Chapter 8: Positive Impacts of Online Health Information Seeking on Health Perceptions and the Mediational Relationship with Health Communication and Sense of Empowerment

Seçkin, Gül; Hughes, Susan M.; Hudson, Cassie; Laljer, David; Yeatts, Dale

doi:10.1108/s2050-206020180000015010

Cited by 6 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…Invoking adaptive strategies by engaging in goal-directed, instrumental behaviors to pursue health-related goals, among which is the use of health information technology, is consistent with the selective optimization with compensation (SOC) approach to successful aging (Baltes & Baltes, 1993) and with the proactive and corrective model of successful aging developed by Kahana and Kahana (2003). As individuals use web resources to promote health maintenance and/or aid with restoration of their health, they change their roles and responsibilities from being passive patients to proactive health consumers and health care partners empowered with technology-mediated knowledge (Seckin et al, 2018). This capacity can positively affect their subjective assessments of their health and well-being as being empowered with information supports the proactive management of health (Cosco, Prina, Perales, Stephan, & Brayne, 2014; Cotten, 2017; Martin, Palmer, Rock, Gelston, & Jeste, 2015; Pace & Grenier, 2017; Pruchno & Carr, 2017; Rowe & Kahn, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The subjective experience of one’s own health and self-perception of the aging process are important indicators of well-being and longevity as demonstrated by numerous studies (Craciun, Gellert, & Flick, 2017; Ferraro & Wilkinson, 2015; Sims, Reed, & Carr, 2016). Health-related use of the Internet (hereafter referred to as e-health information seeking) has come to represent an important health management strategy among aging baby boomers that appears to empower individuals by increasing their knowledge and understanding with respect to health promotion and maintenance (Cotten, 2017; Czaja, 2017; Seckin, Hughes, Hudson, Laljer, & Yeatts, 2018). Previous research has consistently linked personal perceptions of aging to health outcomes (Carpentieri, Elliot, Brett, & Deary, 2017; Whitley, Popham, & Benzeval, 2016; Young, Frick, & Phelan, 2009).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Pew Research Center reports that 67% of adults aged 65 and older use the Internet (Anderson & Perrin, 2017). Research has also shown that information gathering from the Internet is positively associated with a feeling of empowerment in managing health, better self-care ability, better health-related quality of life, subjective sense of better health, and better psychological well-being (Cotten, Ford, Ford, & Hale, 2012; Seckin et al, 2018). It has been argued that within the past decade, the digital revolution’s greatest benefit is facilitating self-health management, health promotion, and active and healthy aging (Cotton, 2017).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The current study defined e-health information seeking as using the Internet to obtain information for health purposes to restore, maintain, and/or promote health. Building on previous research, the fundamental premise of the conceptual model (Figure 1) is that health-related information seeking on the Internet (e-health information seeking) and utilization of Internet information in the management of health care needs (e-health information consumerism) are associated with medical satisfaction, which in turn, is associated with information users’ health-related perceptions (Dedding, van Doorn, Winkler, & Reis, 2011; Seckin et al, 2018; Tan & Goonawardene, 2017). We examined the impact of age and medical satisfaction separately and as joint moderators by creating an interaction term.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Digital Pathways to Positive Health Perceptions: Does Age Moderate the Relationship Between Medical Satisfaction and Positive Health Perceptions Among Middle-Aged and Older Internet Users?

Seçkin

Hughes

Yeatts

et al. 2019

Innovation in Aging

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ObjectivesWe explored the influence of e-trust, e-health literacy, e-health information seeking, and e-health information consumerism on medical satisfaction and positive health perceptions.MethodsOur sample consisted of 499 randomly selected panel members aged 40–93. We employed hierarchical ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses and structural equation modeling (SEM). We examined the moderating role of age on the relationship between medical satisfaction and positive health perceptions.ResultsA significant interaction was found between age and medical satisfaction in predicting positive health perceptions in the OLS regression models. Medical satisfaction has a stronger association with self-care, health-related quality of life, and health status in the older adult sample as compared with the middle-aged sample. SEM analyses revealed that e-health information seeking has an indirect effect on both medical satisfaction and positive health perceptions through its significant direct effect on e-health information consumerism. Both e-trust and e-health consumerism were significant predictors. The e-health literacy and e-trust measures were significant predictors of the positive health perception index in the OLS regression models.DiscussionThe results contribute to our understanding of the potential benefits information technologies have for the health and well-being of computer-connected aging adults.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Digital Pathways to Positive Health Perceptions: Does Age Moderate the Relationship Between Medical Satisfaction and Positive Health Perceptions Among Middle-Aged and Older Internet Users?

