Understanding older adults' intention to share health information on social media: the role of health belief and information processing

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lili Shang ◽  
Junjie Zhou ◽  
Meiyun Zuo
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Source Credibility ◽  
Health Belief ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Information Sharing

PurposeSocial media greatly enhances public access to health information and thus attracts older adults who tend to attach more importance to their health. This study aims to identify the factors that contribute to the likelihood of older adults' health information sharing on social media.Design/methodology/approachBy drawing on health belief (HBM) and elaboration likelihood models (ELM), a novel conceptual model integrating older adults' health belief and information processing is established to uncover the factors. Online survey data from 290 Chinese older adult users of WeChat, the most popular social media platform in China, were collected to test the research model.FindingsAs health belief-related variables, perceived susceptibility is positively associated with health information-sharing intention (HISI), while perceived severity negatively influences HISI, which is contrary to prior findings. For information processing, the positive impacts of argument quality and source credibility on HISI are fully mediated by perceived usefulness.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first studies to explore the initiative use of information and communication technology among older adults. The new theoretical perspective proposed herein considers health belief and information processing perspectives in a complementary manner and can facilitate an overall analysis of the factors influencing older adults' HISI in a social media context. This study also furthers understandings of the ELM and expands the theory of HBM to take the age of decision makers into account.

The influence of public health information sharing on social media during the early COVID-19 outbreak

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiao-Chieh Chen ◽  
Yu-Ping Chiu
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Activity Effect ◽  
Network Cluster ◽  
Public Health Information ◽  
Health Information Sharing

PurposeSocial media have become famous platform to search and share the COVID-19-related information. The objective of this research is to bridge the gap by proposing the effects of network cluster and transmitter activity on information sharing process.Design/methodology/approachData were collected by using Facebook application, which was available for 14 days (May 1–14) in 2020. These data were analyzed to determine the influence of the network cluster and transmitter activity.FindingsThe results showed that network cluster is positively related to transmitter activity on social media. In addition, transmitter activity partially mediated the effect of network cluster on the extent of information liked and shared. That is, transmitter activity can affect COVID-19-related information sharing on Facebook, and the activity effect is plausible and should become stronger as social network become denser.Originality/valueThis study has contributed to the knowledge of health information sharing in social media and has generated new opportunities for research into the role of network cluster. As social media is firmly entrenched in society, researches that improve the experience or quality for users is potentially impactful.

Users’ health information sharing intention in strong ties social media: context of emerging markets

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Zhang ◽  
Wen Lin ◽  
Zhen Ma ◽  
Jun Yang ◽  
Yan Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Strong Ties ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sharing Value ◽  
Health Information Sharing

PurposeThis paper aims to theorize and examine how central cognition elaboration cue and peripheral cognition elaboration cue influence users’ health information sharing intention in Strong ties social media (STSM) in emerging markets.Design/methodology/approachThis paper innovatively proposes two concepts of health information emotion and health information sharing value based on the in-depth observation of users’ social health behavior. We integrate Elaboration Likelihood Model, Media Richness Theory, Trust Theory and Regulatory Focus Theory to develop hypotheses and research models and lay emphasis on the study of health information emotion’s moderating effect. This paper conducts an empirical study by selecting 372 health information users of WeChat, a typical STSM, to verify the research model by structural equation model.FindingsFor the central route, individual motivation and health information richness positively influence health information sharing value. For peripheral route, health information source trust and health information recipient trust both positively influence the health information sharing attitude. Health information sharing value and sharing attitude can positively affect users’ health information sharing intention. In addition, health information positive emotion has significant moderating effect, while health information negative emotion does not have.Originality/valueThis study contributes to a comprehensive perspective for understanding users’ health information sharing intention in STSM in emerging markets, an important but understudied topic. The results can also give implications for researchers to explore users’ behavioral intention from the perspective of process-oriented persuasion and health information emotion’s moderating effect.

scholarly journals Source Trust and COVID-19 Information Sharing: The Mediating Roles of Emotions and Beliefs About Sharing

2020 ◽  
pp. 109019812098476
Author(s):  
Linqi Lu ◽  
Jiawei Liu ◽  
Y. Connie Yuan ◽  
Kelli S. Burns ◽  
Enze Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Health Information ◽  
News Media ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Government Agencies ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Academic Institutions ◽  
Source Trust ◽  
Health Information Sharing

Health information sharing has become especially important during the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic because people need to learn about the disease and then act accordingly. This study examines the perceived trust of different COVID-19 information sources (health professionals, academic institutions, government agencies, news media, social media, family, and friends) and sharing of COVID-19 information in China. Specifically, it investigates how beliefs about sharing and emotions mediate the effects of perceived source trust on source-specific information sharing intentions. Results suggest that health professionals, academic institutions, and government agencies are trusted sources of information and that people share information from these sources because they think doing so will increase disease awareness and promote disease prevention. People may also choose to share COVID-19 information from news media, social media, and family as they cope with anxiety, anger, and fear. Taken together, a better understanding of the distinct psychological mechanisms underlying health information sharing from different sources can help contribute to more effective sharing of information about COVID-19 prevention and to manage negative emotion contagion during the pandemic.

scholarly journals Understanding the Health Information Sharing Behavior of Social Media Users

