Factors influencing the level of patients using the internet to gather information before anaesthesia: a single-centre survey of 815 patients in Switzerland

Table 1 Patient demographics, overall internet habits and topics searched for by participating patients (n = 815)

Patient demographics and internet habits
Parameter		n	%
Age (years)	18–44	355	44
	45–60	250	31
	61–80	204	25
	>80	6	1
Sex	male	441	54
Sex	female	374	46
ASA physical status	1	395	48
	2	396	49
	3	24	3
	4	0	0
	5	0	0
Level of education	apprenticeship etc.	610	75
Level of education	higher education ^a	205	25
Previous anaesthetic	yes	676	83
Previous anaesthetic	no	139	17
Average internet usage per week (h)	never	115	14
	< 5	300	37
	5–10	215	26
	10–15	83	10
	> 15	102	13
Postoperatively planned as inpatient	yes	551	68
Postoperatively planned as inpatient	no	264	32
Type of surgery	minor	499	61
	moderate	306	38
	major	10	1
Topics researched online preoperatively
	Surgery	209	26
	Surgeon	51	6
	Hospital	94	12
	Disease	257	32
	Anaesthetic	55	7

ASA American Society of Anesthesiology (physical status 1 = normal, healthy patient; physical status 5 = moribund patient, expected to dye without operation). ^a Higher education defined as high school graduation (Matura) or higher

ISSN: 1471-2253