The Internet might transform the way in which health information is communicated to patient and general populations. Understanding differences in usage patterns will be critically important to ensuring the successful distribution of health information. The present study presents early data on the use patterns and predictors of use of a Web-based intervention in a population-based subsample of women aged 18—74 in King County, WA. By three months over half (51%) of users had logged into the website, using multiple components. Predictors of use by three months included employment, perceptions of health and mental health scores. These data have implications for how to conduct Web-based intervention research and for individuals that may not benefit from such interventions.
Behavioral Science Subcommittee, Women's Health Initiative. (1997). Women's Health Initiative: Why now? What is it? What's new?American Psychologist, 52, 101-116.
2.
Biesecker, B.B., Boehnke, M., Calzone, K., Markel, D.S., Garber, J.E., Collins, F.S., & Weber, B.L. (1993). Genetic counseling for families with inherited susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer. Journal of the American Medical Association, 269, 1970-1974.
3.
Botkin, J.R., Croyle, R.T., Smith, K.R., Baty, B.J., Lerman, C., Goldgar, D.E., Ward, J.M., Flick, B.J., & Nash, J.E. (1996). A model protocol for evaluating the behavioral and psychosocial effects of BRCA1 testing. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 88, 872-882.
4.
Bowen, D.J., Christensen, C.L., Powers, D., Graves, D.R., & Anderson, C.A.M. (1998). Effects of counseling and ethnic identity on perceived risk and cancer worry in AfricanAmerican women. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings , 5, 365-380.
5.
Burke, W., Culver, J., Lowry, D., Durfy, S., Bowen, D.J., & McTiernan, A. (2000). Genetic counseling for women with an intermediate family history of breast cancer. American Journal of Human Genetics, 90, 361-368.
6.
Employmnet Policy Foundation. (2001). Technology forecast, January. Available at http://www.epf.org/ (click on `Digital Divide to Close within the Decade').
7.
Gail, M., Brinton, L., Byar, D., et al. (1989). Projecting individualized probabilities of developing breast cancer for white females who are being examined annually. Journal of theNational Cancer Institute, 81, 1879.
8.
Hays, R., Sherbourne, C., & Mazel, R. (1993). The RAND 36-item health survey 1.0. Health Economics, 2, 217-227.
9.
Hoffman, D.L., Novak, T.P., & Schlosser, A.E. (2000). The evolution of the digital divide: How gaps in Internet access may impact electronic commerce. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 5(3). Available at http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol5/issue3/hoffman.html
10.
Johnson, J.D., & Meischke, H. (1992). Cancer-related channel selection: A focus on women who have had a mammography. Journal of Applied Social Psychology , 22, 1879-1893.
11.
Johnson, J.D., & Meischke, H. (1993). Cancer-related channels selection: An extension for a sample of women who have had a mammography. Women & Health, 20(2), 31-45.
Meischke, H., Bowen, D.J., & Kuniyuki, A. (in press). Awareness of genetic testing for breast cancer risk among women with a family history of breast cancer: How do women's information sources affect their awareness?Cancer Detection and Prevention.
14.
Meischke, H., & Johnson, J.D. (1995). Women's selection of sources for information on breast cancer detection. Health Values, 19(5), 30-39.
15.
National Telecommunications and Information Administration. (2000). Falling through the net IV, October . Available at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/digitaldivide
16.
NeilsenNetRatings. (2000 ). US home Internet access climbs to 56 percent, December. Available at http://www.nua.ie/surveys/?f=VS&art_id=905356265&rel=true
17.
Pew Foundation Report. (2000). The online health care revolution: How the Web helps Americans take better care of themselves. Available at http://www.pewInternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=26
18.
Taylor, J.O., Gustafson, D.H., Hawkins, R., Pingree, S., McTavish, F., Wise, M., & Carter, M. (1994). The comprehensive health enhancement support system . Quality Management in Health Care, 2(4), 36-43.
19.
Wilkins, A. (1999). Expanding Internet access for health care consumers . Health Care Management Review, 24(3), 30-41.