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 180-203
Author(s):  
Ying Hong ◽  
Meng Wan ◽  
Zheng Li
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Mediation Effects ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Health Information Sharing ◽  
Sharing Behavior

Studies have focused on elucidating the sharing behavior of media users. However, few studies have specifically investigated users' health information sharing behavior in the social media context, especially WeChat. This study proposes a theoretical research model that integrates social capital and user gratification with the theory of planned behavior to explore health information sharing behavior of WeChat users. Based on online survey data collected from 616 WeChat users, correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were sequentially performed. It was found that both social capital and gratification factors play important roles in influencing WeChat users' health information sharing. Social interaction, acting both as social capital and gratification factor directly and indirectly generated positive effects on health information sharing intention. In conclusion, this study revealed the key determinants of health information sharing intention among WeChat users and examined the mediation effects to effectively understand users' health information sharing behavior.

scholarly journals Relationship between Health Information Sharing Behavior Using Social Media and Breast Cancer Screening

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maithili Deshpande ◽  
Kevin A Look
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Cancer Screening ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Breast Cancer Screening ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Eligible Population ◽  
Health Information Sharing ◽  
Sharing Behavior

Background: Despite established screening guidelines, breast cancer screening rates are below targeted goals. Pharmacists and other health care providers can promote breast cancer screening using tools such as social media. However, little is known about the use of social media among the breast cancer screening eligible population. Objective: To describe the health information sharing behavior using social media of the breast cancer screening eligible population, and to identify if sharing health information on social media was associated with breast cancer screening. Methods and materials: Data from the 2013 Health Information National Trends Survey were analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate logistic regression to evaluate the association between sharing health information on social media and receipt of a mammogram. Results: Women sharing health information via social media were significantly younger than those who did not. A significantly higher percentage of Hispanics (17.8%) and other races (27.0%) chose to share health information on social media compared to African Americans (8.6%) and Whites (12.9%). Mammogram rates did not differ based on social media health information sharing habits. Conclusion: Race and age differences were noted in health information sharing behavior. No association was found between health information sharing behavior and breast cancer screening. Conflict of Interest We declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or members of their immediate families have in any product or service discussed in the manuscript, including grants (pending or received), employment, gifts, stock holdings or options, honoraria, consultancies, expert testimony, patents and royalties   Type: Original Research

scholarly journals Exploring Health Information Sharing Behavior of Chinese Elderly Adults on WeChat

Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 207
Author(s):  
Wei Wang ◽  
Xin Zhuang ◽  
Peng Shao
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Trust Model ◽  
Information Support ◽  
Elderly Adults ◽  
Good Opportunity ◽  
Chinese Older Adults ◽  
Health Information Sharing ◽  
Sharing Behavior

WeChat has increasingly become an important platform for users to acquire and share health information in China. However, little is known about elderly adults’ sharing behavior. This study aims to explore the characteristics and influencing factors of health information sharing behavior among Chinese older adults on WeChat, with the method both of questionnaire survey (N = 336) and in-depth interviews (N = 40). The study finds that sharing health information, mainly represented by four specific methods of forwarding, consulting, replying, and posting, has become an important part of the daily life of elderly adults on WeChat. Social media provide a good opportunity for the flow of health information. However, the purpose to share health information of Chinese older adults is mainly based on relationship maintenance more than real information support; they share health information to friends and relatives first, then to spouses and children, which does not follow the trust model as usual. Experience in online health information, authority orientation, and relationship orientation is positively associated with health information sharing behavior, however, there is no significant correlation between perceived health information credibility and health information sharing behavior. Moreover, social and cultural factors are the important explanation mechanism.

Predicting Users’ willingness to diffuse healthcare knowledge in social media

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 1044-1064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Ling Jin ◽  
Zhongyun Zhou ◽  
Xiaoyu Yu
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Source Credibility ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate why users are willing to diffuse healthcare knowledge in social media by drawing on the communicative ecology theory (CET) and prior research on interpersonal communication. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducts a large-scale scenario-based online survey in WeChat (the most popular social media platform in China) to test the proposed research model and hypotheses. The final data set consists of 1,039 useful responses from WeChat users. Findings The results indicate that interestingness, emotionality and institution-based trust are the strongest antecedents in predicting healthcare knowledge-diffusing likelihood, followed by usefulness, source credibility and positivity. Further, the relationship between institution-based trust and healthcare knowledge-diffusing likelihood is partially mediated by source credibility. Practical implications Healthcare practitioners who seek to motivate individuals to disseminate healthcare knowledge need to phrase or frame healthcare knowledge in a way that draws greater interest, evokes stronger emotion, increases perceived usefulness or reflects positively on themselves. Healthcare organizations should also pay attention to strengthening users’ trust in the platform and source-related information that can indicate source authority. Originality/value This study is one of the first to investigate the dissemination of healthcare knowledge in the context of social media (WeChat in particular). Compared with other types of information, healthcare knowledge is more scientific and professional to the extent that most laypersons do not have relevant expertise to directly evaluate whether the content is credible and of high quality. Rather, their sharing likelihood is dependent more on other factors than perceived information quality and credibility; those factors include platform-related factors that may play an important role but has been overlooked in prior literature on interpersonal communication. By combining CET with interpersonal communication-related research and including institution-based trust as an important determinant of healthcare knowledge dissemination, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of healthcare knowledge diffusion process.

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