The Motivations of Iranian Patients With Cardiovascular Disease to Seek Health Information: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

BackgroundCardiovascular patients need information to preserve and promote their health, but not all of them have the necessary motivation to seek relevant health knowledge.ObjectivesThe present study analyzed experiences of patients, family caregivers, and healthcare providers to explore the motivating factors that cause cardiovascular patients to seek important health information.Patients and MethodsThis study was conducted using a qualitative approach and conventional qualitative content analysis method. Thirty-six people, including 18 cardiovascular patients, 7 family caregivers, and 11 healthcare providers (from multidisciplinary backgrounds) participated in the study. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and purposeful sampling and continued until data saturation. Data collection and analysis proceeded simultaneously and with constant comparison; this study was carried out from May 2012 to May 2013.ResultsDuring the analysis process, three main themes were extracted that characterized participants’ experiences, perceptions, and motivations to seek health information. The themes were “Optimizing quality of life, “Desire for personal rights to be respected,” and “Gaining confidence through consultation.”ConclusionsOur findings showed that, through seeking information, patients try to achieve well-being and realize their personal rights as well as their right to security. They should also be encouraged to enhance their quality of life by using the Knowles’ learning theory to formulate their needs and learning priorities.

Effect of the self-management education program on the quality of life in people with chronic heart failure: a randomized controlled trial

“…Furthermore, results of a study by Liang et al ( 41 ) stated that the self-management education program played a major part in increasing patients’ self-efficacy and improving the QOL in cancer patients. Additionally, in a qualitative study by Gholami et al ( 42 ), it was revealed that one of the incentives to seek health information by patients with cardiovascular diseases was to optimize the QOL. In total, it can be said that the basis for the effects of self-management education is increasing patient’s knowledge.…”

Iranian Women’s Motivations for Seeking Health Information: A Qualitative Study

“…Paying attention to women's motivations for seeking health information could facilitate evidence-based policy making for promotion of families health status and consequently public health literacy and achieving optimum health outcomes. In Iran, a few studies have been conducted on information seeking motivations (18). Given that patients' health information seeking behaviors are formed in the context of personal/social interactions and also the health system, applying a qualitative paradigm for their study appears appropriate.…”