A multi-centre prospective evaluation of internet research habits among owners seeing a veterinary oncologist |
| |
| Authors: | Jennifer Hauss Mairin E. Miller Colleen Tansey Donald Szlosek Lisa A. Murphy Reid K. Nakamura |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. Veterinary Cancer Group SFV, A Thrive Pet Healthcare Partner, Woodland Hills, California, USA;2. Department of Oncology, Veterinary Specialty Hospital North County, San Diego, California, USA;3. Department of Oncology, Blue Pearl Pet Hospital – Irvine, Irvine, California, USA;4. Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA;5. Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA;6. Department of Cardiology, Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center Thousand Oaks, Thousand Oaks, California, USA |
| |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this study is to evaluate the internet-use among pet owners seeing a veterinary oncologist. Over a two-month period, 137 questionnaires were collected at three specialty hospitals around a large urban city. Approximately 85% of respondents reported using the internet to research their pet's condition and/or treatment. A search engine was the most employed means however veterinary university websites were considered to provide the most accurate information. The odds of owners who researched their own health condition online researching their pet's condition was 4.3 (95% CI: 1.2–23.1, p < .021) times as high as owners who did not research their own health condition. The odds of owners who have been to their oncologist previously to research their pet's condition was 4.7 (95% CI: 26.9.3, p < .001) times as high than owners who have not been to an oncologist previously. Oncologists should be aware internet use among pet owners appears common and further research to assess the accuracy and readability of veterinary medical websites appears indicated. |
| |
| Keywords: | epidemiology oncology small animal internal medicine |
|
|
