The aspect of time in online health information behaviour

Abstract

Temporal structures and rhythmicity are universal phenomena and affect all aspects of life, including dynamic processes like health and well-being that change over time. Health related issues and threats trigger health information behaviour, a majority of which happens online and thus leaves digital traces behind. This study analyses the temporal variations and rhythmicity of health information behaviour through the action of online posting in a large Finnish discussion forum, Suomi24. The findings in this study show that health information behaviour follow clear and robust rhythmicity on both a seasonal and daily level. This endorses the notion that well-being, health and illness are dynamic processes that change with time and can help provide a more holistic picture of health and well-being, including aspects that fall outside professional healthcare settings. Studying when health information behaviour happens can thus have wide-ranging consequences.

Chaos, expansion, and contraction: The information worlds of depression patients during theCOVID‐19 pandemic lockdown

“…Negative emotional experience or uncertainty will trigger people's information needs (Ruthven et al, 2018), and information needs will further direct information behavior. Tana et al (2020) found that online information behavior related to depression varies with time: important daily, weekly, and seasonal peaks can be detected. In addition, studies have found that the disclosure of celebrity depression information can encourage people to seek depression‐related information (Francis, 2018).…”