Web-Based Delivery

Over the past 20 years, the Internet has profoundly changed the communication landscape. From a small number of users in the early 1990s, [Page 1466]this technology has exploded to reach nearly all areas of the globe and to be used by billions of people. Health information is a popular topic for many Internet users. Governmental and nongovernmental health organizations and businesses have rushed to make available information and programs designed to improve health. Emerging evidence suggests that when well-designed, Web-based health programs can help individuals monitor their health, improve the outcomes of clinical treatments, and enable them to manage their lifestyles to prevent disease.

The ubiquity of the Internet gives Web-based health communication the potential to reach a large proportion of many populations. While early in its evolution many groups experiencing health problems were not online, most populations in the developed world are now using the Internet. Gaps related to gender and age have declined or disappeared, and many groups with relatively low usage are experiencing large increases in adoption. Most homes in the United States, for example, are now connected to the Internet, along with nearly all businesses.

Also, software for authoring Web-based programs has become more sophisticated. Web sites can deliver rich graphics, animation, audio, and video content along with text. Database software allow health communicators to deliver content tailored to users in real time either through self-navigation by users or through programs that “learn” about users' preferences and needs and present relevant information. In fact, the interactivity that allows the Web sites to tailor content is one of the unique aspects of the Internet compared with other older media, which depend mainly on the ability to broadcast information via one-way communication with audiences. This interactivity may improve both engagement with Web-based health information and its impact on consumers.