Development, adoption, and attitudes towards health-related solutions developed by citizens – a representative survey in Portugal

There is growing evidence that many patients and caregivers develop solutions to cope with their health disorders. Consequences of this innovation activity may be far reaching for improving our well-being and the social... [ view full abstract ]

There is growing evidence that many patients and caregivers develop solutions to cope with their health disorders. Consequences of this innovation activity may be far reaching for improving our well-being and the social welfare. Using survey data from a random and representative sample of residents in Portugal (N=6204), we explore characteristics of three groups of individuals: i) the developers of health-related solutions for own use, ii) the adopters of solutions developed by other patients or caregivers, and iii) the rest of the population. We analyze group differences with respect to the socio-demographic factors, trust in physicians and in medical science, social interactions among peers, individual search for health information, and quality of life. We find statistically significant differences among the three groups in search behavior and social interactions with peers. Also, we find a negative relationship between the trust in science and the adoption of patient-developed solutions, and the trust in physicians and intentions to adopt solutions. We discuss the importance of our findings for the research, health care practitioners, and public policy.