rho = −0.20, p = 0.02, N(f) = 137). Aside from this, a negative association appeared between the facet of loss of control of generalized IUD and the right digit ratio in males underlining earlier work. In sum, the present work demonstrates that the 2D:4D marker is an interesting marker for Internet addiction and can be easily included as a biomarker to understand the biological underpinnings of Internet (over-)usage. PMID:29249989

Internet Searches About Therapies Do Not Impact Willingness to Accept Prescribed Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

PubMed

Feathers, Alexandra; Yen, Tommy; Yun, Laura; Strizich, Garrett; Swaminath, Arun

2016-04-01

A significant majority of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) search the Internet for information about their disease. While patients who search the Internet for disease or treatment information are believed to be more resistant to accepting medical therapy, no studies have tested this hypothesis. All IBD patients over a 3-month period across three gastroenterology practices were surveyed about their disease, treatments, websites visited, attitudes toward medications, and their willingness to accept prescribed therapies after disease-related Internet searches. Of 142 total patients, 91 % of respondents searched the Internet for IBD information. The vast majority (82 %) reported taking medication upon their doctor's recommendation and cited the desire to acquire additional information about their disease and prescribed therapies as their most important search motivator (77 %). Internet usage did not affect the willingness of 52 % of our cohort to accept prescribed medication. The majority of IBD patients who searched the Internet for disease and treatment-related information were not affected in their willingness to accept prescribed medical therapy.

[The model of the big five personality factors and problematic Internet use in Colombian youth].

PubMed

Puerta-Cortés, Diana Ximena; Carbonell, Xavier

2014-01-01

The aim of the study was to relate the basic dimensions of personality formulated by the model of the big five factors with problematic Internet use in a sample of 411 Colombian youngsters, 18-28 years of age, attending three private universities. Online survey questionnaires were administered for: socio-demographics and Internet usage habits, the Big Five Inventory (John, Donahue and Kentle, 1991), to assess personality, and the Internet Addiction Test (Young, 1998), to determine the degree of use of the Internet (controlled, problematic or addictive). The results revealed that 9.7% of the sample has a problematic Internet use. Among them, the majority were male (x2= 12.93, p= 0.01) and performing communication and leisure activities. The problematic use correlates positively with neuroticism and negatively with friendliness and responsibility. On the other hand, is not related to extraversion and openness to experience. Being female and the responsibility dimension are protective factors from problematic use, while neuroticism predicts it. In conclusion, the study data provides empirical evidence of the relationship between personality and problematic Internet use.

Internet Addiction Among Elementary and Middle School Students in China: A Nationally Representative Sample Study

PubMed Central

Li, Yajun; Zhang, Xinghui; Lu, Furong; Zhang, Qin

2014-01-01

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of Internet addiction in a nationally representative sample of Chinese elementary and middle school students and to investigate Internet addiction among Internet users with different usages. The data were from the National Children's Study of China (NCSC) in which 24,013 fourth- to ninth-grade students were recruited from 100 counties in 31 provinces in China. Only 54.2% of the students had accessed the Internet. According to the criteria of Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire (YDQ), an eight-item instrument, the prevalence of Internet addiction in the total sample was 6.3%, and among Internet users was 11.7%. Among the Internet users, males (14.8%) and rural students (12.1%) reported Internet addiction more than females (7.0%) and urban students (10.6%). The percentage of Internet addicts in elementary school students (11.5%) was not significantly lower than the percentage of middle school students (11.9%). There was no statistically significant difference between the four geographical regions (9.6%, 11.5%, 12.3%, 11.1%) characterized by different levels of economy, health, education, and social environment. As the frequency of Internet use and time spent online per week increased, the percentage of Internet addicts increased. When considering the location and purpose of Internet use, the percentage of Internet addicts was highest in adolescents typically surfing in Internet cafes (18.1%) and playing Internet games (22.5%). PMID:23971432

The SAMS: Smartphone Addiction Management System and verification.

PubMed

Lee, Heyoung; Ahn, Heejune; Choi, Samwook; Choi, Wanbok

2014-01-01

While the popularity of smartphones has given enormous convenience to our lives, their pathological use has created a new mental health concern among the community. Hence, intensive research is being conducted on the etiology and treatment of the condition. However, the traditional clinical approach based surveys and interviews has serious limitations: health professionals cannot perform continual assessment and intervention for the affected group and the subjectivity of assessment is questionable. To cope with these limitations, a comprehensive ICT (Information and Communications Technology) system called SAMS (Smartphone Addiction Management System) is developed for objective assessment and intervention. The SAMS system consists of an Android smartphone application and a web application server. The SAMS client monitors the user's application usage together with GPS location and Internet access location, and transmits the data to the SAMS server. The SAMS server stores the usage data and performs key statistical data analysis and usage intervention according to the clinicians' decision. To verify the reliability and efficacy of the developed system, a comparison study with survey-based screening with the K-SAS (Korean Smartphone Addiction Scale) as well as self-field trials is performed. The comparison study is done using usage data from 14 users who are 19 to 50 year old adults that left at least 1 week usage logs and completed the survey questionnaires. The field trial fully verified the accuracy of the time, location, and Internet access information in the usage measurement and the reliability of the system operation over more than 2 weeks. The comparison study showed that daily use count has a strong correlation with K-SAS scores, whereas daily use times do not strongly correlate for potentially addicted users. The correlation coefficients of count and times with total K-SAS score are CC = 0.62 and CC =0.07, respectively, and the t-test analysis for the contrast group of potential addicts and the values for the non-addicts were p = 0.047 and p = 0.507, respectively.

ECG Wave-Maven: An Internet-based Electrocardiography Self-Assessment Program for Students and Clinicians.

PubMed

McClennen, Seth; Nathanson, Larry A; Safran, Charles; Goldberger, Ary L

2003-12-01

To create a multimedia internet-based ECG teaching tool, with the ability to rapidly incorporate new clinical cases. We created ECG Wave-Maven ( http://ecg.bidmc.harvard.edu ), a novel teaching tool with a direct link to an institution-wide clinical repository. We analyzed usage data from the web between December, 2000 and May 2002. In 17 months, there have been 4105 distinct uses of the program. A majority of users are physicians or medical students (2605, 63%), and almost half report use as an educational tool. The internet offers an opportunity to provide easily-expandable, open access resources for ECG pedagogy which may be used to complement traditional methods of instruction.

Factors Associated With Intention to Use Internet-Based Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Men Who Have Sex With Men

PubMed Central

Hottes, Travis Salway; Kerr, Thomas; Taylor, Darlene; Fairley, Christopher K; Lester, Richard; Wong, Tom; Trussler, Terry; Marchand, Rick; Shoveller, Jean; Ogilvie, Gina

2013-01-01

Background Internet-based testing programs are being increasingly used to reduce testing barriers for individuals at higher risk of infection, yet the population impact and potential for exacerbation of existing health inequities of these programs are not well understood. Objective We used a large online sample of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Canada to measure acceptability of Internet-based testing and perceived advantages and disadvantages of this testing approach. Methods We asked participants of the 2011/2012 Sex Now Survey (a serial online survey of gay and bisexual men in Canada) whether they intended to use Internet-based testing and their perceived benefits and disadvantages of use. We examined whether intention to use was associated with explanatory variables spanning (A) sociodemographics, (B) Internet and technology usage, (C) sexually transmitted infections (STI)/ human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and risk, and (D) health care access and testing, using multivariable logistic regression (variable selection using Bayesian information criterion). Results Overall, intention to use was high (5678/7938, 71.53%) among participants with little variation by participant characteristics. In our final model, we retained the variables related to (B) Internet and technology usage: use of Internet to cruise for sex partners (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.46, 95% CI 1.25-1.70), use of Internet to search for sexual health information (AOR 1.36, 95% CI 1.23-1.51), and mobile phone usage (AOR 1.19, 95% 1.13-1.24). We also retained the variables for (D) health care access and testing: not “out” to primary care provider (AOR 1.24, 95% CI 1.10-1.41), delayed/avoided testing due to privacy concerns (AOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.49-2.11), and delayed/avoided testing due to access issues (AOR 1.65, 95% CI 1.40-1.95). Finally, we retained the variable being HIV positive (AOR 0.56, 95% CI 0.46-0.68) or HIV status unknown (AOR 0.89, 95% CI 0.77-1.01), age <30 years (AOR 1.41, 95% CI 1.22-1.62), and identifying as bisexual (AOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.34) or straight/other (AOR 0.67, 95% CI 0.50-0.90). The greatest perceived benefits of Internet-based testing were privacy (2249/8388, 26.81%), general convenience (1701/8388, 20.28%), and being able to test at any time (1048/8388, 12.49%). The greatest perceived drawbacks were the inability to see a doctor or nurse (1507/8388, 17.97%), wanting to talk to someone about results (1430/8388, 17.97%), not wanting online results (1084/8388, 12.92%), and low trust (973/8388, 11.60%). Conclusions The high and wide-ranging intention to use that we observed suggests Internet-based testing has the potential to reach into all subgroups of MSM and may be particularly appealing to those facing current barriers to accessing STI/HIV testing and who are more comfortable with technology. These findings will be used to inform the promotion and further evaluation of an Internet-based testing program currently under development in British Columbia, Canada. PMID:24240644

Increasing utilization of Internet-based resources following efforts to promote evidence-based medicine: a national study in Taiwan

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Since the beginning of 2007, the National Health Research Institutes has been promoting the dissemination of evidence-based medicine (EBM). The current study examined longitudinal trends of behaviors in how hospital-based physicians and nurses have searched for medical information during the spread of EBM. Methods Cross-sectional postal questionnaire surveys were conducted in nationally representative regional hospitals of Taiwan thrice in 2007, 2009, and 2011. Demographic data were gathered concerning gender, age, working experience, teaching appointment, academic degree, and administrative position. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine predictors and changes over time. Results Data from physicians and nurses were collected in 2007 (n = 1156), 2009 (n = 2975), and 2011 (n = 3999). There were significant increases in the use of four Internet-based resources – Web portals, online databases, electronic journals, and electronic books – across the three survey years among physicians and nurses (p < 0.001). Access to textbooks and printed journals, however, did not change over the 4-year study period. In addition, there were significant relationships between the usage of Internet-based resources and users’ characteristics. Age and faculty position were important predictors in relation to the usage among physicians and nurses, while academic degree served as a critical factor among nurses only. Conclusions Physicians and nurses used a variety of sources to look for medical information. There was a steady increase in use of Internet-based resources during the diffusion period of EBM. The findings highlight the importance of the Internet as a prominent source of medical information for main healthcare professionals. PMID:23289500

A type 2 diabetes prevention website for african americans, Caucasians, and mexican americans: formative evaluation.

PubMed

Reininger, Belinda; Mecca, Laurel Person; Stine, Kendra M; Schultz, Kevan; Ling, Luke; Halpern, David

2013-07-11

The majority of Americans now access the Internet, thereby expanding prospects for Web-based health-related education and intervention. However, there remains a digital divide among those with lower income and education, and among Spanish-speaking populations in the United States. Additional concerns are the low eHealth literacy rate among these populations and their interest in Internet-delivered interventions with these components. Given these factors, combined with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among low socioeconomic status and Spanish-speaking Americans, strides need to be taken to reach these populations with online tools for diabetes prevention and management that are at once accessible and efficacious. Using a formative evaluation of an eHealth diabetes prevention and control website, we tested the extent to which African Americans, Caucasians, and Mexican Americans at risk for type 2 diabetes gained knowledge and intended to modify their dietary intake and physical activity subsequent to viewing the website. We also examined their general Internet use patterns related to type 2 diabetes. A mixed methods approach was undertaken. The diabetes prevention and control website provided educational and behavioral change information in English and Spanish. For this study, eligible participants (1) completed a prequantitative survey, (2) interacted with the website, (3) completed a qualitative interview, and (4) completed a postquantitative survey. After finding a significant differences in posttest diabetes knowledge scores (P<.001), a regression analysis controlling for pretest score, health literacy, ethnicity, Transtheoretical Model Stage for exercise and fruit and vegetable consumption, and Internet literacy was conducted. Internet literacy score (P=.04) and fruit and vegetable consumption stage (P<.001) were significantly associated with posttest scores indicating that those in precontemplation stage and with low Internet literacy scores were less likely to show improved diabetes knowledge scores. We found significant difference in posttest intention to eat a healthy diet each day in the next 2 months after controlling for pretest score, health literacy, ethnicity, Transtheoretical Model Stage for fruit and vegetable consumption and Internet literacy. Those in the Action stage of the Transtheoretical model for exercise were significantly less likely (P=.023) to improve the posttest score for intention to eat a healthy diet compared to those in the Preparation stage for exercise. We also found that health information is sought commonly across ethnic groups, but that diabetes-related information is less commonly sought even among those at risk. Other specific ethnic usage patterns were identified in the qualitative data including content sought on Web searches and technology used to access the Internet. This study provides in-depth qualitative insight into the seeking, access, and use of Web-based health information across three ethnic groups in two languages. Additionally, it provides evidence from pre-post measures of exposure to Web-based health content and related changes in diabetes knowledge and intention to eat a healthy diet.

77 FR 37870 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-25

...: National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Title: Computer and Internet Use Supplement to the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (formerly Broadband Subscription and Usage Survey Supplement to the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey). OMB Control Number: 0660-0021. Form Number(s...

Differential physiological changes following internet exposure in higher and lower problematic internet users

PubMed Central

Romano, Michela; Re, Federica; Roaro, Alessandra; Osborne, Lisa A.; Viganò, Caterina; Truzoli, Roberto

2017-01-01

Problematic internet use (PIU) has been suggested as in need of further research with a view to being included as a disorder in future Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of the American Psychiatric Association, but lack of knowledge about the impact of internet cessation on physiological function remains a major gap in knowledge and a barrier to PIU classification. One hundred and forty-four participants were assessed for physiological (blood pressure and heart rate) and psychological (mood and state anxiety) function before and after an internet session. Individuals also completed a psychometric examination relating to their usage of the internet, as well as their levels of depression and trait anxiety. Individuals who identified themselves as having PIU displayed increases in heart rate and systolic blood pressure, as well as reduced mood and increased state of anxiety, following cessation of internet session. There were no such changes in individuals with no self-reported PIU. These changes were independent of levels of depression and trait anxiety. These changes after cessation of internet use are similar to those seen in individuals who have ceased using sedative or opiate drugs, and suggest PIU deserves further investigation and serious consideration as a disorder. PMID:28542470

Internet Use by Parents of Children With Rare Conditions: Findings From a Study on Parents' Web Information Needs.

PubMed

Nicholl, Honor; Tracey, Catherine; Begley, Thelma; King, Carole; Lynch, Aileen M

2017-02-28

Parents of children with rare conditions increasingly use the Internet to source information on their child's condition. This study reports on part of a larger study whose overall aim was to identify the Internet use by parents when seeking information on their child's rare condition, with the specific purpose of using the findings to aid in the development of a website specifically designed to meet the parents' needs. It presents findings on why these parents use the Internet, the information and support content they source, and the impact these resources have on their capacity to care for and manage their child's condition. To (1) ascertain parents' general Internet usage patterns, (2) identify the nature of the information parents most frequently searched for, and (3) determine the effect the Internet-sourced information had on parents of children with rare conditions. Data collection was conducted in 2 parts: Part 1 was a focus group interview (n=8) to inform the development of the questionnaire, and Part 2 was a questionnaire (Web- and paper-based). All respondents (N=128) completed the questionnaire using the Internet. Parents frequently and habitually used the Internet and social media to gather information on their child's condition. These Web-based resources provide parents with a parent-to-parent support platform that allows them to share their experiences and information with other parents, which, the respondents considered, improved their knowledge and understanding of their child's condition. The respondents also reported that these resources positively impacted on their decision making, care, and management of their child's condition. However, they reported receiving mixed responses when wishing to engage and share with health care professionals their Internet and social media interactions and information outcomes. This study adds to the emerging body of research on the Internet use by parents of children with rare conditions to source information on their child's condition. The evolving and ever increasing parent-to-parent support systems via social media are impacting on parents' capacity to manage their children. Implications for practice include health care professionals' response to this knowledge and capacity shift, and the significance of these changes when interacting with parents. The key message of this study was that parents of children with rare conditions are habitual users of the Internet to source information about their children's conditions. Social media, especially Facebook, has an increasing role in the lives of these parents for information and support. Parents' interest in information gathering and sharing includes a desire for shared dialogue with health care professionals. ©Honor Nicholl, Catherine Tracey, Thelma Begley, Carole King, Aileen M Lynch. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 28.02.2017.

