scholarly journals The Impact of Coronavirus Information-Seeking Behavior on Dental Care Access: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Study

Author(s):  
Silvia Gallegati ◽  
Luca Aquilanti ◽  
Valerio Temperini ◽  
Gloria Polinesi ◽  
Giorgio Rappelli

Health information-seeking behavior provides a variety of benefits, such as reducing knowledge gaps and educating individuals outside the medical office. This study aimed at evaluating if different sources used to gather information on COVID-19 could affect the willingness to undergo dental appointments. An anonymous survey was posted on social media. The 1003 respondents used several channels of communication, clearly distinguishing reliable from unreliable ones. Multiple logistic regression estimated the effect of different information channels on the probability of being strongly influenced by COVID-19 in accessing upcoming dental appointments. Newspapers were the most-used channel of information (61.2%), blogs and forums the least used (11.2%). Overall, the more an individual was informed, the higher was the risk of missing upcoming dental care appointments (OR 2.05, CI 1.45–2.90, p < 0.001). The two most reliable channels of communication were identified in journals/websites of medicine and healthcare professionals. Women proved to be more active in gathering information and relying on less secure but more personal channels, such as social media and friends and family, thus having an increased risk of being influenced by COVID-19 information regarding upcoming dental care appointments (OR 3.62, CI 0.85–15.52, p < 0.1 and OR 1.60, CI 1.00–2.58, p < 0.1, respectively). Social media should have a greater presence on the side of medical service providers to avoid distortions of information and fake news that ultimately cause fear among citizens and compromise their health. Healthcare professionals and institutions should adapt their communication channels based on the audience they want to address to optimize the education and information of the final users.

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 146045822110247
Author(s):  
Hanife Rexhepi ◽  
Isto Huvila ◽  
Rose-Mharie Åhlfeldt ◽  
Åsa Cajander

Patients’ online access to their EHR together with the rapid proliferation of medical information on the Internet has changed how patients use information to learn about their health. