Navigating chest pain online: who uses health information and what actions follow?

Sep 28, 2026

Online health information websites guide people with chest pain toward appropriate care and can influence sustainable healthcare use. This cross-sectional questionnaire study examines who uses Thuisarts.nl for chest pain, including demographics, reported symptoms, and subsequent actions after reading the site. It also evaluates decision-making, comparing individuals seeking immediate care versus those contacting a healthcare provider later, using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Background

van Dijkman et al. BMC Primary Care (2026) 27:1 [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-025-03110-7](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-025-03110-7) BMC Primary Care RESEARCH Open Access Navigating chest pain online: who uses health information and what actions follow? Eva D. van Dijkman 1*, Ysette [K. de](K. de) Boer 1, Ellen L. de Hollander2, Mattijs E. Numans 1, Hans-Marc J. Siebelink3 and Tobias N. Bonten 1 Abstract Background Online health information websites, [like Thuisarts.nl](like Thuisarts.nl) , guide patients with chest pain toward appropriate care and support sustainable healthcare use. Objectives This study explores the demographics, symptoms, actions, and decision-making of individuals using [Thuisarts.nl](Thuisarts.nl) for chest pain. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire was carried out (February 2022–October 2023) via pop-ups on two [Thuisarts.nl](Thuisarts.nl) pages about chest pain. Adults seeking chest pain information for themselves were invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire. Responses were categorized based on whether participants sought immediate care or waited to contact a healthcare provider. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics, and logistic regression examined the association between cardiac-like symptoms and immediate care-seeking, adjusted for age, sex, and comorbidity. Results Of the 791 participants who started the questionnaire (response rate 10%), 66% were female, with a mean age of 52 years. Most participants (78%) reported non-anginal pain, while 5% described symptoms resembling typical angina. Participants with cardiac-like symptoms were more likely to seek immediate care than those with non-cardiac pain (OR 4 . 67, 95% CI 1.33–16.42, p = 0 . 016) . Overall, 83% of participants found the information helpful; of these, 14% sought immediate care, while 86% waited before contacting a healthcare provider. Conclusion [Thuisarts.nl](Thuisarts.nl) for chest pain is primarily used by a low-risk group and is helpful to most visitors. While many wait to contact a healthcare provider after reading the website, those with cardiac-like symptoms tend to seek immediate care. These findings highlight the importance of providing clear, accessible information in supporting sustainable chest pain management. Keywords Chest Pain, Internet, Health Behaviour *Correspondence: Eva D. van Dijkman [e.d.van_dijkman@lumc.nl](e.d.van_dijkman@lumc.nl) 1Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Postzone V0-P, Postbus 9600 , Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands 2Department of Research and Development, Cluster Thuisarts, Dutch College of General Practitioners, Utrecht 3528 BL, The Netherlands 3Department of Cardiology B4-17, Leiden University Medical Center, Postbus 9600, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands © The Author(s) 2025. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit [http://creativecommons.org/l](http://creativecommons.org/l)icenses/by/4.0/. Dijkman van et al. BMC Primary Care (2026) 27:1 Background Online websites are increasingly used by patients seeking information about their health issues and deciding whether to consult a doctor. In 2012, the Dutch College of General P

FAQs

What is the purpose of the study on Thuisarts.nl for chest pain?

The study explores who uses Thuisarts.nl for chest pain and how users’ symptoms and decision-making relate to whether they seek immediate care.

How was the information gathered in the study?

A cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire was distributed via pop-ups on two Thuisarts.nl chest-pain pages between February 2022 and October 2023.

What did the results show about symptoms and care-seeking?

Participants with cardiac-like symptoms were more likely to seek immediate care than those with non-cardiac pain, while many users who found the information helpful still waited before contacting a healthcare provider.

Sep 28, 2026

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