Feasibility of Internet-Based Health-Related Quality of Life Data Collection in a Large Patient Cohort

PubMed Central

Bhinder, Sacha; Chowdhury, Noori; Granton, John; Krahn, Murray; Tullis, D Elizabeth; Waddell, Thomas K

2010-01-01

Background Patient registries are commonly used to track survival and medical outcomes in large cohorts. However, large-scale collection of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) data is more challenging because such data must be collected directly from patients. Internet-based HRQOL questionnaires are a potential solution, allowing home data collection with immediate storage in a central database. Objectives Our objectives were to investigate the sociodemographic predictors of Internet use and willingness to convey HRQOL information over the Internet in a Canadian tertiary care patient population and to determine whether Internet use patterns of tertiary care patients differ from those of the general Canadian population. Additionally, we sought to identify the success of home completion of Internet-based HRQOL questionnaires, as well as factors hindering home completion. Methods We surveyed 644 patients at the Toronto General and St. Michael’s Hospitals from November 2003 through July 2006 within a prospective, longitudinal cohort study of HRQOL in patients with lung disease or lung transplants. Using multiple logistic regression, we assessed patient age, gender, rurality, marital status, and employment or education status as potential sociodemographic predictors of having an Internet-accessible home computer, using email at least weekly, and willingness to complete a quality of life questionnaire over the Internet. Patients electing to complete questionnaires over the Internet were followed from September 2005 through March 2008 to assess completion of HRQOL questionnaires from home, identify barriers for noncompletion, and determine sociodemographic predictors for home completion. Results Of the 644 patients, the median age was 51 years, with a similar number of males and females. Most were urban Ontario residents, were unemployed, and were married or in a common-law relationship. Having an Internet-accessible home computer was reported by 79.7% (513/644) of patients and use of email at least weekly by 66.5% (414/623) of patients. A majority of patients (57.1% 368/644) were willing to complete HRQOL questionnaires over the Internet via an emailed link. Of the participating 644 patients, 368 elected to complete future questionnaires from home and, as part of a gradual roll-out of the home HRQOL questionnaire, 211 were sent emails inviting them to do so. Of the invited patients, 78% (165/211) completed at least one questionnaire from home. The most common reason for noncompletion was a lack of or an inability to find time to complete the questionnaire. No statistically significant sociodemographic predictors of Internet use were associated with completion or noncompletion of questionnaires from home. Conclusions Home, Internet-based HRQOL assessment is feasible in tertiary care patient populations with a high predicted rate of Internet usage based on sociodemographic parameters. A large minority of patients were unwilling or unable to take part in home HRQOL assessments indicating that alternative methods of data collection are still required. However, the majority of patients electing to complete home HRQOL assessments went on to do so over the Internet. PMID:20719740

Codon usage bias and phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial ND1 gene in pisces, aves, and mammals.

PubMed

Uddin, Arif; Choudhury, Monisha Nath; Chakraborty, Supriyo

2018-01-01

The mitochondrially encoded NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit 1 (MT-ND1) gene is a subunit of the respiratory chain complex I and involved in the first step of the electron transport chain of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). To understand the pattern of compositional properties, codon usage and expression level of mitochondrial ND1 genes in pisces, aves, and mammals, we used bioinformatic approaches as no work was reported earlier. In this study, a perl script was used for calculating nucleotide contents and different codon usage bias parameters. The codon usage bias of MT-ND1 was low but the expression level was high as revealed from high ENC and CAI value. Correspondence analysis (COA) suggests that the pattern of codon usage for MT-ND1 gene is not same across species and that compositional constraint played an important role in codon usage pattern of this gene among pisces, aves, and mammals. From the regression equation of GC12 on GC3, it can be inferred that the natural selection might have played a dominant role while mutation pressure played a minor role in influencing the codon usage patterns. Further, ND1 gene has a discrepancy with cytochrome B (CYB) gene in preference of codons as evident from COA. The codon usage bias was low. It is influenced by nucleotide composition, natural selection, mutation pressure, length (number) of amino acids, and relative dinucleotide composition. This study helps in understanding the molecular biology, genetics, evolution of MT-ND1 gene, and also for designing a synthetic gene.

[Interrelations Between Adolescent Problematic Internet Use and Parental Internet Mediation].

PubMed

Kammerl, Rudolf; Wartberg, Lutz

2018-02-01

Interrelations Between Adolescent Problematic Internet Use and Parental Internet Mediation Everyday life of adolescents and their parents is increasingly characterized by digital media usage (also referred to as "process of mediatization"). In the current study, associations between problematic Internet use of the adolescents (as a possible consequence of the process of mediatization) and parental media education were explored. For this purpose, throughout Germany 1,095 family dyads (an adolescent and a related parent) were investigated with a standardized questionnaire measuring different aspects of parental media education and adolescent problematic Internet use. We conducted two multiple linear regression analyses (dimensional approach) with adolescent problematic Internet use based on self-ratings (model 1, corrected R 2 = 0.18) and parental assessment (model 2, corrected R 2 = 0.24) as response variables. Consistently for self- and parental ratings, adolescent problematic Internet use was statistically significant related to male gender (of the adolescent), a more frequent inconsistent media education (adolescents' and parents' perspective) and a stronger monitoring (parents' perspective). Additionally, we observed associations between the parental rating of adolescent problematic Internet use and a less frequent active and restrictive Internet Mediation (parents' perspective). The findings of the present study show the importance of parental media education for problematic Internet use in adolescence and especially, the role of inconsistent media education should be investigated again in further studies.

Stakeholder Perceptions of ICT Usage across Management Institutes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goyal, Ela; Purohit, Seema; Bhagat, Manju

2013-01-01

Information and communication technology (ICT) which includes radio, television and newer digital technology such as computers and the internet, are potentially powerful tools for extending educational opportunities, formal and non-formal, to one and all. It provides opportunities to deploy innovative teaching methodologies and interesting…

Implementation and Student Assessment of Intranet-Based Learning Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sosabowski, Michael H.; Herson, Katie; Lloyd, Andrew W.

1998-01-01

The University of Brighton (England) pharmacy and biomedical sciences school developed an institutional intranet providing course information, Internet links, lecture notes, links to computer-assisted instructional packages, and worksheets. Electronic monitoring of usage and subsequent questionnaire-based evaluation showed the intranet to be a…

Miscellany of Students' Satisfaction in an Asynchronous Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larbi-Siaw, Otu; Owusu-Agyeman, Yaw

2017-01-01

This study investigates the determinants of students' satisfaction in an asynchronous learning environment using seven key considerations: the e-learning environment, student-content interaction, student and student interaction, student-teacher interaction, group cohesion and timely participation, knowledge of Internet usage, and satisfaction. The…

A review of cyberbullying legislation in Qatar: Considerations for policy makers and educators.

PubMed

Foody, Mairéad; Samara, Muthanna; El Asam, Aiman; Morsi, Hisham; Khattab, Azhar

Cyberbullying is a worldwide problem affecting mental health, education, safety and general well-being for individuals across the globe. Despite the widespread availability of the Internet, research into prevalence rates of cyberbullying in Qatar is lacking and legislating for the crime has been slow to develop. Recently there have been some positive initiatives in the country such as a Cybercrime Prevention Law, the development of a National ICT Strategy, and a website detailing safe practice guidelines for Internet usage. However, the implementation and usage of these initiatives are still limited and there is a lack of awareness of cyberbullying in Qatar. As a result, the risk factors and consequences among school-aged children are unknown. The current paper presents an evaluation of the legislative and public policy solutions to cyberbullying available in Qatar, and outlines the critical challenges that could potentially face educators in shaping best practice guidelines for the future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methods for extracting social network data from chatroom logs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osesina, O. Isaac; McIntire, John P.; Havig, Paul R.; Geiselman, Eric E.; Bartley, Cecilia; Tudoreanu, M. Eduard

2012-06-01

Identifying social network (SN) links within computer-mediated communication platforms without explicit relations among users poses challenges to researchers. Our research aims to extract SN links in internet chat with multiple users engaging in synchronous overlapping conversations all displayed in a single stream. We approached this problem using three methods which build on previous research. Response-time analysis builds on temporal proximity of chat messages; word context usage builds on keywords analysis and direct addressing which infers links by identifying the intended message recipient from the screen name (nickname) referenced in the message [1]. Our analysis of word usage within the chat stream also provides contexts for the extracted SN links. To test the capability of our methods, we used publicly available data from Internet Relay Chat (IRC), a real-time computer-mediated communication (CMC) tool used by millions of people around the world. The extraction performances of individual methods and their hybrids were assessed relative to a ground truth (determined a priori via manual scoring).

A Comprehensive and Cost-Effective Computer Infrastructure for K-12 Schools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warren, G. P.; Seaton, J. M.

1996-01-01

Since 1993, NASA Langley Research Center has been developing and implementing a low-cost Internet connection model, including system architecture, training, and support, to provide Internet access for an entire network of computers. This infrastructure allows local area networks which exceed 50 machines per school to independently access the complete functionality of the Internet by connecting to a central site, using state-of-the-art commercial modem technology, through a single standard telephone line. By locating high-cost resources at this central site and sharing these resources and their costs among the school districts throughout a region, a practical, efficient, and affordable infrastructure for providing scale-able Internet connectivity has been developed. As the demand for faster Internet access grows, the model has a simple expansion path that eliminates the need to replace major system components and re-train personnel. Observations of optical Internet usage within an environment, particularly school classrooms, have shown that after an initial period of 'surfing,' the Internet traffic becomes repetitive. By automatically storing requested Internet information on a high-capacity networked disk drive at the local site (network based disk caching), then updating this information only when it changes, well over 80 percent of the Internet traffic that leaves a location can be eliminated by retrieving the information from the local disk cache.

Universal Keyword Classifier on Public Key Based Encrypted Multikeyword Fuzzy Search in Public Cloud

PubMed Central

Munisamy, Shyamala Devi; Chokkalingam, Arun

2015-01-01

Cloud computing has pioneered the emerging world by manifesting itself as a service through internet and facilitates third party infrastructure and applications. While customers have no visibility on how their data is stored on service provider's premises, it offers greater benefits in lowering infrastructure costs and delivering more flexibility and simplicity in managing private data. The opportunity to use cloud services on pay-per-use basis provides comfort for private data owners in managing costs and data. With the pervasive usage of internet, the focus has now shifted towards effective data utilization on the cloud without compromising security concerns. In the pursuit of increasing data utilization on public cloud storage, the key is to make effective data access through several fuzzy searching techniques. In this paper, we have discussed the existing fuzzy searching techniques and focused on reducing the searching time on the cloud storage server for effective data utilization. Our proposed Asymmetric Classifier Multikeyword Fuzzy Search method provides classifier search server that creates universal keyword classifier for the multiple keyword request which greatly reduces the searching time by learning the search path pattern for all the keywords in the fuzzy keyword set. The objective of using BTree fuzzy searchable index is to resolve typos and representation inconsistencies and also to facilitate effective data utilization. PMID:26380364

Universal Keyword Classifier on Public Key Based Encrypted Multikeyword Fuzzy Search in Public Cloud.

PubMed

Munisamy, Shyamala Devi; Chokkalingam, Arun

2015-01-01

Cloud computing has pioneered the emerging world by manifesting itself as a service through internet and facilitates third party infrastructure and applications. While customers have no visibility on how their data is stored on service provider's premises, it offers greater benefits in lowering infrastructure costs and delivering more flexibility and simplicity in managing private data. The opportunity to use cloud services on pay-per-use basis provides comfort for private data owners in managing costs and data. With the pervasive usage of internet, the focus has now shifted towards effective data utilization on the cloud without compromising security concerns. In the pursuit of increasing data utilization on public cloud storage, the key is to make effective data access through several fuzzy searching techniques. In this paper, we have discussed the existing fuzzy searching techniques and focused on reducing the searching time on the cloud storage server for effective data utilization. Our proposed Asymmetric Classifier Multikeyword Fuzzy Search method provides classifier search server that creates universal keyword classifier for the multiple keyword request which greatly reduces the searching time by learning the search path pattern for all the keywords in the fuzzy keyword set. The objective of using BTree fuzzy searchable index is to resolve typos and representation inconsistencies and also to facilitate effective data utilization.

Motivations and usage patterns of Weibo.

PubMed

Zhang, Lixuan; Pentina, Iryna

2012-06-01

Referred to as "Weibo," microblogging in China has witnessed an exponential growth. In addition to the Twitter-like functionality, Weibo allows rich media uploads into user feeds, provides threaded comments, and offers applications, games, and Weibo medals. This expanded functionality, as well as the observed differences in trending content, suggests potentially different user motivations to join Weibo and their usage patterns compared to Twitter. This pioneering study identifies dominant Weibo user motivations and their effects on usage patterns. We discuss the findings of an online survey of 234 Weibo users and suggest managerial implications and future research directions.

Can the Internet be used to Reach Parents for Family-Based Childhood Obesity Interventions?

PubMed Central

Hohman, Katherine H.; Price, Sarah N.; Sonneville, Kendrin; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L.; Gortmaker, Steven L.; Gillman, Matthew W.; Taveras, Elsie M.

2013-01-01

Objective Identify socioeconomic correlates of computer/Internet use among parents of overweight preschool-aged children. Methods Studied 470 baseline participants in a trial to prevent obesity in children 2–6.9 years with BMI ≥ 95th percentile or 85th–95th percentile with one overweight parent. Interviews with parents used Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) questions. Results/Conclusions Ninety-four percent had home computers and 93% reported Internet usage. In adjusted models, parents with ≤ college degree (OR 4.8 [95% CI 1.2, 18.3]) or with household income ≤ $50,000 (OR 7.6 [95% CI 2.2, 26.8]) had decreased likelihood of computer ownership. Of parents who reported going on-line, 63% used Internet to look for health/medical information for themselves and 42% for their children. Parents with ≤ a college degree or with BMI <25 kg/m2 were less likely to use Internet. Results support using the Internet for early childhood obesity prevention with enhanced outreach efforts for low socioeconomic families. PMID:21997144

New approaches to spatially analyse primary health care usage patterns in rural South Africa.

PubMed

Tanser, F; Hosegood, V; Benzler, J; Solarsh, G

2001-10-01

To develop indices to quantitatively assess and understand the spatial usage patterns of health facilities in the Hlabisa district of South Africa. We mapped and interviewed more than 23 000 homesteads (approximately 200 000 people) in Hlabisa district, South Africa and spatially analysed their modal primary health usage patterns using a geographical information system. We generated contour maps of health service use and quantified the relationship between clinic catchments and distance-defined catchments using inclusion and exclusion error. We propose the distance usage index (DUI) as an overall spatial measure of clinic usage. This index is the sum of the distances from clinic to all client homesteads divided by the sum of the distances from clinic to all homesteads within its distance-defined catchment. The index encompasses inclusion, exclusion, and strength of patient attraction for each clinic. Eighty-seven per cent of homesteads use the nearest clinic. Residents of homesteads travel an average Euclidean distance of 4.72 km to attend clinics. There is a significant logarithmic relationship between distance from clinic and their use by homesteads (r(2)=0.774, P < 0.0001). The DUI values range between 31 and 198% (mean=110%, SD=43.7) for 12 clinics and highlight clinic usage patterns across the district. The DUI is a powerful and informative composite measure of clinic usage. The results of the study have important implications for health care provision in developing countries.

Web usage data mining agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madiraju, Praveen; Zhang, Yanqing

2002-03-01

When a user logs in to a website, behind the scenes the user leaves his/her impressions, usage patterns and also access patterns in the web servers log file. A web usage mining agent can analyze these web logs to help web developers to improve the organization and presentation of their websites. They can help system administrators in improving the system performance. Web logs provide invaluable help in creating adaptive web sites and also in analyzing the network traffic analysis. This paper presents the design and implementation of a Web usage mining agent for digging in to the web log files.

How Turkish radiology residents access information related to their profession in this social media and smartphone era.

PubMed

Ozutemiz, Can; Dicle, Oguz; Koremezli, Nevin

2015-01-01

To evaluate the frequency of mobile technology and social media usage among radiology residents and their access to professional information. A questionnaire consisting of 24 questions prepared using Google Drive was sent via e-mail to 550 radiology residents throughout the country. Of the 176 participating residents, 74 completed the survey via the internet, and 102 completed it at three different national radiology meetings. Response rates and its relationship with responses given to different questions were assessed. Hundred two male and 74 female residents participated in the survey. 141 (81.3%) residents thought that they had appropriate internet access in their department. The number of residents using a smartphone was 153 (86.9%). The android operating system (70, 45.8%) was the preferred operating system of respondants. Only 24 (15.7%) of the smartphone users thought that there were enough radiology related applications. "Radiology assistant" (18.9%), "Radiopedia" (7.8%) and "Radiographics" (7.8%) were the most utilized applications. Of the smartphone users, 87(56.9%) stated that they used cell phones in order to find radiological information, and the most used web pages were Google (165, 93.8%), Radiopaedia.org (129, 73.3%), Radiologyassistant.nl (135, 76.7%), and Pubmed (114, 64.8%). Social media usages were as follows: None (10, 5.7%), Facebook (139, 79%), Twitter (55, 31.3%), Google + (51, 29%) and YouTube (44, 25%). While smartphone usage rates among the residents were high, the use of radiology specific applications was not common. Social media usage was very common among residents.

Impact of internet use on loneliness and contact with others among older adults: cross-sectional analysis.

PubMed

Cotten, Shelia R; Anderson, William A; McCullough, Brandi M

2013-02-28

Older adults are at increased risk of experiencing loneliness and depression, particularly as they move into different types of care communities. Information and communication technology (ICT) usage may help older adults to maintain contact with social ties. However, prior research is not consistent about whether ICT use increases or decreases isolation and loneliness among older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine how Internet use affects perceived social isolation and loneliness of older adults in assisted and independent living communities. We also examined the perceptions of how Internet use affects communication and social interaction. One wave of data from an ongoing study of ICT usage among older adults in assisted and independent living communities in Alabama was used. Regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between frequency of going online and isolation and loneliness (n=205) and perceptions of the effects of Internet use on communication and social interaction (n=60). After controlling for the number of friends and family, physical/emotional social limitations, age, and study arm, a 1-point increase in the frequency of going online was associated with a 0.147-point decrease in loneliness scores (P=.005). Going online was not associated with perceived social isolation (P=.14). Among the measures of perception of the social effects of the Internet, each 1-point increase in the frequency of going online was associated with an increase in agreement that using the Internet had: (1) made it easier to reach people (b=0.508, P<.001), (2) contributed to the ability to stay in touch (b=0.516, P<.001), (3) made it easier to meet new people (b=0.297, P=.01, (4) increased the quantity of communication with others (b=0.306, P=.01), (5) made the respondent feel less isolated (b=0.491, P<.001), (6) helped the respondent feel more connected to friends and family (b=0.392, P=.001), and (7) increased the quality of communication with others (b=0.289, P=.01). Using the Internet may be beneficial for decreasing loneliness and increasing social contact among older adults in assisted and independent living communities.

