Background: The IN-DEEP project (Integrating and deriving evidence, experiences and preferences: developing research-based health information applicable to decision making and self-management by people with multiple sclerosis (MS)) is a collaborative, four-stage, mixed methods project between two Cochrane Review Groups, each operating in partnership with consumers with MS and the Australian and Italian MS Societies. Here, we report on the results of Stage1.

Objectives: Overall IN-DEEP objective: to make high quality evidence more accessible and meaningful to consumers and their families for use in their self-management decisions. Stage 1 objective: to document and analyse the experiences of people with MS in finding, assessing and integrating research-based health information from the internet, along with personal preferences and values, to make decisions and manage their health.

Methods: Focus groups and an online forum are being conducted in Australia and Italy. Participants, recruited via purposive sampling, include people with MS and their families from a range of metropolitan and regional areas. Phenomenological framework and grounded theory method are being used to analyse data.

Results: Both teams are gathering information on four questions; (1) where do you get reliable information on the evidence of treatments for MS?, (2) what kinds of information do you need, and how do these needs change over time?, (3) how do you use the internet to access information about treatments for MS?, and (4) how do you assess the quality and usefulness of this information? We will present a comparison of the Australian and Italian findings with respect to one of the themes generated around consumer issues in finding and integrating health information from the internet for personal and health decision-making.

Conclusions: Implications of the findings to searching for information and using The Cochrane Library will be discussed.