Patients' Attributions for Health-Care Provider Responses to Patients' Presentation of Internet Health Research

This study investigated attributions that patients make about health-care providers' (HCP) responses to the patients' introduction of internet-based health information into a conversation about health. Coding analysis of questionnaires completed by patients or their loved ones revealed that the locus of control for attributions about HCP responses to the introduction of internet research may be conceived of in three categories: internal, self-external, and outside-external. Further, we discovered differences among attributions and four other variables: satisfaction, comfort level with HCP, legitimation, and how well the participant knew the HCP. These results are explored for their implications with respect to health-care practice and areas of future research are suggested.