Friends, porn, and punk: sensation seeking in personal relationships, internet activities, and music preference among college students.

PubMed

Weisskirch, Robert S; Murphy, Laurel C

2004-01-01

One hundred thirty-eight college students completed a questionnaire assessing level of sensation seeking, number of close and casual friends, Internet usage, liking certain styles of music, and genre of music listened to most often. It was found that the number of casual and close friends was positively associated with sensation seeking. Individuals who reported using the Internet to get sex-oriented material, download or play music, play games, and chat/instant message with friends in the previous 24 hours had higher levels of sensation seeking. Liking punk, heavy metal, and reggae music were related to higher levels of sensation seeking. Higher sensation seeking was also associated with spending more time listening to punk music.

Analysis of Laogang energy internet and construction of the cloud platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Selan; Nie, Jianwen; Zhang, Daiyue; Li, Xia; Tai, Jun; Yu, Zhaohui; Lu, Yiqi; Xie, Da

2018-02-01

Laogang solid waste recycling base deals with about 70% waste domestic garbage of Shanghai every day. By recycling the garbage, great amount of energy including electricity, heat and gas can be produced. Meanwhile, the base itself consumes much energy as well. Therefore, an energy internet has been designed for the base to analyse the output and usage of the energy so that the energy utilization rate can be enhanced. In addition, a cloud platform has been established basing on the three-layer cloud technology: IaaS, PaaS and SaaS. This cloud platform mainly analysing electricity will judge whether the energy has been used suitably form all sides and furthermore, improve the operation of the whole energy internet in the base.

Internet Use by Parents of Children With Rare Conditions: Findings From a Study on Parents’ Web Information Needs

PubMed Central

Nicholl, Honor; Tracey, Catherine; Begley, Thelma; King, Carole

2017-01-01

Background Parents of children with rare conditions increasingly use the Internet to source information on their child’s condition. This study reports on part of a larger study whose overall aim was to identify the Internet use by parents when seeking information on their child’s rare condition, with the specific purpose of using the findings to aid in the development of a website specifically designed to meet the parents’ needs. It presents findings on why these parents use the Internet, the information and support content they source, and the impact these resources have on their capacity to care for and manage their child’s condition. Objective To (1) ascertain parents’ general Internet usage patterns, (2) identify the nature of the information parents most frequently searched for, and (3) determine the effect the Internet-sourced information had on parents of children with rare conditions. Methods Data collection was conducted in 2 parts: Part 1 was a focus group interview (n=8) to inform the development of the questionnaire, and Part 2 was a questionnaire (Web- and paper-based). All respondents (N=128) completed the questionnaire using the Internet. Results Parents frequently and habitually used the Internet and social media to gather information on their child’s condition. These Web-based resources provide parents with a parent-to-parent support platform that allows them to share their experiences and information with other parents, which, the respondents considered, improved their knowledge and understanding of their child’s condition. The respondents also reported that these resources positively impacted on their decision making, care, and management of their child’s condition. However, they reported receiving mixed responses when wishing to engage and share with health care professionals their Internet and social media interactions and information outcomes. Conclusions This study adds to the emerging body of research on the Internet use by parents of children with rare conditions to source information on their child’s condition. The evolving and ever increasing parent-to-parent support systems via social media are impacting on parents’ capacity to manage their children. Implications for practice include health care professionals’ response to this knowledge and capacity shift, and the significance of these changes when interacting with parents. The key message of this study was that parents of children with rare conditions are habitual users of the Internet to source information about their children’s conditions. Social media, especially Facebook, has an increasing role in the lives of these parents for information and support. Parents’ interest in information gathering and sharing includes a desire for shared dialogue with health care professionals. PMID:28246072

Comparison of internet addiction, pattern and psychopathology between medical and dental students.

PubMed

Gedam, Sachin Ratan; Shivji, Imran Ali; Goyal, Arvind; Modi, Lipsy; Ghosh, Santanu

2016-08-01

There has been an enormous use of internet among health professionals in the last decade. It has made significant changes in the health care system. Besides its several benefits, the excessive undisciplined use has led to the emergence of concept of internet addiction. The objectives of our study were to estimate prevalence of internet addiction among medical and dental students; to determine association of internet use pattern and psychopathology between medical and dental internet addicted (IA) students. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 597 students from medical and dental colleges. They completed semi-structured data, internet addiction test and mental health inventory questionnaires as per instructions provided. Students were divided into medical internet addicts and dental internet addicts for comparison. The prevalence of severe internet addiction was more among dental students (2.3%) than that among medical students (1.2%). There was significant difference between the students of medical and dental faculties, who fall under the category of addiction on the basis of-gender, computer ownership and purpose of internet use (P<0.05). The psychiatric symptoms such as depression and emotional ties also had statistically significant difference (P<0.05). Significant differences were seen in some of the parameters of internet use pattern and psychopathology among the two groups of internet addict from health professionals. So, further studies need to be conducted among different groups of internet addicts to evaluate different parameters. Specific measures should be taken to prevent internet addiction and its complications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The influence of game genre on Internet gaming disorder.

PubMed

Na, Euihyeon; Choi, Inyoung; Lee, Taek-Ho; Lee, Hyeseon; Rho, Mi Jung; Cho, Hyun; Jung, Dong Jin; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-06-29

Background and aims Although Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has been investigated in detail, minimal research has been conducted regarding the influence of different game genres on IGD. The aim of this study is to compare the characteristics of members of game genre-specific groups with IGD and to identify factors associated with IGD status in each group in a large sample of adults. Methods Internet games were categorized into four genres: real-time strategy games, massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG), sport games, and first-person shooter (FPS) games. Participants (n = 2,923) who usually played one of these games completed an anonymous online survey that collected sociodemographic, game usage pattern, and psychopathological assessment data. Results MMORPG and FPS game players more frequently met the criteria for IGD than participants in the other two groups. Differences between the IGD-suspected gamers within the genre-specific groups were observed for a few items, such as average game-playing time and the subscales of the behavioral activation system; however, the factors that contributed to the development of IGD within each game genre-specific group were found to be considerably different. Discussion and conclusions The findings of this study suggest that IGD is a stable psychiatric diagnosis encompassing users of a broad range of game genres. In addition, the development of strategies for the prevention of and early intervention on individuals at high risk for developing IGD may require consideration of the distinct characteristics identified as effective predictors of IGD in users of each game genre.

The influence of game genre on Internet gaming disorder

PubMed Central

Na, Euihyeon; Choi, Inyoung; Lee, Taek-Ho; Lee, Hyeseon; Rho, Mi Jung; Cho, Hyun; Jung, Dong Jin; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-01-01

Background and aims Although Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has been investigated in detail, minimal research has been conducted regarding the influence of different game genres on IGD. The aim of this study is to compare the characteristics of members of game genre-specific groups with IGD and to identify factors associated with IGD status in each group in a large sample of adults. Methods Internet games were categorized into four genres: real-time strategy games, massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG), sport games, and first-person shooter (FPS) games. Participants (n = 2,923) who usually played one of these games completed an anonymous online survey that collected sociodemographic, game usage pattern, and psychopathological assessment data. Results MMORPG and FPS game players more frequently met the criteria for IGD than participants in the other two groups. Differences between the IGD-suspected gamers within the genre-specific groups were observed for a few items, such as average game-playing time and the subscales of the behavioral activation system; however, the factors that contributed to the development of IGD within each game genre-specific group were found to be considerably different. Discussion and conclusions The findings of this study suggest that IGD is a stable psychiatric diagnosis encompassing users of a broad range of game genres. In addition, the development of strategies for the prevention of and early intervention on individuals at high risk for developing IGD may require consideration of the distinct characteristics identified as effective predictors of IGD in users of each game genre. PMID:28658960

General Practitioners' preferences and use of educational media: a German perspective

PubMed Central

Vollmar, Horst Christian; Rieger, Monika A; Butzlaff, Martin E; Ostermann, Thomas

2009-01-01

Background Several studies suggest that General Practitioners (GPs) prefer "traditional" media such as journals or quality circles when they are seeking out different options to meet their continuing medical education (CME) requirements. A survey was designed in order to gain a better understanding of German General Practitioners' preferences for different forms of educational media that will meet their CME needs. Methods Four hundred and forty nine (N = 449) German physicians were contacted to take part in this study on the occasion of one of their quality circle meetings. The participating physicians received a standardized 26-item-questionnaire that surveyed their preferences for different forms of educational media. A factor analysis was performed in order to determine whether the observed variables can be explained largely or entirely in terms of the underlying patterns. Results Two hundred and sixty-four physicians with an average age of 51.1 years participated (28.5% female, 71.5% male). We found that GPs favor learning environments such as: journals, colleagues, and quality circles. New media like the internet was used less often for their learning activities, even though the usage of the internet in general was quite high. The most important requirements for media in medical education as perceived by the participants were its relevancy for daily practice and dependability. Conclusion Despite a growing use of the Internet it seems that German GPs favor "classical/traditional" settings for their learning activities. These results should be taken into consideration when planning CME or CPD programs or other learning activities. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN36550981. PMID:19220905

Information search in health care decision-making: a study of word-of-mouth and internet information users.

PubMed

Snipes, Robin L; Ingram, Rhea; Jiang, Pingjun

2005-01-01

This paper investigates how individual consumers may differ in their information search behavior in health care decision-making. Results indicate that most consumers still use word-of-mouth as a primary information source for health care decisions. However, usage of the Internet is increasing. The results of this study indicate that consumers who are most likely to use the Internet for health care information are single, younger, and less educated, whereas consumers who are most likely to use word-of-mouth are middle-aged, married, with higher income and higher education. Surprisingly, no significant gender difference was found in information search behavior for health care decision-making. The results also suggest that consumers with the highest tendency to use word-of-mouth are also the lowest users of the Internet in health care decision-making. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Identifying the Computer Competency Levels of Recreation Department Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zorba, Erdal

2011-01-01

Computer-based and web-based applications are as major instructional tools to increase undergraduates' motivation at school. In the recreation field usage of, computer and the internet based recreational applications has become more prevalent in order to present visual and interactive entertainment activities. Recreation department undergraduates…

Payment Services for Global Online Systems Including Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seebeck, Bill; And Others

1995-01-01

A panel of four conference presenters address issues related to paying for services provided through online systems. Discussion includes the following topics: metering devices; electronic/digital cash; working within existing banking/credit card structures; provision of payment mechanisms in countries without extensive credit card usage; and…

Knowledge and attitude about computer and internet usage among dental students in Western Rajasthan, India.

PubMed

Jali, Pramod K; Singh, Shamsher; Babaji, Prashant; Chaurasia, Vishwajit Rampratap; Somasundaram, P; Lau, Himani

2014-01-01

Internet is a useful tool to update the knowledge. The aim of the present study was to assess the current level of knowledge on the computer and internet among under graduate dental students. The study consists of self-administered close ended questionnaire survey. Questionnaires were distributed to undergraduate dental students. The study was conducted during July to September 2012. In the selected samples, response rate was 100%. Most (94.4%) of the students had computer knowledge and 77.4% had their own computer and access at home. Nearly 40.8% of students use computer for general purpose, 28.5% for entertainment and 22.8% used for research purpose. Most of the students had internet knowledge (92.9%) and they used it independently (79.1%). Nearly 42.1% used internet occasionally whereas, 34.4% used regularly, 21.7% rarely and 1.8% don't use respectively. Internet was preferred for getting information (48.8%) due to easy accessibility and recent updates. For dental purpose students used internet 2-3 times/week (45.3%). Most (95.3%) of the students responded to have computer based learning program in the curriculum. Computer knowledge was observed to be good among dental students.

An initial log analysis of usage patterns on a research networking system.

PubMed

Boland, Mary Regina; Trembowelski, Sylvia; Bakken, Suzanne; Weng, Chunhua

2012-08-01

Usage data for research networking systems (RNSs) are valuable but generally unavailable for understanding scientific professionals' information needs and online collaborator seeking behaviors. This study contributes a method for evaluating RNSs and initial usage knowledge of one RNS obtained from using this method. We designed a log for an institutional RNS, defined categories of users and tasks, and analyzed correlations between usage patterns and user and query types. Our results show that scientific professionals spend more time performing deep Web searching on RNSs than generic Google users and we also show that retrieving scientist profiles is faster on an RNS than on Google (3.5 seconds vs. 34.2 seconds) whereas organization-specific browsing on a RNS takes longer than on Google (117.0 seconds vs. 34.2 seconds). Usage patterns vary by user role, e.g., faculty performed more informational queries than administrators, which implies role-specific user support is needed for RNSs. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An Initial Log Analysis of Usage Patterns on a Research Networking System

PubMed Central

Boland, Mary Regina; Trembowelski, Sylvia; Bakken, Suzanne; Weng, Chunhua

2012-01-01

Abstract Usage data for research networking systems (RNSs) are valuable but generally unavailable for understanding scientific professionals’ information needs and online collaborator seeking behaviors. This study contributes a method for evaluating RNSs and initial usage knowledge of one RNS obtained from using this method. We designed a log for an institutional RNS, defined categories of users and tasks, and analyzed correlations between usage patterns and user and query types. Our results show that scientific professionals spend more time performing deep Web searching on RNSs than generic Google users and we also show that retrieving scientist profiles is faster on an RNS than on Google (3.5 seconds vs. 34.2 seconds) whereas organization‐specific browsing on a RNS takes longer than on Google (117.0 seconds vs. 34.2 seconds). Usage patterns vary by user role, e.g., faculty performed more informational queries than administrators, which implies role‐specific user support is needed for RNSs. Clin Trans Sci 2012; Volume 5: 340–347 PMID:22883612

Internet-Based Digital Simulation for Cleft Surgery Education: A 5-Year Assessment of Demographics, Usage, and Global Effect.

PubMed

Kantar, Rami S; Plana, Natalie M; Cutting, Court B; Diaz-Siso, Jesus Rodrigo; Flores, Roberto L

2018-01-29

In October 2012, a freely available, internet-based cleft simulator was created in partnership between academic, nonprofit, and industry sectors. The purpose of this educational resource was to address global disparities in cleft surgery education. This report assesses demographics, usage, and global effect of our simulator, in its fifth year since inception. Evaluate the global effect, usage, and demographics of an internet-based educational digital simulation cleft surgery software. Simulator modules, available in five languages demonstrate surgical anatomy, markings, detailed procedures, and intraoperative footage to supplement digital animation. Available data regarding number of users, sessions, countries reached, and content access were recorded. Surveys evaluating the demographic characteristics of registered users and simulator use were collected by direct e-mail. The total number of simulator new and active users reached 2865 and 4086 in June 2017, respectively. By June 2017, users from 136 countries had accessed the simulator. From 2015 to 2017, the number of sessions was 11,176 with a monthly average of 399.0 ± 190.0. Developing countries accounted for 35% of sessions and the average session duration was 9.0 ± 7.3 minutes. This yields a total simulator screen time of 100,584 minutes (1676 hours). Most survey respondents were surgeons or trainees (87%) specializing in plastic, maxillofacial, or general surgery (89%). Most users found the simulator to be useful (88%), at least equivalent or more useful than other resources (83%), and used it for teaching (58%). Our internet-based interactive cleft surgery platform reaches its intended target audience, is not restricted by socioeconomic barriers to access, and is judged to be useful by surgeons. More than 4000 active users have been reached since inception. The total screen time over approximately 2 years exceeded 1600 hours. This suggests that future surgical simulators of this kind may be sustainable by stakeholders interested in reaching this target audience. Copyright © 2018 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genome-wide comparative analysis of codon usage bias and codon context patterns among cyanobacterial genomes.

PubMed

Prabha, Ratna; Singh, Dhananjaya P; Sinha, Swati; Ahmad, Khurshid; Rai, Anil

2017-04-01

With the increasing accumulation of genomic sequence information of prokaryotes, the study of codon usage bias has gained renewed attention. The purpose of this study was to examine codon selection pattern within and across cyanobacterial species belonging to diverse taxonomic orders and habitats. We performed detailed comparative analysis of cyanobacterial genomes with respect to codon bias. Our analysis reflects that in cyanobacterial genomes, A- and/or T-ending codons were used predominantly in the genes whereas G- and/or C-ending codons were largely avoided. Variation in the codon context usage of cyanobacterial genes corresponded to the clustering of cyanobacteria as per their GC content. Analysis of codon adaptation index (CAI) and synonymous codon usage order (SCUO) revealed that majority of genes are associated with low codon bias. Codon selection pattern in cyanobacterial genomes reflected compositional constraints as major influencing factor. It is also identified that although, mutational constraint may play some role in affecting codon usage bias in cyanobacteria, compositional constraint in terms of genomic GC composition coupled with environmental factors affected codon selection pattern in cyanobacterial genomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An investigation of the effect of anecdotal information on the choice of a healthcare facility.

