Influencing Factors of Online Health Information Seeking in Selected European Countries
Patients’ participation in healthcare requires comprehensive health knowledge and can benefit from online health information seeking behaviours (O-HISB). The internet is a particularly vital source for seeking health-related information in many regions of the world. Therefore, we take a European cro...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Zurich, IKMZ – Department of Communication and Media Research
2021-05-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Health Communication (EJHC) |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ejhc.org/article/view/2337 |
| _version_ | 1819284561418256384 |
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| author | Elena Link Eva Baumann Annemiek Linn Andreas Fahr Peter J. Schulz Muna E. Abuzahra |
| author_facet | Elena Link Eva Baumann Annemiek Linn Andreas Fahr Peter J. Schulz Muna E. Abuzahra |
| author_sort | Elena Link |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Patients’ participation in healthcare requires comprehensive health knowledge and can benefit from online health information seeking behaviours (O-HISB). The internet is a particularly vital source for seeking health-related information in many regions of the world. Therefore, we take a European cross-country comparative perspective on O-HISB. We aim to compare the importance of personal, health(care)-related, and cognitive determinants of using the internet for health-related purposes in four European countries. We conducted online surveys among the German, Swiss, Dutch, and Austrian public and described patterns of health information seeking online.
The internet seemed to be a widely used source of health information in the four selected European countries. The explanation patterns of personal, health(care)-related, and cognitive factors differ by country and between selecting the internet as a source of health information and the frequency of online use. Using online media appeared to be more common for women and for current health problems. Respondents’ willingness and competencies are essential for online health information seeking. To prevent the increase of social and health-related disparities, there is an urgent need to support underprivileged population groups and increase motivations and eHealth literacy to use the internet for health-related purposes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T01:49:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d46780768fc5484695701a657f866bed |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-5903 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T01:49:20Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | University of Zurich, IKMZ – Department of Communication and Media Research |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Health Communication (EJHC) |
| spelling | doaj.art-d46780768fc5484695701a657f866bed2022-12-21T17:21:46ZengUniversity of Zurich, IKMZ – Department of Communication and Media ResearchEuropean Journal of Health Communication (EJHC)2673-59032021-05-012110.47368/ejhc.2021.002Influencing Factors of Online Health Information Seeking in Selected European CountriesElena Link0Eva Baumann1Annemiek Linn2Andreas Fahr3Peter J. Schulz4Muna E. Abuzahra5Department of Journalism and Communication Research Hanover University of Music, Drama, and MediaDepartment of Journalism and Communication Research, Hanover University of Music, Drama and MediaAmsterdam School of Communication Research, University of AmsterdamDepartment of Mass Media and Communication Research, University of FribourgInstitute of Communication & Health, University of Lugano Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, Medical University of GrazPatients’ participation in healthcare requires comprehensive health knowledge and can benefit from online health information seeking behaviours (O-HISB). The internet is a particularly vital source for seeking health-related information in many regions of the world. Therefore, we take a European cross-country comparative perspective on O-HISB. We aim to compare the importance of personal, health(care)-related, and cognitive determinants of using the internet for health-related purposes in four European countries. We conducted online surveys among the German, Swiss, Dutch, and Austrian public and described patterns of health information seeking online. The internet seemed to be a widely used source of health information in the four selected European countries. The explanation patterns of personal, health(care)-related, and cognitive factors differ by country and between selecting the internet as a source of health information and the frequency of online use. Using online media appeared to be more common for women and for current health problems. Respondents’ willingness and competencies are essential for online health information seeking. To prevent the increase of social and health-related disparities, there is an urgent need to support underprivileged population groups and increase motivations and eHealth literacy to use the internet for health-related purposes.https://ejhc.org/article/view/2337online health information seekinginfluencing factorsEuropecross-country perspectiveeHealth literacy |
| spellingShingle | Elena Link Eva Baumann Annemiek Linn Andreas Fahr Peter J. Schulz Muna E. Abuzahra Influencing Factors of Online Health Information Seeking in Selected European Countries European Journal of Health Communication (EJHC) online health information seeking influencing factors Europe cross-country perspective eHealth literacy |
| title | Influencing Factors of Online Health Information Seeking in Selected European Countries |
| title_full | Influencing Factors of Online Health Information Seeking in Selected European Countries |
| title_fullStr | Influencing Factors of Online Health Information Seeking in Selected European Countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influencing Factors of Online Health Information Seeking in Selected European Countries |
| title_short | Influencing Factors of Online Health Information Seeking in Selected European Countries |
| title_sort | influencing factors of online health information seeking in selected european countries |
| topic | online health information seeking influencing factors Europe cross-country perspective eHealth literacy |
| url | https://ejhc.org/article/view/2337 |
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