Expanding the NCI Health Information National Trends Survey From the United States to China and Beyond: Examining the Influences of Consumer Health Information Needs and Practices on Local and Global Health

Abstract

The Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) is a major source for data about the U.S. public’s access to and use of health information. A collaboration has been established between the United States and China to conduct the HINTS survey in China, under the auspices of the Chinese Ministry of Health. Pilot data have been collected in two major Chinese cities. The HINTS-China research will guide evidence-based health promotion interventions across China. This exciting international research program opens the door to expanding the HINTS research program to many other countries around the world to help promote global health.

Wie informieren sich die Menschen in Deutschland zum Thema Gesundheit? Erkenntnisse aus der ersten Welle von HINTS Germany

“…Durch die Adaption eines bewährten Instruments aus den USA, das mittlerweile auch in anderen Ländern aufgegriffen und teils bereits umgesetzt wurde (China, Japan, Israel, Peru), werdeninternationale Vergleiche möglich [41]. Dies kann Aufschluss über Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede im Gesundheitsinformationsverhalten in diesen Ländern geben und die Basis für kollaborative Gesundheitskommunikationsmaßnahmen bilden.…”

The value of health communication scholarship: New directions for health communication inquiry

“…Large-scale health communication research programs, such as the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) studies being conducted in the US, China, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Israel, Colombia, and Singapore track key communication practices and influences in society, examining issues such as health information access and utilization, public understanding of health issues, information gaps, channel utilization, and source preferences [ [15] , [16] , [17] ]. Still other intervention-based health communication research studies test new communication programs, policies, tools, and technologies for disseminating relevant health information, influencing health behaviors, and enhancing health outcomes for at-risk populations [ 18 ].…”

Promoting patient comprehension of relevant health information

“…National studies about medication adherence and international studies of health information dissemination have found that patients are often terribly misinformed about their health conditions, despite often believing that they are well informed [3, 9–12]. These studies not only asked patients how much health information about their conditions that they understood, but also objectively tested the accuracy of their understanding about health conditions and treatment plans.…”