PubMed

Chalil Madathil, Kapil; Greenstein, Joel S

2018-07-01

This article includes two studies investigating the impact of anecdotal healthcare information from the Internet on healthcare decisions. The availability of anecdotal information on the Internet through social media and peer support groups has increased the risk of the dissemination of misleading information. The first study investigated the effect of demographics, quality of life, health status and public reports usage on the use of anecdotal healthcare information from the Internet. The second employed a 2 (anecdotal information presented as videos supporting and contradicting public report information) * 2 (phase of introduction of anecdotal information: early, late) between-subjects experimental design to investigate the consumer's choice between two health facilities, the level of confidence in the decision, the knowledge acquired and the workload experienced. The results from the first study found that age, gender, educational level, health status and public report usage were significant predictors of consumer use of anecdotal information on the Internet. The results from the second suggest that the probability of making the optimal choice was reduced by more than half when contradicting rather than supporting anecdotal information was presented first. The data from anecdotal information became the anchor points for developing an understanding of the healthcare situation, meaning initial perceptions did not change after the presentation of the more reliable public reports. Because of comprehension issues related to public reports, consumers may give more weight to anecdotal information found online. Thus, new approaches are needed to ensure the former is engaging for a wide range of healthcare consumers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enabling active and healthy ageing decision support systems with the smart collection of TV usage patterns

PubMed Central

Billis, Antonis S.; Batziakas, Asterios; Bratsas, Charalampos; Tsatali, Marianna S.; Karagianni, Maria

2016-01-01

Smart monitoring of seniors behavioural patterns and more specifically activities of daily living have attracted immense research interest in recent years. Development of smart decision support systems to support the promotion of health smart homes has also emerged taking advantage of the plethora of smart, inexpensive and unobtrusive monitoring sensors, devices and software tools. To this end, a smart monitoring system has been used in order to extract meaningful information about television (TV) usage patterns and subsequently associate them with clinical findings of experts. The smart TV operating state remote monitoring system was installed in four elderly women homes and gathered data for more than 11 months. Results suggest that TV daily usage (time the TV is turned on) can predict mental health change. Conclusively, the authors suggest that collection of smart device usage patterns could strengthen the inference capabilities of existing health DSSs applied in uncontrolled settings such as real senior homes. PMID:27284457

Enabling active and healthy ageing decision support systems with the smart collection of TV usage patterns.

PubMed

Billis, Antonis S; Batziakas, Asterios; Bratsas, Charalampos; Tsatali, Marianna S; Karagianni, Maria; Bamidis, Panagiotis D

2016-03-01

Smart monitoring of seniors behavioural patterns and more specifically activities of daily living have attracted immense research interest in recent years. Development of smart decision support systems to support the promotion of health smart homes has also emerged taking advantage of the plethora of smart, inexpensive and unobtrusive monitoring sensors, devices and software tools. To this end, a smart monitoring system has been used in order to extract meaningful information about television (TV) usage patterns and subsequently associate them with clinical findings of experts. The smart TV operating state remote monitoring system was installed in four elderly women homes and gathered data for more than 11 months. Results suggest that TV daily usage (time the TV is turned on) can predict mental health change. Conclusively, the authors suggest that collection of smart device usage patterns could strengthen the inference capabilities of existing health DSSs applied in uncontrolled settings such as real senior homes.

Internet and Social Media Use After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study.

PubMed

Baker-Sparr, Christina; Hart, Tessa; Bergquist, Thomas; Bogner, Jennifer; Dreer, Laura; Juengst, Shannon; Mellick, David; OʼNeil-Pirozzi, Therese M; Sander, Angelle M; Whiteneck, Gale G

To characterize Internet and social media use among adults with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to compare demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with Internet use between those with and without TBI. Ten Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems centers. Persons with moderate to severe TBI (N = 337) enrolled in the TBI Model Systems National Database and eligible for follow-up from April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2015. Prospective cross-sectional observational cohort study. Internet usage survey. The proportion of Internet users with TBI was high (74%) but significantly lower than those in the general population (84%). Smartphones were the most prevalent means of Internet access for persons with TBI. The majority of Internet users with TBI had a profile account on a social networking site (79%), with more than half of the sample reporting multiplatform use of 2 or more social networking sites. Despite the prevalence of Internet use among persons with TBI, technological disparities remain in comparison with the general population. The extent of social media use among persons with TBI demonstrates the potential of these platforms for social engagement and other purposes. However, further research examining the quality of online activities and identifying potential risk factors of problematic use is recommended.

Influencing Factors in OER Usage of Adult Learners in Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Byoung Wook; Lee, Won Gyu; Lee, Byeong Rae; Shon, Jin Gon

2015-01-01

Open Educational Resources (OER) is terminology that refers to educational resources (content and software) distributed through the Internet, free of charge and freely accessible, expanding learning opportunities for adult learners. This terminology first appeared around 2002, although its roots can be traced to the open architecture of the…

NREL Transportation Project to Reduce Fuel Usage

Science.gov Websites

and communication software was developed by NREL researchers to display a vehicle's location automatically and transmit a map of the its location over the Internet. After developing the communication vehicle location and communication technology to track and direct vehicle fleet movements," said the

Electronic Theses and Dissertations: Promoting "Hidden" Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Copeland, Susan

2008-01-01

Since the mid 1990s an increasing number of higher education institutions and organisations have been encouraging the production and submission of theses and dissertations in electronic format. Where access to electronic theses and dissertations is available via the Internet, usage figures indicate that this is a much consulted resource. However,…

Interaction in Distance Nursing Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boz Yuksekdag, Belgin

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine psychiatry nurses' attitudes toward the interactions in distance nursing education, and also scrunize their attitudes based on demographics and computer/Internet usage. The comparative relational scanning model is the method of this study. The research data were collected through "The Scale of Attitudes of…

77 FR 18203 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-27

... new subjects on the ACS: computer and Internet usage and parental place of birth. As authorized by the....S. Census Bureau. Title: The American Community Survey. OMB Control Number: 0607-0810. Form Number(s... Management and Budget (OMB) for revisions to the American Community Survey (ACS). The Census Bureau has...

Factors Affecting Teenager Cyber Delinquency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joo, Young Ju; Lim, Kyu Yon; Cho, Sun Yoo; Jung, Bo Kyung; Choi, Se Bin

2013-01-01

The study aims to investigate structural relationships among teenagers' peer attachment, self-control, academic stress, internet usage time, and cyber delinquency. The data source was the Korea Youth Panel Survey, and the responses from 920 teenagers in the 12th grade provided the study data. Structural equation modeling was used for the analysis.…

WINDS: A Web-Based Intelligent Interactive Course on Data-Structures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirohi, Vijayalaxmi

2007-01-01

The Internet has opened new ways of learning and has brought several advantages to computer-aided education. Global access, self-paced learning, asynchronous teaching, interactivity, and multimedia usage are some of these. Along with the advantages comes the challenge of designing the software using the available facilities. Integrating online…

How Mobile Devices Affect Students According to Teachers' Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cumaoglu, Gonca Kizilkaya

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine teachers' beliefs concerning the effects on students using mobile devices, and to determine whether these beliefs vary according to the demographic characteristics and Internet usage purposes. For this purpose, a demographic information questionnaire and the scale developed by Diker Coskun & Kizilkaya…

Language Pedagogy and Non-Transience in the Flipped Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Una

2016-01-01

High connectivity at tertiary institutions, and students who are often equipped with laptops and/or tablets as well as smartphones, have resulted in language learners being able to freely access technology and the internet. Reference tools such as dictionaries, concordancers, translators, and thesauri, with pronunciation and usage tips, are…

Online Socialization through Social Software and Networks from an Educational Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gülbahar, Yasemin

2015-01-01

The potential represented by the usage of Internet-based communication technologies in parallel with e-instruction is enabling learners to cooperate and collaborate throughout the world. However, an important dimension, namely the socialization of learners through online dialogues via e-mail, discussion forums, chats, blogs, wikis and virtual…

Fuzzy usage pattern in customizing public transport fleet and its maintenance options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husniah, H.; Herdiani, L.; Kusmaya; Supriatna, A. K.

2018-05-01

In this paper we study a two-dimensional maintenance contract for a fleet of public transport, such as buses, shuttle etc. The buses are sold with a two-dimensional warranty. The warranty and the maintenance contract are characterized by two parameters – age and usage – which define a two-dimensional region. However, we use one dimensional approach to model these age and usage of the buses. The under-laying maintenance service contracts is the one which offers policy limit cost to protect a service provider (an agent) from over claim and to pursue the owner to do maintenance under specified cost in house. This in turn gives benefit for both the owner of the buses and the agent of service contract. The decision problem for an agent is to determine the optimal price for each option offered, and for the owner is to select the best contract option. We use a Nash game theory formulation in order to obtain a win-win solution – i.e. the optimal price for the agent and the optimal option for the owner. We further assume that there will be three different usage pattern of the buses, i.e. low, medium, and high pattern of the usage rate. In many situations it is often that we face a blur boundary between the adjacent patterns. In this paper we look for the optimal price for the agent and the optimal option for the owner, which minimizes the expected total cost while considering the fuzziness of the usage rate pattern.

Complex codon usage pattern and compositional features of retroviruses.

PubMed

RoyChoudhury, Sourav; Mukherjee, Debaprasad

2013-01-01

Retroviruses infect a wide range of organisms including humans. Among them, HIV-1, which causes AIDS, has now become a major threat for world health. Some of these viruses are also potential gene transfer vectors. In this study, the patterns of synonymous codon usage in retroviruses have been studied through multivariate statistical methods on ORFs sequences from the available 56 retroviruses. The principal determinant for evolution of the codon usage pattern in retroviruses seemed to be the compositional constraints, while selection for translation of the viral genes plays a secondary role. This was further supported by multivariate analysis on relative synonymous codon usage. Thus, it seems that mutational bias might have dominated role over translational selection in shaping the codon usage of retroviruses. Codon adaptation index was used to identify translationally optimal codons among genes from retroviruses. The comparative analysis of the preferred and optimal codons among different retroviral groups revealed that four codons GAA, AAA, AGA, and GGA were significantly more frequent in most of the retroviral genes inspite of some differences. Cluster analysis also revealed that phylogenetically related groups of retroviruses have probably evolved their codon usage in a concerted manner under the influence of their nucleotide composition.

Specific smartphone usage and cognitive performance affect gait characteristics during free-living and treadmill walking.

PubMed

Niederer, Daniel; Bumann, Anke; Mühlhauser, Yvonne; Schmitt, Mareike; Wess, Katja; Engeroff, Tobias; Wilke, Jan; Vogt, Lutz; Banzer, Winfried

2018-05-01

Mobile phone tasks like texting, typing, and dialling during walking are known to impact gait characteristics. Beyond that, the effects of performing smartphone-typical actions like researching and taking self-portraits (selfie) on gait have not been investigated yet. We aimed to investigate the effects of smartphone usage on relevant gait characteristics and to reveal potential association of basic cognitive and walking plus smartphone dual-task abilities. Our cross-sectional, cross-over study on physically active, healthy participants was performed on two days, interrupted by a 24-h washout in between. Assessments were: 1) Cognitive testing battery consisting of the trail making test (TMT A and B) and the Stroop test 2) Treadmill walking under five smartphone usage conditions: no use (control condition), reading, dialling, internet searching and taking a selfie in randomized order. Kinematic and kinetic gait characteristics were assessed to estimate conditions influence. In our sample of 36 adults (24.6 ± 1 years, 23 female, 13 male), ANCOVAs followed by post-hoc t-tests revealed that smartphone usage impaired all tested gait characteristics: gait speed (decrease, all conditions): F = 54.7, p < 0.001; cadence (increase, all): F = 38.3, p < 0.001; double stride length (decrease, all): F = 33.8, p < 0.001; foot external rotation (increase during dialling, researching, selfie): F = 16.7, p < 0.001; stride length variability (increase): F = 11.7, p < 0.001; step width variability (increase): F = 5.3, p < 0.001; step width (Friedmann test and Wilcoxon Bonferroni-Holm-corrected post-hoc analyses, increase): Z = -2.3 to -2.9; p < 0.05); plantar pressure proportion (increase during reading and researching) (Z = -2.9; p < 0.01). The ability to keep usual gait quality during smartphone usage was systematically associated with the TMT B time regarding cadence and double stride length for reading (r = -0.37), dialling (r = -0.35) and taking a selfie (r = -0.34). Smartphone usage substantially impacts walking characteristics in most situations. Changes of gait patterns indicate higher cognitive loads and lower awareness. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contraceptive usage patterns in North American medical students

PubMed Central

Rowen, Tami S.; Smith, James F.; Eisenberg, Michael L.; Breyer, Benjamin N.; Drey, Eleanor A.; Shindel, Alan W.

2013-01-01

Background Previous studies indicate that the sexual beliefs and mores of students in medical professions may influence their capacity to care for patients’ sexuality and contraception issues. Students also represent a large sample of reproductive-age individuals. In this study, we examined contraceptive usage patterns in North American medical students. Study Design Students using online medical student social and information networks enrolled in allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in North America between February and July of 2008 were invited to participate via email and published announcements in an Internet-based survey consisting of a questionnaire that assessed ethnodemographic factors, year in school and sexual history. We also collected information about current use of contraceptive and barrier methods. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were utilized to analyze responses. Results Among our 2269 complete responses, at least one form of contraception was being utilized by 71% of men and 76% of women. Condoms were the most popular form of contraceptive, utilized by 1011 respondents (50% of men and 40% of women). Oral contraceptive pills were the contraceptive of choice for 34% of men and 41% of women. Decreased rates of contraception use were associated with being black or Asian, not being in a relationship and having more sexual dysfunction in female respondents. Students who reported comfort discussing sexual issues with patients were more likely to use effective contraceptive methods themselves. Ten percent of this of sexually active medical students was not currently using contraception. Conclusions There are significant differences in contraceptive use based on demographics, even at the highest education levels. The personal contraception choices of medical students may influence their ability to accurately convey information about contraception to their patients. In addition, medical students may personally benefit from improved knowledge of effective contraceptive practices. PMID:21477690

Contraceptive usage patterns in North American medical students.

PubMed

Rowen, Tami S; Smith, James F; Eisenberg, Michael L; Breyer, Benjamin N; Drey, Eleanor A; Shindel, Alan W

2011-05-01

Previous studies indicate that the sexual beliefs and mores of students in medical professions may influence their capacity to care for patients' sexuality and contraception issues. Students also represent a large sample of reproductive-age individuals. In this study, we examined contraceptive usage patterns in North American medical students. Students using online medical student social and information networks enrolled in allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in North America between February and July of 2008 were invited to participate via email and published announcements in an Internet-based survey consisting of a questionnaire that assessed ethnodemographic factors, year in school and sexual history. We also collected information about current use of contraceptive and barrier methods. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were utilized to analyze responses. Among our 2269 complete responses, at least one form of contraception was being utilized by 71% of men and 76% of women. Condoms were the most popular form of contraceptive, utilized by 1011 respondents (50% of men and 40% of women). Oral contraceptive pills were the contraceptive of choice for 34% of men and 41% of women. Decreased rates of contraception use were associated with being black or Asian, not being in a relationship and having more sexual dysfunction in female respondents. Students who reported comfort discussing sexual issues with patients were more likely to use effective contraceptive methods themselves. Ten percent of this of sexually active medical students was not currently using contraception. There are significant differences in contraceptive use based on demographics, even at the highest education levels. The personal contraception choices of medical students may influence their ability to accurately convey information about contraception to their patients. In addition, medical students may personally benefit from improved knowledge of effective contraceptive practices. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predictors and patterns of problematic Internet game use using a decision tree model

PubMed Central

Rho, Mi Jung; Jeong, Jo-Eun; Chun, Ji-Won; Cho, Hyun; Jung, Dong Jin; Choi, In Young; Kim, Dai-Jin

2016-01-01

Background and aims Problematic Internet game use is an important social issue that increases social expenditures for both individuals and nations. This study identified predictors and patterns of problematic Internet game use. Methods Data were collected from online surveys between November 26 and December 26, 2014. We identified 3,881 Internet game users from a total of 5,003 respondents. A total of 511 participants were assigned to the problematic Internet game user group according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Internet gaming disorder criteria. From the remaining 3,370 participants, we used propensity score matching to develop a normal comparison group of 511 participants. In all, 1,022 participants were analyzed using the chi-square automatic interaction detector (CHAID) algorithm. Results According to the CHAID algorithm, six important predictors were found: gaming costs (50%), average weekday gaming time (23%), offline Internet gaming community meeting attendance (13%), average weekend and holiday gaming time (7%), marital status (4%), and self-perceptions of addiction to Internet game use (3%). In addition, three patterns out of six classification rules were explored: cost-consuming, socializing, and solitary gamers. Conclusion This study provides direction for future work on the screening of problematic Internet game use in adults. PMID:27499227

Predictors and patterns of problematic Internet game use using a decision tree model.

