Frequent Internet use among Catalan patients with inflammatory bowel disease]

No data are available on the use of the Internet by Spanish patients with chronic diseases.To determine the extent to which patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Barcelona (Spain) make use of the Internet and the relationship between Internet use and demographic characteristics.A questionnaire on Internet use was administered to 200 patients attending an information session on IBD organized by the Gastroenterology Department of a university referral hospital in the city of Barcelona.Replies were received from 86% of those surveyed. The mean age was 40 years and 60% were women. Sixty-eight percent had home computers and 49% had an Internet connection. Forty-four percent sporadically or regularly obtained information on IBD from the web. A positive correlation was found between availability and Internet use and young age and higher educational level. No differences were found between men and women. Eighty-four percent expressed interest in having a web site on IBD supported by the physicians of their referral center and 65% were prepared to pay a subscription for this service.Patients with IBD from Barcelona frequently looked for information on their disease on the Internet and were receptive to initiatives concerning electronic information from physicians of their local referral center.