Online Health Information Seeking Among Patients With Chronic Conditions: Integrating the Health Belief Model and Social Support Theory
BackgroundChronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability. With the growing patient population and climbing health care expenditures, researchers and policy makers are seeking new approaches to improve the accessibility of health information on chronic disease...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| Online Access: | https://www.jmir.org/2022/11/e42447 |
| _version_ | 1797734692988911616 |
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| author | Yuxiang Chris Zhao Mengyuan Zhao Shijie Song |
| author_facet | Yuxiang Chris Zhao Mengyuan Zhao Shijie Song |
| author_sort | Yuxiang Chris Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundChronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability. With the growing patient population and climbing health care expenditures, researchers and policy makers are seeking new approaches to improve the accessibility of health information on chronic diseases while lowering costs. Online health information sources can play a substantial role in effective patient education and health communication. However, some contradictory evidence suggests that patients with chronic conditions may not necessarily seek online health information.
ObjectiveThis study aims to integrate 2 theories (ie, the health belief model and social support theory) and a critical health literacy perspective to understand online health information seeking (OHIS) among patients with chronic conditions.
MethodsWe used the survey method to collect data from online chronic disease communities and groups on social media platforms. Eligible participants were consumers with at least 1 chronic condition and those who have experience with OHIS. A total of 390 valid questionnaires were collected. The partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the data.
ResultsThe results suggested that perceived risk (t=3.989, P<.001) and perceived benefits (t=3.632, P<.001) significantly affected patients’ OHIS. Perceived susceptibility (t=7.743, P<.001) and perceived severity (t=8.852, P<.001) were found to influence the perceived risk of chronic diseases significantly. Informational support (t=5.761, P<.001) and emotional support (t=5.748, P<.001) also impacted the perceived benefits of online sources for patients. In addition, moderation analysis showed that critical health literacy significantly moderated the link between perceived risk and OHIS (t=3.097, P=.002) but not the relationship between perceived benefits and OHIS (t=0.288, P=.774).
ConclusionsThis study shows that the health belief model, when combined with social support theory, can predict patients’ OHIS. The perceived susceptibility and severity can effectively explain perceived risk, further predicting patients’ OHIS. Informational support and emotional support can contribute to perceived benefits, thereby positively affecting patients’ OHIS. This study also demonstrated the important negative moderating effects of critical health literacy on the association between perceived risk and OHIS. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:47:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-130ef5708b584dc6906b8a9fa759723e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1438-8871 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:47:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-130ef5708b584dc6906b8a9fa759723e2023-08-28T23:13:16ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712022-11-012411e4244710.2196/42447Online Health Information Seeking Among Patients With Chronic Conditions: Integrating the Health Belief Model and Social Support TheoryYuxiang Chris Zhaohttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9281-3030Mengyuan Zhaohttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9031-8669Shijie Songhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4544-2027 BackgroundChronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability. With the growing patient population and climbing health care expenditures, researchers and policy makers are seeking new approaches to improve the accessibility of health information on chronic diseases while lowering costs. Online health information sources can play a substantial role in effective patient education and health communication. However, some contradictory evidence suggests that patients with chronic conditions may not necessarily seek online health information. ObjectiveThis study aims to integrate 2 theories (ie, the health belief model and social support theory) and a critical health literacy perspective to understand online health information seeking (OHIS) among patients with chronic conditions. MethodsWe used the survey method to collect data from online chronic disease communities and groups on social media platforms. Eligible participants were consumers with at least 1 chronic condition and those who have experience with OHIS. A total of 390 valid questionnaires were collected. The partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the data. ResultsThe results suggested that perceived risk (t=3.989, P<.001) and perceived benefits (t=3.632, P<.001) significantly affected patients’ OHIS. Perceived susceptibility (t=7.743, P<.001) and perceived severity (t=8.852, P<.001) were found to influence the perceived risk of chronic diseases significantly. Informational support (t=5.761, P<.001) and emotional support (t=5.748, P<.001) also impacted the perceived benefits of online sources for patients. In addition, moderation analysis showed that critical health literacy significantly moderated the link between perceived risk and OHIS (t=3.097, P=.002) but not the relationship between perceived benefits and OHIS (t=0.288, P=.774). ConclusionsThis study shows that the health belief model, when combined with social support theory, can predict patients’ OHIS. The perceived susceptibility and severity can effectively explain perceived risk, further predicting patients’ OHIS. Informational support and emotional support can contribute to perceived benefits, thereby positively affecting patients’ OHIS. This study also demonstrated the important negative moderating effects of critical health literacy on the association between perceived risk and OHIS.https://www.jmir.org/2022/11/e42447 |
| spellingShingle | Yuxiang Chris Zhao Mengyuan Zhao Shijie Song Online Health Information Seeking Among Patients With Chronic Conditions: Integrating the Health Belief Model and Social Support Theory Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| title | Online Health Information Seeking Among Patients With Chronic Conditions: Integrating the Health Belief Model and Social Support Theory |
| title_full | Online Health Information Seeking Among Patients With Chronic Conditions: Integrating the Health Belief Model and Social Support Theory |
| title_fullStr | Online Health Information Seeking Among Patients With Chronic Conditions: Integrating the Health Belief Model and Social Support Theory |
| title_full_unstemmed | Online Health Information Seeking Among Patients With Chronic Conditions: Integrating the Health Belief Model and Social Support Theory |
| title_short | Online Health Information Seeking Among Patients With Chronic Conditions: Integrating the Health Belief Model and Social Support Theory |
| title_sort | online health information seeking among patients with chronic conditions integrating the health belief model and social support theory |
| url | https://www.jmir.org/2022/11/e42447 |
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