PubMed

Rho, Mi Jung; Jeong, Jo-Eun; Chun, Ji-Won; Cho, Hyun; Jung, Dong Jin; Choi, In Young; Kim, Dai-Jin

2016-09-01

Background and aims Problematic Internet game use is an important social issue that increases social expenditures for both individuals and nations. This study identified predictors and patterns of problematic Internet game use. Methods Data were collected from online surveys between November 26 and December 26, 2014. We identified 3,881 Internet game users from a total of 5,003 respondents. A total of 511 participants were assigned to the problematic Internet game user group according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Internet gaming disorder criteria. From the remaining 3,370 participants, we used propensity score matching to develop a normal comparison group of 511 participants. In all, 1,022 participants were analyzed using the chi-square automatic interaction detector (CHAID) algorithm. Results According to the CHAID algorithm, six important predictors were found: gaming costs (50%), average weekday gaming time (23%), offline Internet gaming community meeting attendance (13%), average weekend and holiday gaming time (7%), marital status (4%), and self-perceptions of addiction to Internet game use (3%). In addition, three patterns out of six classification rules were explored: cost-consuming, socializing, and solitary gamers. Conclusion This study provides direction for future work on the screening of problematic Internet game use in adults.

Analysis of transcriptome data reveals multifactor constraint on codon usage in Taenia multiceps.

PubMed

Huang, Xing; Xu, Jing; Chen, Lin; Wang, Yu; Gu, Xiaobin; Peng, Xuerong; Yang, Guangyou

2017-04-20

Codon usage bias (CUB) is an important evolutionary feature in genomes that has been widely observed in many organisms. However, the synonymous codon usage pattern in the genome of T. multiceps remains to be clarified. In this study, we analyzed the codon usage of T. multiceps based on the transcriptome data to reveal the constraint factors and to gain an improved understanding of the mechanisms that shape synonymous CUB. Analysis of a total of 8,620 annotated mRNA sequences from T. multiceps indicated only a weak codon bias, with mean GC and GC3 content values of 49.29% and 51.43%, respectively. Our analysis indicated that nucleotide composition, mutational pressure, natural selection, gene expression level, amino acids with grand average of hydropathicity (GRAVY) and aromaticity (Aromo) and the effective selection of amino-acids all contributed to the codon usage in T. multiceps. Among these factors, natural selection was implicated as the major factor affecting the codon usage variation in T. multiceps. The codon usage of ribosome genes was affected mainly by mutations, while the essential genes were affected mainly by selection. In addition, 21codons were identified as "optimal codons". Overall, the optimal codons were GC-rich (GC:AU, 41:22), and ended with G or C (except CGU). Furthermore, different degrees of variation in codon usage were found between T. multiceps and Escherichia coli, yeast, Homo sapiens. However, little difference was found between T. multiceps and Taenia pisiformis. In this study, the codon usage pattern of T. multiceps was analyzed systematically and factors affected CUB were also identified. This is the first study of codon biology in T. multiceps. Understanding the codon usage pattern in T. multiceps can be helpful for the discovery of new genes, molecular genetic engineering and evolutionary studies.

Public reaction to Chikungunya outbreaks in Italy-Insights from an extensive novel data streams-based structural equation modeling analysis.

PubMed

Mahroum, Naim; Adawi, Mohammad; Sharif, Kassem; Waknin, Roy; Mahagna, Hussein; Bisharat, Bishara; Mahamid, Mahmud; Abu-Much, Arsalan; Amital, Howard; Luigi Bragazzi, Nicola; Watad, Abdulla

2018-01-01

The recent outbreak of Chikungunya virus in Italy represents a serious public health concern, which is attracting media coverage and generating public interest in terms of Internet searches and social media interactions. Here, we sought to assess the Chikungunya-related digital behavior and the interplay between epidemiological figures and novel data streams traffic. Reaction to the recent outbreak was analyzed in terms of Google Trends, Google News and Twitter traffic, Wikipedia visits and edits, and PubMed articles, exploiting structural modelling equations. A total of 233,678 page-views and 150 edits on the Italian Wikipedia page, 3,702 tweets, 149 scholarly articles, and 3,073 news articles were retrieved. The relationship between overall Chikungunya cases, as well as autochthonous cases, and tweets production was found to be fully mediated by Chikungunya-related web searches. However, in the allochthonous/imported cases model, tweet production was not found to be significantly mediated by epidemiological figures, with web searches still significantly mediating tweet production. Inconsistent relationships were detected in mediation models involving Wikipedia usage as a mediator variable. Similarly, the effect between news consumption and tweets production was suppressed by the Wikipedia usage. A further inconsistent mediation was found in the case of the effect between Wikipedia usage and tweets production, with web searches as a mediator variable. When adjusting for the Internet penetration index, similar findings could be obtained, with the important exception that in the adjusted model the relationship between GN and Twitter was found to be partially mediated by Wikipedia usage. Furthermore, the link between Wikipedia usage and PubMed/MEDLINE was fully mediated by GN, differently from what was found in the unadjusted model. In conclusion-a significant public reaction to the current Chikungunya outbreak was documented. Health authorities should be aware of this, recognizing the role of new technologies for collecting public concerns and replying to them, disseminating awareness and avoid misleading information.

Analysis of Polish internet retail sites offering electronic cigarettes.

PubMed

Zarobkiewicz, Michał Konrad; Woźniakowski, Mateusz Mariusz; Sławiński, Mirosław Aleksander; Samborski, Patryk Michał; Wawryk-Gawda, Ewelina; Jodłowska-Jędrych, Barbara

Electronic cigarettes as possibly healthier alternative to conventional cigarettes are gaining popularity worldwide, although they are still hazardous to human health. Partly it is caused by unregulated advertising and online sales. Unfortunately it is more and more popular for youth to try electronic cigarettes. The aim of the study was to assess the marketing claims used by Polish websites offering electronic cigarettes. A search using Google search engine was performed in July 2015 for two keywords: e-papierosy [e-cigarettes] and elektroniczne papierosy [electronic cigarettes]. First 150 websites (15 pages) were listed. After initial review 86 pages met all inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Pages were searched for presence of 13 selected marketing claims as well as age-related warning and any social websites connections. Age-related warning was present on only 33.72% (n=29) websites. Two thirds has its own Facebook fan-page with average 1922.09 ± 3634.86 likes. Articles about health are available on 10.46% (n=9) websites, 53.49% (n=46) states that e-cigarettes are healthier than conventional ones, 39.53% (n=34) emphasized that during usage of e-cigarettes no tarry substances are produced. Two pages had special article in which conventional and electronic cigarettes were compared. Almost half (44.19%) remarked that e-cigarettes are cheaper in usage than conventional, one third pointed out the simplicity of usage. 32.56% advertised e-cigarettes as aid in quitting smoking. One fourth stated that e-cigarettes are harmless for surroundings. 33.72% marketed them as a way of bypassing public smoking act. 56.98% remarked the variety of liquid tastes offered. Electronic cigarettes and their rising popularity create another new possible threat for public health as the widely available information emphasize safety of e-cigarettes usage and as their availability and usage is not limited or restricted by law. electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes, internet retail websites.

Public reaction to Chikungunya outbreaks in Italy—Insights from an extensive novel data streams-based structural equation modeling analysis

PubMed Central

Sharif, Kassem; Waknin, Roy; Mahagna, Hussein; Bisharat, Bishara; Mahamid, Mahmud; Abu-Much, Arsalan; Amital, Howard; Luigi Bragazzi, Nicola

2018-01-01

The recent outbreak of Chikungunya virus in Italy represents a serious public health concern, which is attracting media coverage and generating public interest in terms of Internet searches and social media interactions. Here, we sought to assess the Chikungunya-related digital behavior and the interplay between epidemiological figures and novel data streams traffic. Reaction to the recent outbreak was analyzed in terms of Google Trends, Google News and Twitter traffic, Wikipedia visits and edits, and PubMed articles, exploiting structural modelling equations. A total of 233,678 page-views and 150 edits on the Italian Wikipedia page, 3,702 tweets, 149 scholarly articles, and 3,073 news articles were retrieved. The relationship between overall Chikungunya cases, as well as autochthonous cases, and tweets production was found to be fully mediated by Chikungunya-related web searches. However, in the allochthonous/imported cases model, tweet production was not found to be significantly mediated by epidemiological figures, with web searches still significantly mediating tweet production. Inconsistent relationships were detected in mediation models involving Wikipedia usage as a mediator variable. Similarly, the effect between news consumption and tweets production was suppressed by the Wikipedia usage. A further inconsistent mediation was found in the case of the effect between Wikipedia usage and tweets production, with web searches as a mediator variable. When adjusting for the Internet penetration index, similar findings could be obtained, with the important exception that in the adjusted model the relationship between GN and Twitter was found to be partially mediated by Wikipedia usage. Furthermore, the link between Wikipedia usage and PubMed/MEDLINE was fully mediated by GN, differently from what was found in the unadjusted model. In conclusion—a significant public reaction to the current Chikungunya outbreak was documented. Health authorities should be aware of this, recognizing the role of new technologies for collecting public concerns and replying to them, disseminating awareness and avoid misleading information. PMID:29795578

Collecting conditions usage metadata to optimize current and future ATLAS software and processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinaldi, L.; Barberis, D.; Formica, A.; Gallas, E. J.; Oda, S.; Rybkin, G.; Verducci, M.; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

Conditions data (for example: alignment, calibration, data quality) are used extensively in the processing of real and simulated data in ATLAS. The volume and variety of the conditions data needed by different types of processing are quite diverse, so optimizing its access requires a careful understanding of conditions usage patterns. These patterns can be quantified by mining representative log files from each type of processing and gathering detailed information about conditions usage for that type of processing into a central repository.

Collecting household water usage data: telephone questionnaire or diary?

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA), a modelling approach, is used to assess health risks. Inputs into the QMRA process include data that characterise the intensity, frequency and duration of exposure to risk(s). Data gaps for water exposure assessment include the duration and frequency of urban non-potable (non-drinking) water use. The primary objective of this study was to compare household water usage results obtained using two data collection tools, a computer assisted telephone interview (CATI) and a 7-day water activity diary, in order to assess the effect of different methodological survey approaches on derived exposure estimates. Costs and logistical aspects of each data collection tool were also examined. Methods A total of 232 households in an Australian dual reticulation scheme (where households are supplied with two grades of water through separate pipe networks) were surveyed about their water usage using both a CATI and a 7-day diary. Householders were questioned about their use of recycled water for toilet flushing, garden watering and other outdoor activities. Householders were also questioned about their water use in the laundry. Agreement between reported CATI and diary water usage responses was assessed. Results Results of this study showed that the level of agreement between CATI and diary responses was greater for more frequent water-related activities except toilet flushing and for those activities where standard durations or settings were employed. In addition, this study showed that the unit cost of diary administration was greater than for the CATI, excluding consideration of the initial selection and recruitment steps. Conclusion This study showed that it is possible to successfully 'remotely' coordinate diary completion providing that adequate instructions are given and that diary recording forms are well designed. In addition, good diary return rates can be achieved using a monetary incentive and the diary format allows for collective recording, rather than an individual's estimation, of household water usage. Accordingly, there is merit in further exploring the use of diaries for collection of water usage information either in combination with a mail out for recruitment, or potentially in the future with Internet-based recruitment (as household Internet uptake increases). PMID:19900290

Collecting household water usage data: telephone questionnaire or diary?

PubMed

O'Toole, Joanne E; Sinclair, Martha I; Leder, Karin

2009-11-09

Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA), a modelling approach, is used to assess health risks. Inputs into the QMRA process include data that characterise the intensity, frequency and duration of exposure to risk(s). Data gaps for water exposure assessment include the duration and frequency of urban non-potable (non-drinking) water use. The primary objective of this study was to compare household water usage results obtained using two data collection tools, a computer assisted telephone interview (CATI) and a 7-day water activity diary, in order to assess the effect of different methodological survey approaches on derived exposure estimates. Costs and logistical aspects of each data collection tool were also examined. A total of 232 households in an Australian dual reticulation scheme (where households are supplied with two grades of water through separate pipe networks) were surveyed about their water usage using both a CATI and a 7-day diary. Householders were questioned about their use of recycled water for toilet flushing, garden watering and other outdoor activities. Householders were also questioned about their water use in the laundry. Agreement between reported CATI and diary water usage responses was assessed. Results of this study showed that the level of agreement between CATI and diary responses was greater for more frequent water-related activities except toilet flushing and for those activities where standard durations or settings were employed. In addition, this study showed that the unit cost of diary administration was greater than for the CATI, excluding consideration of the initial selection and recruitment steps. This study showed that it is possible to successfully 'remotely' coordinate diary completion providing that adequate instructions are given and that diary recording forms are well designed. In addition, good diary return rates can be achieved using a monetary incentive and the diary format allows for collective recording, rather than an individual's estimation, of household water usage. Accordingly, there is merit in further exploring the use of diaries for collection of water usage information either in combination with a mail out for recruitment, or potentially in the future with Internet-based recruitment (as household Internet uptake increases).

Malicious MXit? South African adolescents' use of mobile-based communication applications.

PubMed

Swanepoel, Tarah L; Thomas, Kevin Gf

2012-10-01

Across the globe, and particularly in the high-income countries of the developed world, adolescents are resorting in increasing numbers to the virtual world for peer interaction and socialisation (Subrahmanyam, Smahel and Greenfield 2006). This new and popular way of relating through virtual mediums such as the Internet has sparked public concern, and has been a focus of academic debate. Ongoing debate in psychology literature discusses the notion of compulsive usage of online communication platforms (commonly termed Internet addiction), particularly among adolescents (Kim et al. 2006, Fu et al. 2010, Israelashvili, Kim and Bukobza 2012).

Exploring the Relationship between Video Lecture Usage Patterns and Students' Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giannakos, Michail N.; Jaccheri, Letizia; Krogstie, John

2016-01-01

Videos have enhanced the value of teaching and learning, particularly in tertiary education. Recent studies have investigated students' attitudes toward video lectures for educational purposes; however, the relationship between students' attitudes and different usage patterns such as platforms used, video duration, watching period and students'…

Functional Internet Literacy: Required Cognitive Skills with Implications for Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Genevieve Marie

2007-01-01

Patterns of typical Internet use provide the basis for defining "functional Internet literacy." Internet use commonly includes communication, information, recreation, and commercial activities. Technical competence with connectivity, security, and downloads is a prerequisite for using the Internet for such activities. Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive…

Internet Search Patterns of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and the Digital Divide in the Russian Federation: Infoveillance Study

PubMed Central

Quinn, Casey; Hercz, Daniel; Gillespie, James A

2013-01-01

Background Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a serious health problem in the Russian Federation. However, the true scale of HIV in Russia has long been the subject of considerable debate. Using digital surveillance to monitor diseases has become increasingly popular in high income countries. But Internet users may not be representative of overall populations, and the characteristics of the Internet-using population cannot be directly ascertained from search pattern data. This exploratory infoveillance study examined if Internet search patterns can be used for disease surveillance in a large middle-income country with a dispersed population. Objective This study had two main objectives: (1) to validate Internet search patterns against national HIV prevalence data, and (2) to investigate the relationship between search patterns and the determinants of Internet access. Methods We first assessed whether online surveillance is a valid and reliable method for monitoring HIV in the Russian Federation. Yandex and Google both provided tools to study search patterns in the Russian Federation. We evaluated the relationship between both Yandex and Google aggregated search patterns and HIV prevalence in 2011 at national and regional tiers. Second, we analyzed the determinants of Internet access to determine the extent to which they explained regional variations in searches for the Russian terms for “HIV” and “AIDS”. We sought to extend understanding of the characteristics of Internet searching populations by data matching the determinants of Internet access (age, education, income, broadband access price, and urbanization ratios) and searches for the term “HIV” using principal component analysis (PCA). Results We found generally strong correlations between HIV prevalence and searches for the terms “HIV” and “AIDS”. National correlations for Yandex searches for “HIV” were very strongly correlated with HIV prevalence (Spearman rank-order coefficient [rs]=.881, P≤.001) and strongly correlated for “AIDS” (rs=.714, P≤.001). The strength of correlations varied across Russian regions. National correlations in Google for the term “HIV” (rs=.672, P=.004) and “AIDS” (rs=.584, P≤.001) were weaker than for Yandex. Second, we examined the relationship between the determinants of Internet access and search patterns for the term “HIV” across Russia using PCA. At the national level, we found Principal Component 1 loadings, including age (-0.56), HIV search (-0.533), and education (-0.479) contributed 32% of the variance. Principal Component 2 contributed 22% of national variance (income, -0.652 and broadband price, -0.460). Conclusions This study contributes to the methodological literature on search patterns in public health. Based on our preliminary research, we suggest that PCA may be used to evaluate the relationship between the determinants of Internet access and searches for health problems beyond high-income countries. We believe it is in middle-income countries that search methods can make the greatest contribution to public health. PMID:24220250

Factors motivating and affecting health information exchange usage

PubMed Central

Zhao, Hongwei; Jaspserson, 'Jon; Gamm, Larry D; Ohsfeldt, Robert L

2011-01-01

Objective Health information exchange (HIE) is the process of electronically sharing patient-level information between providers. However, where implemented, reports indicate HIE system usage is low. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with different types of HIE usage. Design Cross-sectional analysis of clinical data from emergency room encounters included in an operational HIE effort linked to system user logs using crossed random-intercept logistic regression. Measurements Independent variables included factors indicative of information needs. System usage was measured as none, basic usage, or a novel pattern of usage. Results The system was accessed for 2.3% of all encounters (6142 out of 271 305). Novel usage patterns were more likely for more complex patients. The odds of HIE usage were lower in the face of time constraints. In contrast to expectations, system usage was lower when the patient was unfamiliar to the facility. Limitations Because of differences between HIE efforts and the fact that not all types of HIE usage (ie, public health) could be included in the analysis, results are limited in terms of generalizablity. Conclusions This study of actual HIE system usage identifies patients and circumstances in which HIE is more likely to be used and factors that are likely to discourage usage. The paper explores the implications of the findings for system redesign, information integration across exchange partners, and for meaningful usage criteria emerging from provisions of the Health Information Technology for Economic & Clinical Health Act. PMID:21262919

Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Online Social Therapy for Youth Mental Health

PubMed Central

D'Alfonso, Simon; Santesteban-Echarri, Olga; Rice, Simon; Wadley, Greg; Lederman, Reeva; Miles, Christopher; Gleeson, John; Alvarez-Jimenez, Mario

2017-01-01

Introduction: Benefits from mental health early interventions may not be sustained over time, and longer-term intervention programs may be required to maintain early clinical gains. However, due to the high intensity of face-to-face early intervention treatments, this may not be feasible. Adjunctive internet-based interventions specifically designed for youth may provide a cost-effective and engaging alternative to prevent loss of intervention benefits. However, until now online interventions have relied on human moderators to deliver therapeutic content. More sophisticated models responsive to user data are critical to inform tailored online therapy. Thus, integration of user experience with a sophisticated and cutting-edge technology to deliver content is necessary to redefine online interventions in youth mental health. This paper discusses the development of the moderated online social therapy (MOST) web application, which provides an interactive social media-based platform for recovery in mental health. We provide an overview of the system's main features and discus our current work regarding the incorporation of advanced computational and artificial intelligence methods to enhance user engagement and improve the discovery and delivery of therapy content. Methods: Our case study is the ongoing Horyzons site (5-year randomized controlled trial for youth recovering from early psychosis), which is powered by MOST. We outline the motivation underlying the project and the web application's foundational features and interface. We discuss system innovations, including the incorporation of pertinent usage patterns as well as identifying certain limitations of the system. This leads to our current motivations and focus on using computational and artificial intelligence methods to enhance user engagement, and to further improve the system with novel mechanisms for the delivery of therapy content to users. In particular, we cover our usage of natural language analysis and chatbot technologies as strategies to tailor interventions and scale up the system. Conclusions: To date, the innovative MOST system has demonstrated viability in a series of clinical research trials. Given the data-driven opportunities afforded by the software system, observed usage patterns, and the aim to deploy it on a greater scale, an important next step in its evolution is the incorporation of advanced and automated content delivery mechanisms. PMID:28626431

Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Online Social Therapy for Youth Mental Health.

PubMed

D'Alfonso, Simon; Santesteban-Echarri, Olga; Rice, Simon; Wadley, Greg; Lederman, Reeva; Miles, Christopher; Gleeson, John; Alvarez-Jimenez, Mario

2017-01-01

Introduction: Benefits from mental health early interventions may not be sustained over time, and longer-term intervention programs may be required to maintain early clinical gains. However, due to the high intensity of face-to-face early intervention treatments, this may not be feasible. Adjunctive internet-based interventions specifically designed for youth may provide a cost-effective and engaging alternative to prevent loss of intervention benefits. However, until now online interventions have relied on human moderators to deliver therapeutic content. More sophisticated models responsive to user data are critical to inform tailored online therapy. Thus, integration of user experience with a sophisticated and cutting-edge technology to deliver content is necessary to redefine online interventions in youth mental health. This paper discusses the development of the moderated online social therapy (MOST) web application, which provides an interactive social media-based platform for recovery in mental health. We provide an overview of the system's main features and discus our current work regarding the incorporation of advanced computational and artificial intelligence methods to enhance user engagement and improve the discovery and delivery of therapy content. Methods: Our case study is the ongoing Horyzons site (5-year randomized controlled trial for youth recovering from early psychosis), which is powered by MOST. We outline the motivation underlying the project and the web application's foundational features and interface. We discuss system innovations, including the incorporation of pertinent usage patterns as well as identifying certain limitations of the system. This leads to our current motivations and focus on using computational and artificial intelligence methods to enhance user engagement, and to further improve the system with novel mechanisms for the delivery of therapy content to users. In particular, we cover our usage of natural language analysis and chatbot technologies as strategies to tailor interventions and scale up the system. Conclusions: To date, the innovative MOST system has demonstrated viability in a series of clinical research trials. Given the data-driven opportunities afforded by the software system, observed usage patterns, and the aim to deploy it on a greater scale, an important next step in its evolution is the incorporation of advanced and automated content delivery mechanisms.

Characterization of codon usage pattern and influencing factors in Japanese encephalitis virus.

PubMed

Singh, Niraj K; Tyagi, Anuj; Kaur, Rajinder; Verma, Ramneek; Gupta, Praveen K

2016-08-02

Recently, several outbreaks of Japanese encephalitis (JE), caused by Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), have been reported and it has become cause of concern across the world. In this study, detailed analysis of JEV codon usage pattern was performed. The relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) values along with mean effective number of codons (ENC) value of 55.30 indicated the presence of low codon usages bias in JEV. The effect of mutational pressure on codon usage bias was confirmed by significant correlations of A3s, U3s, G3s, C3s, GC3s, ENC values, with overall nucleotide contents (A%, U%, G%, C%, and GC%). The correlation analysis of A3s, U3s, G3s, C3s, GC3s, with axis values of correspondence analysis (CoA) further confirmed the role of mutational pressure. However, the correlation analysis of Gravy values and Aroma values with A3s, U3s, G3s, C3s, and GC3s, indicated the presence of natural selection on codon usage bias in addition to mutational pressure. The natural selection was further confirmed by codon adaptation index (CAI) analysis. Additionally, relative dinucleotide frequencies, geographical distribution, and evolutionary processes also influenced the codon usage pattern to some extent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of Internet-based specific activities on the perceptions of Internet addiction, quality of life, and excessive usage: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Pontes, Halley M; Szabo, Attila; Griffiths, Mark D

2015-06-01

Recent research has examined the context in which preference for specific online activities arises, leading researchers to suggest that excessive Internet users are engaged in specific activities rather than 'generalized' Internet use. The present study aimed to partially replicate and expand these findings by addressing four research questions regarding (i) participants' preferred online activities, (i) possible expected changes in online behavior in light of hypothetical scenarios, (iii) perceived quality of life when access to Internet was not possible, and (iv) how participants with self-diagnosed Internet addiction relate to intensity and frequency of Internet use. A cross-sectional design was adopted using convenience and snowball sampling to recruit participants. A total of 1057 Internet users with ages ranging from 16 to 70 years (M age  = 30 years, SD = 10.84) were recruited online via several English-speaking online forums. Most participants indicated that their preferred activities were (i) accessing general information and news, (ii) social networking, and (iii) using e-mail and/or online chatting. Participants also reported that there would be a significant decrease of their Internet use if access to their preferred activities was restricted. The study also found that 51% of the total sample perceived themselves as being addicted to the Internet, while 14.1% reported that without the Internet their life would be improved. The context in which the Internet is used appears to determine the intensity and the lengths that individuals will go to use this tool. The implications of these findings are further discussed.

Resident use of the Internet, e-mail, and personal electronics in the care of surgical patients.

PubMed

Plant, Mathew A; Fish, Joel S

2015-01-01

The use of smartphones, e-mail, and the Internet has affected virtually all areas of patient care. Current university and hospital policies concerning the use of devices may be incongruent with day-to-day patient care. The goal was to assess the current usage patterns of the Internet, e-mail, and personal electronics for clinical purposes by surgical residents as well as their communication habits and preferences. Also assessed was residents' knowledge regarding the institutional policies surrounding these issues. Surgical residents (n = 294) at a large teaching institution were surveyed regarding their knowledge of university policies as well as daily use of various communication technologies. Communication preferences were determined using theoretical clinical scenarios. Our survey with a response rate of 54.7% (n = 161) revealed that 93.8% of participants indicated daily Internet use for clinical duties. Most respondents (72%) were either completely unaware of the existence of guidelines for its use or aware but had no familiarity with their content. Use of e-mail for clinical duties was common (85%), and 74% of the respondents rated e-mail as "very important" or "extremely important" for patient care. Everyone who responded had a mobile phone with 98.7% being "smartphones," which the majority (82.9%) stated was "very important" or "extremely important" for patient care. Text messaging was the primary communication method for 57.8% of respondents. The traditional paging system was the primary communication method for only 1.3% of respondents and the preferred method for none. Daily use of technology is the norm among residents; however, knowledge of university guidelines was exceedingly low. Residents need better education regarding current guidelines. Current guidelines do not reflect current clinical practice. Hospitals should consider abandoning the traditional paging system and consider facilitating better use of residents' mobile phones.

A Cross-Sectional Study on the Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Ill Effects of Internet Addiction Among Medical Students in Northeastern India

PubMed Central

Nath, Kamal; Naskar, Subrata; Victor, Robin

2016-01-01

Objective To evaluate Internet addiction among medical students in northeastern India and gain detailed knowledge about the prevalence, risk factors, and ill effects commonly associated with the disorder. Method The cross-sectional study sample comprised 188 medical students from Silchar Medical College and Hospital (Silchar, Assam, India). Students completed a sociodemographic form and an Internet use questionnaire, both created for this study, and the Young’s 20-Item Internet Addiction Test after they received brief instructions. Data were collected during a10-day period in June 2015. Results Of the 188 medical students, 46.8% were at increased risk of Internet addiction. Those who were found to be at increased risk had longer years of Internet exposure (P = .046) and always online status (P = .033). Also, among this group, the men were more prone to develop an online relationship. Excessive Internet usage also led to poor performance in college (P < .0001) and feeling moody, anxious, and depressed (P < .0001). Conclusions The ill effects of Internet addiction include withdrawal from real-life relationships, deterioration in academic activities, and a depressed and nervous mood. Internet use for nonacademic purposes is increasing among students, thus there is an immediate need for strict supervision and monitoring at the institutional level. The possibility of becoming addicted to the Internet should be emphasized to students and their parents through awareness campaigns so that interventions and restrictions can be implemented at the individual and family levels. PMID:27486546

Prevalence of internet addiction and associated factors among medical students from mashhad, iran in 2013.

PubMed

Salehi, Maryam; Norozi Khalili, Mina; Hojjat, Seyed Kaveh; Salehi, Mahta; Danesh, Ali

2014-05-01

Problematic internet use is on the increase and has caused serious problems in many areas. This issue seems to be more important for medical students. This study was designed to explore the prevalence of internet addiction and its related factors among the students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. A cross sectional study was conducted on 383 medical students of Mashhad in 2013. Four hundred participants were selected through two-stage stratified sampling method proportional to the number of students in each stage of education. Data Collection was done through using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) and a checklist of demographic details and characteristics of internet usage behavior. It was found that 2.1% of the studied population were at risk and 5.2% were addicted users. Chatting with new people, communicating with friends and families, and playing games were the most popular activities in these groups. The factors related to internet addiction included: male sex, stage of education, daily time spent on using internet, most frequent time of internet use, monthly cost of use, and tea consumption. Although our study showed the prevalence of internet addiction was not more than other populations and universities, since the prevalence of internet addiction is rapidly increasing worldwide, this population might also be at risk of addiction. Thus, focusing on related factors can help us in designing more effective interventions and treatments for this susceptible group.

Prevalence of Internet Addiction and Associated Factors Among Medical Students From Mashhad, Iran in 2013

PubMed Central

Salehi, Maryam; Norozi Khalili, Mina; Hojjat, Seyed Kaveh; Salehi, Mahta; Danesh, Ali

2014-01-01

Background: Problematic internet use is on the increase and has caused serious problems in many areas. This issue seems to be more important for medical students. Objectives: This study was designed to explore the prevalence of internet addiction and its related factors among the students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 383 medical students of Mashhad in 2013. Four hundred participants were selected through two-stage stratified sampling method proportional to the number of students in each stage of education. Data Collection was done through using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) and a checklist of demographic details and characteristics of internet usage behavior. Results: It was found that 2.1% of the studied population were at risk and 5.2% were addicted users. Chatting with new people, communicating with friends and families, and playing games were the most popular activities in these groups. The factors related to internet addiction included: male sex, stage of education, daily time spent on using internet, most frequent time of internet use, monthly cost of use, and tea consumption. Conclusions: Although our study showed the prevalence of internet addiction was not more than other populations and universities, since the prevalence of internet addiction is rapidly increasing worldwide, this population might also be at risk of addiction. Thus, focusing on related factors can help us in designing more effective interventions and treatments for this susceptible group. PMID:25031856

A Cross-Sectional Study on the Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Ill Effects of Internet Addiction Among Medical Students in Northeastern India.

PubMed

Nath, Kamal; Naskar, Subrata; Victor, Robin

2016-01-01

To evaluate Internet addiction among medical students in northeastern India and gain detailed knowledge about the prevalence, risk factors, and ill effects commonly associated with the disorder. The cross-sectional study sample comprised 188 medical students from Silchar Medical College and Hospital (Silchar, Assam, India). Students completed a sociodemographic form and an Internet use questionnaire, both created for this study, and the Young's 20-Item Internet Addiction Test after they received brief instructions. Data were collected during a10-day period in June 2015. Of the 188 medical students, 46.8% were at increased risk of Internet addiction. Those who were found to be at increased risk had longer years of Internet exposure (P = .046) and always online status (P = .033). Also, among this group, the men were more prone to develop an online relationship. Excessive Internet usage also led to poor performance in college (P < .0001) and feeling moody, anxious, and depressed (P < .0001). The ill effects of Internet addiction include withdrawal from real-life relationships, deterioration in academic activities, and a depressed and nervous mood. Internet use for nonacademic purposes is increasing among students, thus there is an immediate need for strict supervision and monitoring at the institutional level. The possibility of becoming addicted to the Internet should be emphasized to students and their parents through awareness campaigns so that interventions and restrictions can be implemented at the individual and family levels.

A survey of Internet utilization among patients with cancer.

PubMed

Castleton, Kimra; Fong, Thomas; Wang-Gillam, Andrea; Waqar, Muhammad A; Jeffe, Donna B; Kehlenbrink, Lisa; Gao, Feng; Govindan, Ramaswamy

2011-08-01

Recently published articles have established that a substantial number of cancer patients utilize the Internet to gather information about their respective diagnoses. The challenges for medical providers include understanding the prevalence and characteristics of patients using the Internet, reasons for Internet use, and the effectiveness of currently available websites in providing useful health-related information to patients. Adults with cancer were asked to complete a self-administered, anonymous, 21-item questionnaire upon registration at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at the Washington University School of Medicine. There were 500 respondents (mean age 58 years (range 18-90), 83% Caucasian and 15% African-American). Three hundred ninety-eight participants (80%) reported access to the Internet, and 315 (63%) reported searching for information about cancer on the Internet. Patients accessing the Internet for cancer information were younger than those who did not (median age 56 vs. 63 years; p < 0.001). Internet usage for cancer information also differed by race (p < 0.0001) and education (p < 0.0001). Among patients who searched the Internet for cancer information, 13.3% of patients had their decisions towards treatments affected or changed, and 11.4% of patients had their choice in physicians affected or changed because of Internet use; 23.5% of patients sought information on clinical trials, and 9.5% of patients were influenced or changed their decision regarding clinical trial enrollment due to Internet information. Approximately two thirds of patients with cancer used the Internet to obtain information about their disease. Factors affecting Internet use for cancer information included age, race, and education. Clinical decisions can be affected by Internet use.

The validity and psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS).

PubMed

Yong, Roseline Kim Fong; Inoue, Akiomi; Kawakami, Norito

2017-05-30

Prolonged Internet use is often associated with reduced social involvement and comorbid psychopathologies, including depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Asian countries where Internet access is widely available have high reported levels of Internet addiction. As Internet use has changed drastically since concerns about Internet addiction were first raised, the results of recent studies may be inaccurate because the scales they employed to measure Internet addiction were formulated for different Internet usage from the present. It is thus necessary to develop more-up-to-date scales to assess problematic private use of the Internet. The Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) was translated into Japanese. An online sample whose ages and sexes reflected that of the national population of Internet users was recruited to test the scale's reliability and validity. Correlations between the scale and Internet-related parameters (such as time spent online, motivation for going online, and applications used) and psychosocial factors (such as psychological distress symptoms and loneliness) were examined. Psychometric properties were examined by the split-half method using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Model fits were compared across gender. CIUS was found to have a high reliability and good concurrent, correlation and construct validity. Both exploratory and confirmatory factors revealed that the one-factor solution yielded a satisfactory result across gender. However, the three-factor structural model in which compulsiveness was gauged by "excessive absorption", "difficulty in setting priorities", and "mood regulation" gave the best fit of the model for the general population as well as across gender. Compulsive Internet behavior in Japan can be assessed in terms of absorption, priorities, and mood. CIUS is a valid scale for screening compulsive Internet behavior in the general Japanese population regardless of age and gender.

Internet use and addiction among medical students of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia.

