Internet and health: The existing knowledge in Brazil

The Internet is one of the contemporary world’s most important means of mass media. Its effects can be seen in different areas of human life, among which Public Health stands out. The access to the information available online may allow/enable individuals to adopt measures promoting health and preventing diseases. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the existing knowledge in Brazil about the effects of the Internet on health. The Brazilian “Scientific Electronic Library Online” (www.scielo.br) was used as the source for this research. This website gathers and provides access, free of charge, to the main Brazilian journals in different fields of knowledge. Thus, this paper presents new information about the knowledge produced in Brazil between 1997 and 2008 on the subject of Internet and health in 195 national journals. A quantitative search on Scielo provides 37 articles. This reduced number shows the lack of importance the Brazilian academic community subscribes to the subject. However, these articles are linked to diverse fields of knowledge, revealing the transdisciplinar potential of the issue. Qualitatively we present four specific aspects of these articles. First, thanks to the pedagogical dimension of the Internet, some of the authors analyze its impact in the doctor-patient relationship and in the formation of health professionals. Other authors evaluate the information available on websites which sometimes offer incorrect data on various pathologies. Additionally, websites which facilitate the consumption of medication are also featured. Finally, there are studies which emphasize the psychological effects of cyberchondria, particularly among the youth. Although the existing knowledge in Brazil of the relation between the Internet and health has been little explored, this paper highlights the relevance of this subject and reiterates the importance of investing in; research, learning activities and services which critically analyze and utilize the Internet in health.