Objective

To analyze and classify the communication strategies developed by primary health care professionals in the Valencian Community (Spain), in view of the use of the Internet as a source of health information by the user population through the analytical categories of power and control which, according to Basil Bernstein, characterize the communication processes of therapeutic meetings.

Method

Qualitative study through in-depth interviews with primary health care professionals of the Valencian Community (n=18). The language of description of Bernstein's theory was applied to the analysis of the speeches in order to classify the strategies developed by the professionals and to propose a typology.

Results

A sociological typology of strategies used by professionals in the face of Internet use by the user population is provided, which classifies them according to the classification and framing modulation in rejection strategies, validation strategies, filtering strategies and opening strategies.

Conclusions

The different strategies developed by professionals when faced with the use of the Internet as a source of information have different implications for the power and control relationships inherent to the therapeutic encounter. Professionals should be aware of these implications in order to increase the participation of the user population in therapeutic meetings.

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