PubMed

Haque, Mainul; Rahman, Nor Azlina A; Majumder, Md Anwarul Azim; Haque, Seraj Zohurul; Kamal, Zubair M; Islam, Zakirul; Haque, Atm Emdadul; Rahman, Nor Iza A; Alattraqchi, Ahmed Ghazi

2016-01-01

The use of Internet has now become indispensable, and the technology has revolutionized the medical education and practice worldwide. Currently, medical students and professionals have an enormous opportunity to keep them always updated with the exponential growth of knowledge because of potential progression of Internet throughout the world that enables them to become a lifelong learner. Internet addiction is a widespread phenomenon among students and academicians at universities in Malaysia. Students use the Internet for recreational purpose and personal and professional development. The Internet has become an integral part of day-to-day life of the university students, including medical students. The aim of the present study was to examine the Internet use and addiction among students of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia. This was a cross-sectional study in which a questionnaire, Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire, developed by the Center for Internet Addiction, USA, was used. One hundred forty-nine medical students of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin participated in this study. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software. The mean scores were 44.9±14.05 and 41.4±13.05 for male and female participants, respectively, which indicated that both the genders were suffering from mild Internet addiction. This study shows almost similar level of Internet usage among medical students irrespective of their socioeconomic background, with no statistically significant ( p >0.05) differences, except among the years of study ( p =0.007). Overall, from the research data and having worked with this cohort very closely, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin medical students can be labeled as wonted and recurring users of the Internet. Nevertheless, it is very difficult to define as Internet addicts or pathological users of the Internet because of small sample size and cross-sectional study.

Usage Pattern Differences and Similarities of Mobile Electronic Medical Records Among Health Care Providers

PubMed Central

Kim, Junetae; Kim, Jeong Hoon; Kim, Woo Sung

2017-01-01

Background Recently, many hospitals have introduced mobile electronic medical records (mEMRs). Although numerous studies have been published on the usability or usage patterns of mEMRs through user surveys, investigations based on the real data usage are lacking. Objective Asan Medical Center, a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea, implemented an mEMR program in 2010. On the basis of the mEMR usage log data collected over a period of 4.5 years, we aimed to identify a usage pattern and trends in accordance with user occupation and to disseminate the factors that make the mEMR more effective and efficient. Methods The mEMR log data were collected from March 2012 to August 2016. Descriptive analyses were completed according to user occupation, access time, services, and wireless network type. Specifically, analyses targeted were as follows: (1) the status of the mEMR usage and distribution of users, (2) trends in the number of users and usage amount, (3) 24-hour usage patterns, and (4) trends in service usage based on user occupations. Linear regressions were performed to model the relationship between the time, access frequency, and the number of users. The differences between the user occupations were examined using Student t tests for categorical variables. Results Approximately two-thirds of the doctors and nurses used the mEMR. The number of logs studied was 7,144,459. Among 3859 users, 2333 (60.46%) users were nurses and 1102 (28.56%) users were doctors. On average, the mEMR was used 1044 times by 438 users per day. The number of users and amount of access logs have significantly increased since 2012 (P<.001). Nurses used the mEMR 3 times more often than doctors. The use of mEMR by nurses increased by an annual average of 51.5%, but use by doctors decreased by an annual average of 7.7%. For doctors, the peak usage periods were observed during 08:00 to 09:00 and 17:00 to 18:00, which were coincident with the beginning of ward rounds. Conversely, the peak usage periods for the nurses were observed during 05:00 to 06:00, 12:00 to 13:00, and 20:00 to 21:00, which effectively occurred 1 or 2 hours before handover. In more than 80% of all cases, the mEMR was accessed via a nonhospital wireless network. Conclusions The usage patterns of the mEMR differed between doctors and nurses according to their different workflows. In both occupations, mEMR was highly used when personal computer access was limited and the need for patient information was high, such as during ward rounds or handover periods. PMID:29237579

Problematic Internet Use, Mental Health and Impulse Control in an Online Survey of Adults

PubMed Central

Yau, Yvonne H. C.; Potenza, Marc N.; White, Marney A.

2013-01-01

Background and Aims Internet use has become a popular entertainment source and has become highly integrated into daily life. However, some people display problematic or addictive usage of the Internet. The present study attempts to fill current knowledge gaps regarding at-risk/problematic Internet use (ARPIU) and its relation to various health and functioning measures. Methods Online survey data from 755 adults in the United States were analyzed using chi-square and ANOVAs. Results The ARPIU group did not differ from the non-ARPIU group with respect to substance use. Individuals with ARPIU were, however, more likely to report at-risk/problematic engagement in video-game playing and gambling. Compared to the non-ARPIU group, the ARPIU group reported poorer self-control and higher levels of impulsivity and depression. Conclusions ARPIU appears associated with other risk behaviors, particularly those that might be performed on the Internet. Future studies should examine the extent to which the Internet may promote engagement in these risk behaviors and the extent to which preventative interventions targeting better self-control or negative mood states might help a range of non-substance-related addictive behaviors. PMID:24294501

Can the Internet be used to reach parents for family-based childhood obesity interventions?

PubMed

Hohman, Katherine H; Price, Sarah N; Sonneville, Kendrin; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L; Gortmaker, Steven L; Gillman, Matthew W; Taveras, Elsie M

2012-04-01

This study aimed to identify socioeconomic correlates of computer/Internet use among parents of overweight preschool-aged children. A total of 470 baseline participants in a trial to prevent obesity in children 2 to 6.9 years old with body mass index ≥ 95th percentile or 85th to 95th percentile with one overweight parent were studied. Interviews with parents used Health Information National Trends Survey questions. Overall, 94% of the participants had home computers and 93% reported Internet usage. In adjusted models, parents with ≤ college degree (odds ratio = 4.8; 95% confidence interval = 1.2-18.3) or with household income ≤$50,000 (odds ratio = 7.6; 95% confidence interval = 2.2-26.8) had decreased likelihood of computer ownership. Of parents who reported going online, 63% used Internet to look for health/medical information for themselves and 42% for their children. Parents with ≤ a college degree or with body mass index <25 kg/m(2) were less likely to use Internet. Results support using the Internet for early childhood obesity prevention with enhanced outreach efforts for low socioeconomic status families.

People with gender dysphoria who self-prescribe cross-sex hormones: prevalence, sources, and side effects knowledge.

PubMed

Mepham, Nick; Bouman, Walter P; Arcelus, Jon; Hayter, Mark; Wylie, Kevan R

2014-12-01

There is a scarcity of research into the use of non-physician-sourced cross-sex hormones in the transgender population. However, when medication is not prescribed by health professionals, users' knowledge of such medication may be adversely affected. This study aims to define the prevalence of Internet-sourced sex hormone use in a population attending for initial assessment at a gender identity clinic, to compare the prevalence between gender-dysphoric men and women, and to compare knowledge of cross-sex hormone side effects between users who source cross-sex hormones from medical doctors and those who source them elsewhere. In the first part of the study, a cross-sectional design is used to measure the overall prevalence of sex hormone use among individuals referred to a gender clinic. The second part is a questionnaire survey aiming at measuring sex hormone knowledge among individuals referred to this clinic. Main outcome measures were (i) categorical data on the prevalence and source of cross-sex hormone use and (ii) knowledge of sex hormone side effects in a population referred to a gender clinic. Cross-sex hormone use was present in 23% of gender clinic referrals, of whom 70% sourced the hormones via the Internet. Trans men using testosterone had a sex hormone usage prevalence of 6%; one-third of users sourced it from the Internet. Trans women had a sex hormone usage prevalence of 32%; approximately 70% of users sourced hormones from the Internet. Cross-sex hormone users who sourced their hormones from physicians were more aware of side effects than those who used other sources to access hormones. One in four trans women self-prescribe cross-sex hormones before attending gender clinics, most commonly via the Internet. This practice is currently rare among trans men. Self-prescribing without medical advice leaves individuals without the knowledge required to minimize health risks. © 2014 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Adolescent Internet addiction: testing the association between self-esteem, the perception of Internet attributes, and preference for online social interactions.

PubMed

Fioravanti, Giulia; Dèttore, Davide; Casale, Silvia

2012-06-01

There is a general consensus that Internet addiction (IA) is mainly related to social aspects of the Web, especially among adolescents. The empirical link between poor social skills and IA is well documented; however, theoretical explanations for this relationship are less developed. One possibility is that people with poor social skills are especially prone to develop a preference for online social interaction (POSI), which, in turn, predicts problematic usage. This hypothesis has been tested for loneliness and social anxiety, but not for self-esteem (SE; one of the main antecedents of IA). Furthermore, the mediating role of the perceived relevance of some Internet features (e.g., anonymity) in the relationship between SE and POSI has never been investigated. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 257 adolescents. Using mediation analyses, we found evidence among females for the mediating role of (a) POSI in the relationship between SE and IA, and (b) the subjective relevance of some Internet features in the association between SE and POSI. No significant effects were found for males.

Knowledge and attitude about computer and internet usage among dental students in Western Rajasthan, India

PubMed Central

Jali, Pramod K.; Singh, Shamsher; Babaji, Prashant; Chaurasia, Vishwajit Rampratap; Somasundaram, P; Lau, Himani

2014-01-01

Background: Internet is a useful tool to update the knowledge. The aim of the present study was to assess the current level of knowledge on the computer and internet among under graduate dental students. Materials and Methods: The study consists of self-administered close ended questionnaire survey. Questionnaires were distributed to undergraduate dental students. The study was conducted during July to September 2012. Results: In the selected samples, response rate was 100%. Most (94.4%) of the students had computer knowledge and 77.4% had their own computer and access at home. Nearly 40.8% of students use computer for general purpose, 28.5% for entertainment and 22.8% used for research purpose. Most of the students had internet knowledge (92.9%) and they used it independently (79.1%). Nearly 42.1% used internet occasionally whereas, 34.4% used regularly, 21.7% rarely and 1.8% don’t use respectively. Internet was preferred for getting information (48.8%) due to easy accessibility and recent updates. For dental purpose students used internet 2-3 times/week (45.3%). Most (95.3%) of the students responded to have computer based learning program in the curriculum. Conclusion: Computer knowledge was observed to be good among dental students. PMID:24818091

The Facebook-in-Action: Challenging, Harnessing and Enhancing Students Class Assignments and Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saifudin, Adam Mohd; Yacob, Aizan; Saad, Rohaizah

2016-01-01

Issues of universities students harnessing and capitalizing the usage of Facebook for their own learning capabilities and effective thinking is always the focus of education scholars, in assessing the quality class assignments and projects produced by them. Therefore, Facebook is now becoming unbearable influence since the internet activation in…

The Relationship between Mobile Phone Use, Metacognitive Awareness and Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dos, Bulent

2014-01-01

Mobile phones are getting smarter and the usage through university students becoming more popular. University students using mobile phones for talking, for texting message, for Internet search, for listening music, watching videos, playing games, using social media etc. Mobile phones are not accessory any more, they are integrated like our…

A Survey of Computer Use in Associate Degree Programs in Engineering Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Pearley

As part of its annual program review process, the Department of Engineering Technology at the Community College of Allegheny County, in Pennsylvania, conducted a study of computer usage in community college engineering technology programs across the nation. Specifically, the study sought to determine the types of software, Internet access, average…

Examining Cyberbullying Tendency and Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Status of Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levent, Faruk; Taçgin, Zeynep

2017-01-01

The teachers have a substantial role for students through consciously the Internet usage and struggle with cyberbullying. The purpose of this study is to investigate cyberbullying tendency and multidimensional perceived social support status of the teacher candidates. The participants of this research have become 412 teacher candidates as…

University Internet Services: Problems and Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phan, Dien D.; Chen, Jim Q.

This paper presents the findings of a study on the use of World Wide Web among students at St. Cloud State University, Minnesota, USA. The paper explores problems and challenges on campus Web computing and the relationships among the extent of Web usage, class level, and overall student academic performance. Specifically, the purposes of this…

Digital Divide among Youth: Socio-Cultural Factors and Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parycek, Peter; Sachs, Michael; Schossbock, Judith

2011-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to examine socio-cultural differences in internet use (Digital Divide) among 14-year-old Austrian pupils, in particular usage scenarios and research competences. It is based on a paper presented at the International Association for the Development of the Information Society e-Society conference, 10-13 March 2011, Spain…

Does It Matter? Analyzing the Results of Three Different Learning Delivery Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chernish, William N.; DeFranco, Agnes L.; Lindner, James R.; Dooley, Kim E.

2005-01-01

The increasing diversity of learners and their preferences coupled with increasing usage of the computer and Internet prompted the need for testing and verifying the ways that knowledge can be delivered and learned effectively. This research addresses these concerns by comparing the results of a college course, hospitality human resource…

Future Scenarios Regarding Tablet Computer Usage in Education and Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karadag, Ruhan; Kayabasi, Bekir

2013-01-01

Today, one of the most important sources forcing the educational institutions to alteration is the developments in informatics and communication technologies. Among these alterations, the internet and the tablet computers, which may cause a vital transformation in the history of education, are of importance. Making assumptions, based on today,…

The Relationship between Leisure Satisfaction and Life Satisfaction of Adolescents Concerning Online Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Edward Shih-Tse; Chen, Lily Shui-Lian; Lin, Julia Ying-Chao; Wang, Michael Chih-Hung

2008-01-01

Increasing evidence indicates adolescents are likely to occupy their leisure time with online games. This study investigates the influences of leisure satisfaction on life satisfaction among adolescent online gamers. The self-completed market survey questionnaire employed is comprised of two sections: the first is Internet usage frequency, while…

Internet Usage Habits as a Part of Distance Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tufan, Firat

2016-01-01

Within the scope of this study, which deals with distance education method as a communication process, a focus group interview was conducted with voluntary students who were randomly selected from various areas/majors at the Department of Distance Education in Istanbul University in order to determine the relationship between their general…

The Importance of Technology Usage in the Classroom, Does Gender Gaps Exist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mims-Word, Marsha

2012-01-01

A decade ago, access to technology was limited and wiring schools was one of the nation's highest education priorities (NCREL, 2005). Ten years of substantial investments have vastly improved this picture. According to the Secretary's Fourth Annual Report on Teacher Quality, virtually every school with access to computers has Internet access…

The Effect of Internet Usage on Technology Comprehension of Physics Students: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzel, Hatice

2011-01-01

Rapid technological enhancements and changes necessitate people who can understand the relation between science and technology and perceive as well as comment on technological enhancements. The aim of the present study was to determine physics students comprehension of the operation principles of wired telephone, mobile phone, and latest medical…

Design and Implementation of a Wireless Sensor and Actuator Network to Support the Intelligent Control of Efficient Energy Usage.

PubMed

Blanco, Jesús; García, Andrés; Morenas, Javier de Las

2018-06-09

Energy saving has become a major concern for the developed society of our days. This paper presents a Wireless Sensor and Actuator Network (WSAN) designed to provide support to an automatic intelligent system, based on the Internet of Things (IoT), which enables a responsible consumption of energy. The proposed overall system performs an efficient energetic management of devices, machines and processes, optimizing their operation to achieve a reduction in their overall energy usage at any given time. For this purpose, relevant data is collected from intelligent sensors, which are in-stalled at the required locations, as well as from the energy market through the Internet. This information is analysed to provide knowledge about energy utilization, and to improve efficiency. The system takes autonomous decisions automatically, based on the available information and the specific requirements in each case. The proposed system has been implanted and tested in a food factory. Results show a great optimization of energy efficiency and a substantial improvement on energy and costs savings.

The Anonymity vs. Utility Dilemma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezzi, Michele; Pazzaglia, Jean-Christophe

The number, the type of users and their usage of the internet, computers and phones have evolved considerably, due to the emergence of the web 2.0, the decreasing cost of portable devices, the expansion of wired and wireless internet access and the digitalization of the main entertainment media. Protecting the assets of service and software providers has been the main driver for the development of security solutions in the past ten years. However, the users/customers/citizen rights have been too often neglected since the risk related to the wrong usage of personal related information was not considered by the other stakeholders. Today, the Right to Privacy is appearing on everyone’s radar and factors as regulations, increasing number of news stories on privacy breaches, brand damages, are forcing organizations to address user privacy as a priority. In this paper, we will briefly review the main business drivers behind the raising of privacy concerns, and outline some of the current technology solutions to address privacy requirements. Finally, we will describe some of the future challenges in the area of privacy.

Usage Patterns of Open Genomic Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xia, Jingfeng; Liu, Ying

2013-01-01

This paper uses Genome Expression Omnibus (GEO), a data repository in biomedical sciences, to examine the usage patterns of open data repositories. It attempts to identify the degree of recognition of data reuse value and understand how e-science has impacted a large-scale scholarship. By analyzing a list of 1,211 publications that cite GEO data…

Psychotropic Drug Patterns in a Large ICF/MR Facility: A Ten-Year Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poindexter, Ann R.

1989-01-01

Psychotropic drug-prescribing patterns for 474 adults with mental retardation residing at an intermediate-care facility were examined for a 10-year period. Results indicated a progressive, marked decrease in total psychotropic drug usage and changes in the type of drugs prescribed with overall decline in drug usage. (Author/DB)

Investigating Learner Preparedness for and Usage Patterns of Mobile Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stockwell, Glenn

2008-01-01

While the use of mobile devices for language learning has sparked the interest of an increasing number of researchers in recent years (e.g., Aizawa & Kiernan, 2003; Thornton & Houser, 2005), our knowledge of learners' preferences for the mobile platform and their usage patterns remains limited. Are learners prepared to use mobile phones…

Patterns of Usage of a University-Based, Peer-Operated Hotline.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Anna M.; Glenwick, David S.

