Perceived Autonomy and Competence Support Through Physicians’ Digital Provision of Health Information

Self-determination is essential for health-related behaviours and requires that patients possess sufficient health information. However, patients’ most trusted information source—physicians—often lack the time to adequately educate their patients during a consultation. A physician-provided digital health information service (DHIS) may provide a solution to this challenge. Guided by self-determination theory, this study explored the potential of this DHIS to promote patients’ self-determination through increased autonomy in healthcare, competence in managing health and relatedness with their physician. A survey involving a stratified sample of 1,000 German residents was conducted via an online access panel. A total of 239 participants with unmet information needs were included in the analyses. Three one-way repeated measure ANOVAs were conducted to compare the general and DHIS-supported levels of autonomy, competence and relatedness. Participants perceived an increase in autonomy (η² = .265, p < .001) and competence support (η² = .025, p = .013), but no increase in relatedness (η² = .001, p = .649) based on the DHIS. Physicians should implement digital services providing health information to fulfil patients’ autonomy and competence needs. In the long term, this could positively impact patients’ self-determination, health-related behaviour and health status.