Seçkin

Hughes

Yeatts

et al. 2019

Innovation in Aging

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“…Health information gathering is among the major motivations for using the internet among aging baby boomers who have more experience with information and communication technologies compared to previous cohorts of older adults [ 3 , 9 , 11 , 18 ]. Technology acts as a buffer against health challenges in later life by increasing access to informational resources that allows older adults to be proactive in shaping their health outcomes [ 9 - 14 , 17 , 19 ]. With these developments, more research attention is focusing on how digital health information influences doctor-patient interactions and health outcomes among older internet users [ 6 , 8 , 9 , 20 - 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patient-Reported Outcomes in a Nationally Representative Sample of Older Internet Users: Cross-sectional Survey

Seçkin¹,

Hughes²

2021

JMIR Aging

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Background The rapid diffusion of the internet has decreased consumer reliance on health care providers for health information and facilitated the patients’ ability to be an agent in control of their own health. However, empirical evidence is limited regarding the effects of health-related internet use among older adults, which is complicated by the proliferation of online health and medical sources of questionable scientific accuracy. Objective We explore the effects of health-related internet use, education, and eHealth literacy on medical encounters and patient-reported outcomes. Patient-reported outcomes are categorized into two dimensions: (1) self-reported health problem and (2) affective distress (feeling worried and anxious) due to information obtained. We were particularly interested in whether education and eHealth literacy moderate the association between perceived strain in medical encounters and patient-reported outcomes. Methods Our study sample consisted of online panel members who have used the internet as a resource for health information, randomly drawn from one of the largest probability-based online research panels. This paper specifically reports results obtained from older panel members (age≥60 years: n=194). First, we examined descriptive statistics and bivariate associations (Pearson correlations and independent samples t tests). We used hierarchical ordinary least squares regression analyses by running separate regressions for each patient-reported outcome. In model 1, we entered the main effects. In model 2, technology and medical encounter variables were included. Model 3 added the statistical interaction terms. Results Age (β=–.17; P=.02), gender (β=–.22; P=.01), and medical satisfaction (β=–.28; P=.01) were significant predictors of self-reported health problems. Affective distress was positively predicted by gender (β=.13; P=.05) and satisfaction with medical encounters (β=.34; P<.001) but negatively predicted by education (β=–.18; P=.03) and eHealth literacy (β=–.32; P=.01). The association between experiencing a health problem in relation to health-related internet use and perception of strained medical encounters was greater among respondents with lower levels of education (β=–.55; P=.04). There was also a significant interaction between education and eHealth literacy in predicting the level of affective distress (β=–.60; P=.05), which indicated that higher levels of education predicted lower averages of feeling anxiety and worry despite lower eHealth literacy. Older women reported higher averages of affective distress (β=.13; P=.05), while older men reported higher averages of experiencing a self-reported health problem (β=–.22; P=.01). Conclusions This study provides evidence for the effect of health-related internet use on patient-reported outcomes with implications for medical encounters. The results could be used to guide educational and eHealth literacy interventions for older individuals.

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Refined Analysis of Older eHealth Users From an Agency Perspective: Quantitative Telephone Interview Study

Brainin¹,

Neter²

2023

JMIR Aging

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Background Most studies on the eHealth divide among older people have compared users to nonusers and found that age, gender, and education were associated with eHealth misuse. They assumed that these characteristics were structural barriers to eHealth adoption. Furthermore, eHealth practices have been examined in a narrow and incomplete way, and the studies disagree about the association between health conditions and eHealth use. Using a more dynamic theoretical lens, we investigated the potential motivations driving older adults’ agential adoption of eHealth practices despite their advanced age. Objective This study aimed to obtain a complete and detailed description of eHealth uses among older adults; examine whether demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and education (previously related to eHealth misuse) are still associated with the various eHealth clusters; and determine whether contextual factors such as changes in the health condition of older eHealth users or their loved ones are associated with older adult eHealth use. Methods We conducted a 30-minute telephone interview with a representative sample of 442 Israeli adults (aged ≥50 years) with a sampling error of 2.04%. The interviews were conducted in Hebrew, Arabic, and Russian. Using factor analysis with 21 eHealth use questions, we identified 4 eHealth clusters: instrumental and administrative information seeking, information sharing, seeking information from peers, and web-based self-tracking. In addition to age, gender, education, internet experience, frequency of internet use, perceived eHealth literacy, and self-rated health, we asked respondents to indicate how much they had used offline health services because of a health crisis in the past year. Results We found differences in the number of older eHealth users in the various clusters. They used instrumental and administrative information (420/442, 95%) and obtained information from peers (348/442, 78.7%) the most; followed by web-based self-tracking related to health issues (305/442, 69%), and only a few (52/442, 11.3%) uploaded and shared health information on the web. When controlling for personal attributes, age, gender, and education were no longer predictors of eHealth use, nor was a chronic ailment. Instead, internet experience, frequency of internet use, and perceived eHealth literacy were associated with 3 eHealth clusters. Looking for health information for family and friends predicted all 4 eHealth clusters. Conclusions Many older adults can overcome structural barriers such as age, gender, and education. The change in their or their loved ones’ circumstances encouraged them to make deliberate efforts to embrace the new practices expected from today’s patients. Seeking health information for family and friends and dealing with unexpected health crises motivates them to use eHealth. We suggest that health professionals ignore their tendency to label older people as nonusers and encourage them to benefit from using eHealth and overcome stereotypical ways of perceiving these patients.

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Chapter 8: Positive Impacts of Online Health Information Seeking on Health Perceptions and the Mediational Relationship with Health Communication and Sense of Empowerment

Cited by 6 publications

References 55 publications

Digital Pathways to Positive Health Perceptions: Does Age Moderate the Relationship Between Medical Satisfaction and Positive Health Perceptions Among Middle-Aged and Older Internet Users?

Digital Pathways to Positive Health Perceptions: Does Age Moderate the Relationship Between Medical Satisfaction and Positive Health Perceptions Among Middle-Aged and Older Internet Users?

Patient-Reported Outcomes in a Nationally Representative Sample of Older Internet Users: Cross-sectional Survey

Refined Analysis of Older eHealth Users From an Agency Perspective: Quantitative Telephone Interview Study

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