Determinants of the frequency of online health information seeking: Results of a Web-based survey conducted in France in 2007

Abstract

In the general population, social disparities in Internet practices have been less described than disparities in health information access. Aim is to determine whether there are differences in the frequency of Internet use for health information among health seekers. We conducted an Internet-based survey from November 2006 to March 2007. We considered the 3720 residents of France who had searched for health information during the previous 12 months. This study reveals different uses of the Internet for health information seeking (HIS) between men and women and between the general population and people who work in the health sector. Health status, taking care of somebody who is sick, and active Internet use were associated with higher frequencies of online HIS to varying degrees. The effects of age and level of education were not clear or were not significant. Greater health concerns and some issues in the physician-patient relationship were associated with higher frequencies of Internet use for HIS in the general population. Considering that this increasing use of online tools for HIS is consistent with current public health policies that promote the development of the 'informed patient', one should remain cautious about these social disparities in online HIS practices.

Gender differences in health information behaviour: a Finnish population-based survey

“…When it comes to health, women seem to be more engaged, more involved, more attentive and apparently better informed decision-makers. Thus, gender plays an important role in the patterns of health information behaviour of the Finnish citizens in the ages from 18 to 65 years; a result which is in line with previous research internationally (Rakowski et al, 1990;Kassulke et al, 1993;O'Keefe et al, 1998;Renahy and Chauvin, 2006;Rice, 2006;Lorence and Park, 2007;Renahy et al, 2010;Wellstead, 2011). These revealed differences in gender-related health information behaviour likely affect health behaviour and status, and may account for a considerable part of the still enduring life expectancy gap between Finnish men and women as well.…”

“…It has also been observed that men, due to gender role strains and social constructions of masculinity, tend to be unaware of sources of health-related information and have inadequate competency to search for them because of either pure ignorance or reluctance, and accordingly low motivation, of seeking out what they do know to be available (Dean, 1989;Pleck, 1995;Courtenay, 2000;Wellstead, 2011). Research, both prior to the Internet (Weisman and Teitelbaum, 1989;Rakowski et al, 1990;Kassulke et al, 1993;O'Keefe et al, 1998) and since the Internet appeared (Ek, 2005;Renahy and Chauvin, 2006;Rutten et al, 2006;Lorence and Park, 2007;Renahy et al, 2010), that have specifically examined gender as a variable in health information seeking behaviour also clearly demonstrates that women are more active seekers of health-related information than men. Rice (2006) analysed seven major US nationally representative data sets from the Pew Internet and American Life Project and found that one of the strongest and most consistent predictors of frequent health information seeking was being female.…”

Gender-Specific Determinants and Patterns of Online Health Information Seeking: Results From a Representative German Health Survey

“…Being female is among the strongest predictors of conducting OHISB [15,48,49]. Whereas women report to be more interested in health information and show more active search activities [56], men are less likely to read health information [57].…”

Social inequalities in health information seeking among young adults in Montreal

“…The fact that only mother's education (and not the father's) was significantly associated with HISB suggests that gender may also play a role in shaping HISB in young adults. Scholars have proposed that in most Western cultures, women have a 'nurturing' role that makes them more likely to seek health information on behalf of their family (Renahy et al, 2010, Ek, 2015. Our results, however, cannot tell us whether those who have more educated mothers and declared seeking only their family are not able to seek additional sources when necessary.…”