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The Role and Implications of the Internet in Healthcare Delivery

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Self-Service in the Internet Age

Part of the book series: Computer Supported Cooperative Work ((CSCW))

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Abstract

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.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The Gleason system evaluates how effectively the cells of any particular cancer are able to structure themselves into glands resembling those of the normal prostate. The ability of a tumour to mimic normal gland architecture is called its differentiation, and a tumour whose structure is nearly normal (well differentiated) will probably have a biological behaviour that is not very aggressively malignant.

  2. 2.

    Brachytherapy is an advanced cancer treatment. Radioactive seeds or sources are placed in or near the tumour itself, giving a high radiation dose to the tumour while reducing the radiation exposure in the surrounding healthy tissues. The term “brachy” is Greek for short distance, and brachytherapy is radiation therapy given at a short distance: localized, precise, and high-tech.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to SAGE Publications for permission to reprint the parts of this Chapter previously seen as an article published in Qualitative Health Research Vol. 15 No. 3.

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  1. School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia

    Alex Broom

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  1. Alex Broom
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Correspondence to Alex Broom .

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    Broom, A. (2009). The Role and Implications of the Internet in Healthcare Delivery. In: Sudweeks, F., Romm Livermore, C., Oliver, D. (eds) Self-Service in the Internet Age. Computer Supported Cooperative Work. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-207-4_2

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-207-4_2

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