Table 3. The correlation between the independent variables and the effects of online searching: multiple regression analysis.

Variable	F	R²	Age category, b	Degree, b	Frequency of internet use, b	Frequency of internet use for health information, b	Frequency of GP visits, b
GP¹	11.42^a	0.08	0.07^b	0.02	0.09	0.01	0.39^a
Not going to the GP anymore²	4.88^b	0.04	0.03	0.01	−0.01	0.18^a	−0.12^c
More likely to go to the GP³	3.42^b	0.03	0.03	−0.05	−0.03	0.10^c	0.11
Self-medication without advice⁴	5.54^a	0.04	−0.01	0.03	0.09	0.12^b	−0.08
No medication anymore⁵	4.72^b	0.04	−0.02	−0.01	0.05	0.19^a	−0.06
Reassurance⁶	4.67^b	0.04	0.03	−0.01	−0.04	0.18^a	−0.09
Increased anxiety⁷	9.50^a	0.07	−0.06^b	0.002	0.04	0.19^a	0.22^a
Increased severity of symptoms	1.60	0.01	−0.02	−0.01	0.09	0.05	0.06
Decreased severity of symptoms⁹	2.76^c	0.02	−0.03	−0.002	−0.03	0.15^b	−0.01
Additional symptoms¹⁰	4.48^b	0.03	−0.04	0.03	0.05	0.12^b	0.15^b
More confidence in the GP¹¹	1.61	0.02	0.04	−0.03	−0.08	−0.05	0.10
Less confidence in the GP¹²	5.31^a	0.04	0.01	−0.03	0.03	0.18^a	−0.02

↵ b = regression coefficient. ^a P<0.0001. ^b P<0.01. ^a P<0.05.
Statements 'After my online search for health information …':
↵ ¹ I go to the GP
↵ ² I do not go to the GP although this was the original plan before the search.
↵ ³ I am more likely to visit the GP than I intended before the search.
↵ ⁴ I start medication without consulting a doctor.
↵ ⁵ I do not think I need medication although I did think this before the search.
↵ ⁶ I am reassured.
↵ ⁷ My worries about my symptoms increase.
⁸ I have the feeling my symptoms got better.
↵ ⁹ I have the feeling my symptoms got worse.
↵ ¹⁰ I notice additional complaints I did not notice before the search.
↵ ¹¹ I have more confidence in my GP than before the search.
↵ ¹² I have less confidence in my GP than before the search.