Infodemiology can be defined as the science of distribution and determinants of information in an electronic medium, specifically the Internet, or in a population, with the ultimate aim to inform public health and public policy. Infodemiology data can be collected and analyzed in near real time. Examples for infodemiology applications include: the analysis of queries from Internet search engines to predict disease outbreaks (eg. influenza); monitoring peoples' status updates on microblogs...

Background: To our knowledge, no studies have evaluated whether weight loss can be promoted in overweight adults through the use of an intervention that is largely based on daily SMS (Short Message Service: text) and MMS (Multimedia Message Service: small picture) messages transmitted via mobile phones. Objective: This paper describes the development and evaluation of a text message-based intervention designed to help individuals lose or maintain weight over 4 months. Methods: The study was...

Background: The use of the Internet to administer questionnaires has many potential advantages over the use of pen-and-paper administration. Yet it is important to validate Internet administration, as most questionnaires were initially developed and validated for pen-and-paper delivery. While some have been validated for use over the Internet, these questionnaires have predominately been used amongst the healthy general population. To date, information is lacking on the validity of...

Background: eHealth tools on the Internet have the potential to help people manage their health and health care. However, little is known about the distribution and use of different kinds of eHealth tools across the population or within population subgroups. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and predictors of participation in specific online health-related activities. Methods: A secondary data analysis of the National Cancer Institute’s Health Information...

Background: There have been no previous studies of the variables that predict adherence to online depression and anxiety intervention programs among adolescents. However, research of traditionally delivered intervention programs for a variety of health conditions in adolescence suggests that health knowledge, type and level of symptomatology, race, socioeconomic status, treatment setting, and support may predict adherence. Objective: The aim was to compare adherence rates and identify the...

Background: Inpatient discharge instructions are a mandatory requirement of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The instructions include all the information relevant to post-discharge patient care. Prior studies show that patients often cannot fully understand or remember all the instructions. To address this issue, we have previously conducted a pilot study in which pictographs were created through a participatory...

Background: Health messages may have the highest impact if they are given early in life. Therefore, the Dutch Ministry of Health identified pregnant women as a target population and initiated an innovative eHealth program to serve as a communication channel of health messages to pregnant women. Objective: The aim was to study the feasibility of implementing this eHealth program into standard midwifery care and to investigate use and user perceptions of the online program among pregnant...

Background: Electronic data capture (EDC) tools provide automated support for data collection, reporting, query resolution, randomization, and validation, among other features, for clinical trials. There is a trend toward greater adoption of EDC tools in clinical trials, but there is also uncertainty about how many trials are actually using this technology in practice. A systematic review of EDC adoption surveys conducted up to 2007 concluded that only 20% of trials are using EDC systems,...

Background: Internet-based interventions to assist in diabetes management have the potential to provide patients with the information and support they need to become effective self-managers. Objective: To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of an Internet-based virtual clinic designed to facilitate self-management in patients who used insulin pumps to manage their diabetes. Methods: For a period of 6 months, 17 patients joined the virtual clinic. The system allowed...

A number of errors regarding the cited references occurred in the article by Amanda Graham et al. (J Med Internet Res 2008;10(5):e50). The corrected version was republished on the JMIR website on 14.01.2009 at http://www.jmir.org/2008/5/e50 and resubmitted to PubMed Central; however, we have no control over other websites and aggregators which may mirror content from JMIR and may not update the original version. The corrected version can be identified by citing 60 references, while the...