Preferences for Web-Based Information Material for Low Back Pain: Qualitative Interview Study on People Consulting a General Practitioner.
Allan Riis, Ditte Meulengracht Hjelmager, Line Dausel Vinther and 3 others
PMID 29610108WHAT IT FOUND
Patients with low back pain want web apps that are simple to navigate, use plain language, and show exercises via video.
They distrust sites with ads or confusing jargon. They prefer apps recommended by their GP, which saves them time searching online.
Key findings
01Participants preferred web apps that were easy to navigate at first glance, with clear purpose and no messy front pages, and often suggested a search function or table of contents to avoid getting lost.
02Readability was a major concern; participants requested plain language, explanations for medical terms, and a combination of text, photos, and videos to help them understand and perform exercises.
03Credibility was tied to the source and design; participants viewed physiotherapists and nurses as reliable sources but disliked advertisements, which they associated with mixed signals and lower trust.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (15 participants), limiting the transferability of findings. Only one-third of participants sought health information online monthly or more frequently, which may bias the findings toward those less engaged with digital health. The study was conducted in Denmark, so cultural and healthcare system differences may affect generalizability. Participants were interviewed when they were actively seeking help from a GP, which may not reflect preferences during periods of stable or resolved pain.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency. Funding sources are not explicitly detailed in the provided text, but the research group included physiotherapists, a GP, and a chiropractor.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these preferences apply to all patients or that a web app designed this way will improve clinical outcomes. This study reports user preferences for information technology, not the efficacy of the technology itself.