Researchers Report Widespread Internet Use by Caregivers of Children with Shunts

When faced with disease, patients and caregivers now readily turn to the Internet for information and emotional support. This is particularly true in the case of caregivers of children with hydrocephalus. Researchers at Children’s of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that adults caring for children with hydrocephalus reported greater regular use of the Internet than the general population (91.7 percent compared with 74 percent). The majority of these caregivers (81.9 percent) also use the Internet to obtain information about the disease, although they are somewhat skeptical about the overall veracity of information gained from the Web and are interested in well-respected hydrocephalus-related websites (such as that of the Hydrocephalus Association, www.hydroassoc.org) and physician-suggested sites. When it comes to social media, these caregivers prefer Facebook, YouTube, and blogs over Twitter and Myspace for both personal and hydrocephalusrelated use. Full details on this study and its findings can be found in the article “Technology preferences among caregivers of children with hydrocephalus. Clinical article,” by neurosurgeon Robert Naftel, MD, and colleagues, published online, ahead of print, in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics. For more information, click here to read the full release.