Information needs of people seeking fertility services in Canada: a mixed methods analysis
Background Infertility is a challenging experience associated with high levels of psychological distress. Many people seeking fertility services use the internet to obtain information about their conditions and treatments. Objectives This mixed-methods study aimed to describe the information-seeking...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2021.1879650 |
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| author | Marie-Eve Lemoine Siobhan Bernadette Laura O'Connell Paul Henry Grunberg Karolanne Gagné Carolyn Ells Phyllis Zelkowitz |
| author_facet | Marie-Eve Lemoine Siobhan Bernadette Laura O'Connell Paul Henry Grunberg Karolanne Gagné Carolyn Ells Phyllis Zelkowitz |
| author_sort | Marie-Eve Lemoine |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Infertility is a challenging experience associated with high levels of psychological distress. Many people seeking fertility services use the internet to obtain information about their conditions and treatments. Objectives This mixed-methods study aimed to describe the information-seeking experience of people seeking fertility services with respect to the fulfillment of their individually defined information needs and explore relationships between the fulfillment of information needs and psychological outcomes. Methods One hundred and four participants completed a survey with close-ended and open-ended questions about their experience using an informational web-based application (app) called ‘Infotility’ and about their mental well-being before and after using the app. The questionnaires administered were the The Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS), the Fertility Quality of Life questionnaire (FertiQol), the Patient Empowerment Questionnaire (PEQ) and the General Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7). Eleven participants completed in-depth qualitative interviews about their experience using the app. A thematic analysis was used to interpret qualitative results and quantitization was used to dichotomize participants into those with met information needs versus those with unmet information needs. Google Analytics was used to compare participants’ reported experience with their actual use of the app. Results The results of this study show that there is variability in the amount of information that people seeking fertility services wish to receive. Participants whose information needs were met reported improved psychological outcomes after using the app, while those with unmet needs showed no change in their psychological outcomes. Conclusions Our results suggest that fulfilling information needs was associated with improved psychological outcomes in people seeking fertility services. Our results also suggest that individual differences in information needs should be considered when developing health educational materials. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:35:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b7c4799f0ebd4dc4ac068655b6f8714b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2164-2850 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:35:39Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-b7c4799f0ebd4dc4ac068655b6f8714b2022-12-21T23:43:50ZengTaylor & Francis GroupHealth Psychology and Behavioral Medicine2164-28502021-01-019110412710.1080/21642850.2021.18796501879650Information needs of people seeking fertility services in Canada: a mixed methods analysisMarie-Eve Lemoine0Siobhan Bernadette Laura O'Connell1Paul Henry Grunberg2Karolanne Gagné3Carolyn Ells4Phyllis Zelkowitz5Lady Davis Institute for Medical ResearchLady Davis Institute for Medical ResearchMcGill University, PsychologyJewish General Hospital Psychiatry Research DivisionMcGill University, Biomedical Ethics UnitJewish General Hospital Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry, PsychiatryBackground Infertility is a challenging experience associated with high levels of psychological distress. Many people seeking fertility services use the internet to obtain information about their conditions and treatments. Objectives This mixed-methods study aimed to describe the information-seeking experience of people seeking fertility services with respect to the fulfillment of their individually defined information needs and explore relationships between the fulfillment of information needs and psychological outcomes. Methods One hundred and four participants completed a survey with close-ended and open-ended questions about their experience using an informational web-based application (app) called ‘Infotility’ and about their mental well-being before and after using the app. The questionnaires administered were the The Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS), the Fertility Quality of Life questionnaire (FertiQol), the Patient Empowerment Questionnaire (PEQ) and the General Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7). Eleven participants completed in-depth qualitative interviews about their experience using the app. A thematic analysis was used to interpret qualitative results and quantitization was used to dichotomize participants into those with met information needs versus those with unmet information needs. Google Analytics was used to compare participants’ reported experience with their actual use of the app. Results The results of this study show that there is variability in the amount of information that people seeking fertility services wish to receive. Participants whose information needs were met reported improved psychological outcomes after using the app, while those with unmet needs showed no change in their psychological outcomes. Conclusions Our results suggest that fulfilling information needs was associated with improved psychological outcomes in people seeking fertility services. Our results also suggest that individual differences in information needs should be considered when developing health educational materials.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2021.1879650copinghealth communicationhealth literacysexual and reproductive healthstress |
| spellingShingle | Marie-Eve Lemoine Siobhan Bernadette Laura O'Connell Paul Henry Grunberg Karolanne Gagné Carolyn Ells Phyllis Zelkowitz Information needs of people seeking fertility services in Canada: a mixed methods analysis Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine coping health communication health literacy sexual and reproductive health stress |
| title | Information needs of people seeking fertility services in Canada: a mixed methods analysis |
| title_full | Information needs of people seeking fertility services in Canada: a mixed methods analysis |
| title_fullStr | Information needs of people seeking fertility services in Canada: a mixed methods analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Information needs of people seeking fertility services in Canada: a mixed methods analysis |
| title_short | Information needs of people seeking fertility services in Canada: a mixed methods analysis |
| title_sort | information needs of people seeking fertility services in canada a mixed methods analysis |
| topic | coping health communication health literacy sexual and reproductive health stress |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2021.1879650 |
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