Internet Interventions or Patient Education Web Sites? – Author’s Reply

However, they are mistaken in their belief that the interventions used in our study were mostly patient education websites [1]. The interventions were carefully selected to fulfil the criteria for Interactive Health Communication Applications (IHCAs); namely that they were computer-based programs that combined health information with at least one interactive component, such as decision support, behavior change support or peer support. For example, heartcenteronline.com contains interactive self-assessment tools, as a support for behavior change, as well as online peer support, in the form of both personal stories and online chat groups. Similarly, alzheimersdisease.com contains interactive tools and online peer support, in the form of an e-mail "buddy" arrangement.