1992-01-01

Examined usage patterns (i.e., caller and telephone call characteristics) from 1985 through 1989 at a university-based, peer-operated hotline. Collected data on calls to the hotline for the years under examination. Data analysis revealed the importance of examining both sex differences and differences between repeat and nonrepeat callers.…

Temporal Patterns and Dynamics of E-Learning Usage in Medical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panzarasa, Pietro; Kujawski, Bernard; Hammond, Edward J.; Roberts, C. Michael

2016-01-01

Despite the increasing popularity of e-learning systems across a variety of educational programmes, there is relatively little understanding of how students and trainees distribute their learning efforts over time. This study aimed to analyse the usage patterns of an e-learning resource designed to support specialty training. Data were collected…

Codon usage bias in prokaryotic pyrimidine-ending codons is associated with the degeneracy of the encoded amino acids

PubMed Central

Wald, Naama; Alroy, Maya; Botzman, Maya; Margalit, Hanah

2012-01-01

Synonymous codons are unevenly distributed among genes, a phenomenon termed codon usage bias. Understanding the patterns of codon bias and the forces shaping them is a major step towards elucidating the adaptive advantage codon choice can confer at the level of individual genes and organisms. Here, we perform a large-scale analysis to assess codon usage bias pattern of pyrimidine-ending codons in highly expressed genes in prokaryotes. We find a bias pattern linked to the degeneracy of the encoded amino acid. Specifically, we show that codon-pairs that encode two- and three-fold degenerate amino acids are biased towards the C-ending codon while codons encoding four-fold degenerate amino acids are biased towards the U-ending codon. This codon usage pattern is widespread in prokaryotes, and its strength is correlated with translational selection both within and between organisms. We show that this bias is associated with an improved correspondence with the tRNA pool, avoidance of mis-incorporation errors during translation and moderate stability of codon–anticodon interaction, all consistent with more efficient translation. PMID:22581775

Ecuadorian Cancer Patients' Preference for Information and Communication Technologies: Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Cherrez Ojeda, Ivan; Vanegas, Emanuel; Torres, Michell; Calderón, Juan Carlos; Calero, Erick; Cherrez, Annia; Felix, Miguel; Mata, Valeria; Cherrez, Sofia; Simancas, Daniel

2018-02-20

The instantaneous spread of information, low costs, and broad availability of information and communication technologies (ICTs) make them an attractive platform for managing care, patient communication, and medical interventions in cancer treatment. There is little information available in Latin America about the level of usage of ICTs for and by cancer patients. Our study attempts to fill this gap. The aim of this study was to assess the level of ICT use and patterns of preferences among cancer patients. We conducted an anonymous cross-sectional survey study in 500 Ecuadorian cancer patients. This questionnaire consisted of 22 items about demographic and clinical data, together with the preferences of people who use ICTs. Chi-square, crude, and adjusted logistic regressions were performed. Of the total, 43.2% (216/500) of participants reported that they had access to the Internet, and 25.4% (127/500) reported that they neither owned a cell phone nor did they have access to the Internet. The Internet constituted the highest usage rate as a source of information about malignant diseases (74.3%, 162/218) regardless of age (P<.001). With regard to the preferences on how patients would like to use ICTs to receive information about diseases, WhatsApp (66.5%, 145/218) and short message service (SMS) text messaging (61.0%, 133/218) were widely reported as interesting communication channels. Similarly, WhatsApp (72.0%, 157/218) followed by SMS (63.8%, 139/218) were reported as the preferred ICTs through which patients would like to ask physicians about diseases. Adjusted regression analysis showed that patients aged between 40 and 64 years were more likely to be interested in receiving information through SMS (odds ratio, OR 5.09, 95% CI 1.92-13.32), as well as for asking questions to physicians through this same media (OR 9.78, CI 3.45-27.67) than the oldest group. WhatsApp, SMS, and email are effective and widely used ICTs that can promote communication between cancer patients and physicians. According to age range, new ICTs such as Facebook are still emerging. Future studies should investigate how to develop and promote ICT-based resources more effectively to engage the outcomes of cancer patients. The widespread use of ICTs narrows the gap between cancer patients with restricted socioeconomic conditions and those with wealth and easily available technological means, thereby opening up new possibilities in low-income countries. ©Ivan Cherrez Ojeda, Emanuel Vanegas, Michell Torres, Juan Carlos Calderón, Erick Calero, Annia Cherrez, Miguel Felix, Valeria Mata, Sofia Cherrez, Daniel Simancas. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 20.02.2018.

Web-based document image processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Frank L.; Thoma, George R.

1999-12-01

Increasing numbers of research libraries are turning to the Internet for electron interlibrary loan and for document delivery to patrons. This has been made possible through the widespread adoption of software such as Ariel and DocView. Ariel, a product of the Research Libraries Group, converts paper-based documents to monochrome bitmapped images, and delivers them over the Internet. The National Library of Medicine's DocView is primarily designed for library patrons are beginning to reap the benefits of this new technology, barriers exist, e.g., differences in image file format, that lead to difficulties in the use of library document information. To research how to overcome such barriers, the Communications Engineering Branch of the Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications, an R and D division of NLM, has developed a web site called the DocMorph Server. This is part of an ongoing intramural R and D program in document imaging that has spanned many aspects of electronic document conversion and preservation, Internet document transmission and document usage. The DocMorph Server Web site is designed to fill two roles. First, in a role that will benefit both libraries and their patrons, it allows Internet users to upload scanned image files for conversion to alternative formats, thereby enabling wider delivery and easier usage of library document information. Second, the DocMorph Server provides the design team an active test bed for evaluating the effectiveness and utility of new document image processing algorithms and functions, so that they may be evaluated for possible inclusion in other image processing software products being developed at NLM or elsewhere. This paper describes the design of the prototype DocMorph Server and the image processing functions being implemented on it.

[Impact of OSA Therapy on Established Polyphasic Sleep].

PubMed

Kerl, J; Dellweg, D

2018-05-23

 The prevalence of polyphasic sleep (PS) in patients with sleep apnoea (OSA) is investigated in this study. In established PS the possible impact of OSA therapy on sleep behaviour was examined.  Sleep patterns in 24 hours of initial recepted OSA patients were recorded by questionnaire (n = 163). In polyphasic sleepers the sleep patterns were reevaluated after OSA therapy initiation. In additional patients polyphasic therapy usage was investigated by telemonitoring data (n = 487). 39,6 % of the patients had PS. After OSA therapy initiation in 97,0 % of the polyphasic sleepers a monophasic device usage was established while 3,0 % had a polyphasic usage. PS was switched to monophasic sleep in 81,8 % of the patients. 15.2 % had preserved PS without device usage on daytimes. 2,9 % of the telemonitoring patients showed a polyphasic usage pattern. The prevalence of PS in OSA patients is higher than in the general population. PS is converted to monophasic sleep in 81,8 % after OSA therapy initiation. In preserved PS the majority of patients doesn't use the therapy while napping. Polyphasic device usage was 2,9 % in telemonitoring patients and 3,0 % of the controls of this study. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Smartphone Usage Patterns by Canadian Neurosurgery Residents: A National Cross-Sectional Survey.

PubMed

Kameda-Smith, Michelle Masayo; Iorio-Morin, Christian; Winkler-Schwartz, Alexander; Ahmed, Uzair S; Bergeron, David; Bigder, Mark; Dakson, Ayoub; Elliott, Cameron A; Guha, Daipayan; Lavergne, Pascal; Makarenko, Serge; Taccone, Michael S; Tso, Michael; Wang, Bill; Fortin, David

2018-03-01

Smartphones and their apps are used ubiquitously in medical practice. However, in some cases their use can be at odds with current patient data safety regulations such as Canada's Personal Health Information Protection Act of 2004. To assess current practices and inform mobile application development, we sought to better understand mobile device usage patterns among Canadian neurosurgery residents. Through the Canadian Neurosurgery Research Collaborative, an online survey characterizing smartphone ownership and usage patterns was developed and sent to all Canadian neurosurgery resident in April of 2016. Questionnaires were collected and completed surveys analyzed. Of 146 eligible residents, 76 returned completed surveys (52% response rate). Of these 99% of respondents owned a smartphone, with 79% running on Apple's iOS. Four general mobile uses were identified: 1) communication between members of the medical team, 2) decision support, 3) medical reference, and 4) documentation through medical photography. Communication and photography were areas where the most obvious breaches in the Canadian Personal Health Information Protection Act were noted, with 89% of respondents taking pictures of patients' radiologic studies and 75% exchanging them with Short Message System. Hospital policies had no impact on user behaviors. Smartphones are used daily by most neurosurgery residents. Identified usage patterns are associated with perceived gains in efficacy and challenges in privacy and data reliability. We believe creating and improving workflows that address these usage patterns has a greater potential to improve privacy than changing policies and enforcing regulations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Internet usage for health information by patients with epilepsy in China.

PubMed

Liu, Jianming; Liu, Zhiliang; Zhang, Zhong; Dong, Sheng; Zhen, Zhe; Man, Li; Xu, Ruxiang

2013-11-01

Most patients with epilepsy report a desire for more information on the disease and possible treatments than provided by clinicians. In the past two decades, many have turned to the internet for information, but this information is of variable accuracy and objectivity. We assessed the prevalence of internet use for gathering information about epilepsy and patient satisfaction in a sample of epilepsy patients in China. A cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted using a standard anonymous questionnaire that gathered demographic information and information on internet use. The reasons for using the internet, the sites visited, general satisfaction with the information provided, and impact on self-management were investigated. Of the 780 patients studied, 288 (36.9%) had internet access and 73% of these participants reported searching for general information on epilepsy, 64% for treatment information, 30% to prepare for actual hospital visits, 12% to communicate with other patients, 5% for purchasing products for epilepsy management, and 6% for other reasons. All of the participants used search engines. However, only 6% browsed websites recommended by their doctors and 96.8% thought the information gathered from other sites was inadequate. The internet holds great potential for informing epileptic patients about their disease and to seek social support. Governments, hospitals, doctors, and internet service providers must collaborate to ensure that this information is reliable and beneficial. Copyright © 2013 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-rated Health and Internet Addiction in Iranian Medical Sciences Students; Prevalence, Risk Factors and Complications.

PubMed

Mohammadbeigi, Abolfazl; Valizadeh, Farzaneh; Mirshojaee, Seyede Roqaie; Ahmadli, Robabeh; Mokhtari, Mohsen; Ghaderi, Ebrahim; Ahmadi, Ali; Rezaei, Heshmatollah; Ansari, Hossein

2016-06-01

Self-rated health is a brief measure for general health. It is a comprehensive and sensitive index for prediction of health in future. Due to the high internet usage in medical students, the current study designed to evaluate the self-rated health (SRH) in relationship with internet addiction risk factors in medical students. This cross sectional study conducted on 254 students of Qom University of Medical Sciences 2014. Participants selected by two stage sampling method including stratified and simple random sampling. The Young's questionnaire of internet addiction and SRH question used for data collection. Chi-square, t-test, and logistic regression used in data analysis. More than 79.9% of students reported their general health good and very good. The student's mean score of general health was higher than the average. In addition, the prevalence of internet addiction was 28.7%. An inverse significant correlation observed between SRH and internet addiction score (r=-0.198, p=0.002). Using internet for Entertainment, using private Email and chat rooms were the most important predictors of affecting to internet addiction. Moreover, internet addiction is the most predictors of SRH and increased the odds of bad SRH. The good SRH of medical students was higher than general population but in health faculty' students were lower than others. Due to the effect of internet addiction on SRH and increasing trend of internet use in medical students, as well as low age of participants, attention to psychological aspects and the job expectancy in future, can effective on increasing the good SRH.

A detailed analysis of codon usage patterns and influencing factors in Zika virus.

PubMed

Singh, Niraj K; Tyagi, Anuj

2017-07-01

Recent outbreaks of Zika virus (ZIKV) in Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Southeast Asia have resulted in serious health concerns. To understand more about evolution and transmission of ZIKV, detailed codon usage analysis was performed for all available strains. A high effective number of codons (ENC) value indicated the presence of low codon usage bias in ZIKV. The effect of mutational pressure on codon usage bias was confirmed by significant correlations between nucleotide compositions at third codon positions and ENCs. Correlation analysis between Gravy values, Aroma values and nucleotide compositions at third codon positions also indicated some influence of natural selection. However, the low codon adaptation index (CAI) value of ZIKV with reference to human and mosquito indicated poor adaptation of ZIKV codon usage towards its hosts, signifying that natural selection has a weaker influence than mutational pressure. Additionally, relative dinucleotide frequencies, geographical distribution, and evolutionary processes also influenced the codon usage pattern to some extent.

Geographical Assesment of Results from Preventing the Parameter Tampering in a Web Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menemencioğlu, O.; Orak, İ. M.

2017-11-01

The improving usage of internet and attained intensity of usage rate attracts the malicious in around the world. Many preventing systems are offered by researchers with different infrastructures. Very effective preventing system was proposed most recently by the researchers. The previously offered mechanism has prevented the multi-type vulnerabilities after preventing system was put into use. The attack attempts have been recorded. The researchers analysed the results geographically, discussed the obtained results and made some inference of the results. Our assessments show that the geographical findings can be used to retrieve some implication and build an infrastructure which prevents the vulnerabilities by location.

Survey results of Internet and computer usage in veterans with epilepsy.

PubMed

Pramuka, Michael; Hendrickson, Rick; Van Cott, Anne C

2010-03-01

After our study of a self-management intervention for epilepsy, we gathered data on Internet use and computer availability to assess the feasibility of computer-based interventions in a veteran population. Veterans were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire that gathered information regarding seizures/epilepsy in addition to demographic data, Internet use, computer availability, and interest in distance education regarding epilepsy. Three hundred twenty-four VA neurology clinic patients completed the survey. One hundred twenty-six self-reported a medical diagnosis of epilepsy and constituted the epilepsy/seizure group. For this group of veterans, the need for remote/distance-based interventions was validated given the majority of veterans traveled long distances (>2 hours). Only 51% of the epilepsy/seizure group had access to the Internet, and less than half (42%) expressed an interest in getting information on epilepsy self-management on their computer, suggesting that Web-based interventions may not be an optimal method for a self-management intervention in this population. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Understanding the mobile internet to develop the next generation of online medical teaching tools

PubMed Central

Christiano, Cynthia; Ferris, Maria

2011-01-01

Healthcare providers (HCPs) use online medical information for self-directed learning and patient care. Recently, the mobile internet has emerged as a new platform for accessing medical information as it allows mobile devices to access online information in a manner compatible with their restricted storage. We investigated mobile internet usage parameters to direct the future development of mobile internet teaching websites. Nephrology On-Demand Mobile (NODM) (http://www.nephrologyondemand.org) was made accessible to all mobile devices. From February 1 to December 31, 2010, HCP use of NODM was tracked using code inserted into the root files. Nephrology On-Demand received 15 258 visits, of which approximately 10% were made to NODM, with the majority coming from the USA. Most access to NODM was through the Apple iOS family of devices and cellular connections were the most frequently used. These findings provide a basis for the future development of mobile nephrology and medical teaching tools. PMID:21659443

Understanding the mobile internet to develop the next generation of online medical teaching tools.

PubMed

Desai, Tejas; Christiano, Cynthia; Ferris, Maria

2011-01-01

Healthcare providers (HCPs) use online medical information for self-directed learning and patient care. Recently, the mobile internet has emerged as a new platform for accessing medical information as it allows mobile devices to access online information in a manner compatible with their restricted storage. We investigated mobile internet usage parameters to direct the future development of mobile internet teaching websites. Nephrology On-Demand Mobile (NOD(M)) (http://www.nephrologyondemand.org) was made accessible to all mobile devices. From February 1 to December 31, 2010, HCP use of NOD(M) was tracked using code inserted into the root files. Nephrology On-Demand received 15,258 visits, of which approximately 10% were made to NOD(M), with the majority coming from the USA. Most access to NOD(M) was through the Apple iOS family of devices and cellular connections were the most frequently used. These findings provide a basis for the future development of mobile nephrology and medical teaching tools.

Life satisfaction and problematic Internet use: Evidence for gender specific effects.

PubMed

Lachmann, Bernd; Sariyska, Rayna; Kannen, Christopher; Cooper, Andrew; Montag, Christian

2016-04-30

The present study investigates, using a large sample (N=4852 participants; 51.71% males), how problematic Internet use (PIU) relates to general life satisfaction and distinct facets of everyday life such as job, leisure, and health. Data on Internet usage was gathered using a short form of the Young Internet Addiction Test. Life satisfaction was measured with standardized items taken from the socioeconomic panel (Germany). Highly significant associations were observed between PIU and the facets of life satisfaction, health and leisure. Of note, these associations between the mentioned facets of life satisfaction and PIU were significantly higher for females compared to males, although the reported total level of PIU was significantly lower for females. This suggests the presence of different thresholds for males and females with respect to negative effects on well-being due to PIU. The current study underlines the importance of including gender as a critical variable when investigating the association between life satisfaction and PIU. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Promise of the Internet of Things in Healthcare: How Hard Is It to Keep?

PubMed

Marques, Rita; Gregório, João; Mira Da Silva, Miguel; Lapão, Luís Velez

2016-01-01

Internet of Things is starting to be implemented in healthcare. An example is the automated monitoring systems that are currently being used to provide healthcare workers with feedback regarding their hand hygiene compliance. These solutions seem effective in promoting healthcare workers self-awareness and action regarding their hand hygiene performance, which is still far from desired. Underlying these systems, an indoor positioning component (following Internet of Things paradigm) is used to collect data from the ward regarding healthcare workers' position, which will be later used to make some assumptions about the usage of alcohol-based handrub dispensers and sinks. We found that building such a system under the scope of the healthcare field is not a trivial task and it must be subject to several considerations, which are presented, analyzed and discussed in this paper. The limitations of present Internet of Things technologies are not yet ready to address the demanding field of healthcare.