• Hooi Min Lim, Chirk Jenn Ng, Adam G Dunn, and Adina Abdullah.
• Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• Fam Pract. 2023 Dec 22; 40 (5-6): 796804796-804.

ObjectivesOnline health information (OHI) has been shown to influence patients' health decisions and behaviours. OHI about statins has created confusion among healthcare professionals and the public. This study explored the views and experiences of patients with high cardiovascular risk on OHI-seeking about statins and how OHI influenced their decision.DesignThis was a qualitative study using semi-structured in-depth interviews. An interpretive description approach with thematic analysis was used for data analysis.SettingAn urban primary care clinic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.ParticipantsPatients aged 18 years and above who had high cardiovascular risk and sought OHI on statins were recruited.ResultsA total of 20 participants were interviewed. The age of the participants ranged from 38 to 74 years. Twelve (60%) participants took statins for primary cardiovascular disease prevention. The duration of statin use ranged from 2 weeks to 30 years. Six themes emerged from the data analysis: (i) seeking OHI throughout the disease trajectory, (ii) active and passive approaches to seeking OHI, (iii) types of OHI, (iv) views about statin-related OHI, (v) influence of OHI on patients' health decisions, and (vi) patient-doctor communication about OHI.ConclusionThis study highlights the changing information needs throughout patient journeys, suggesting the opportunity to provide needs-oriented OHI to patients. Unintentional passive exposure to OHI appears to have an influence on patients' adherence to statins. The quality of patient-doctor communication in relation to OHI-seeking behaviour remains a critical factor in patient decision-making.© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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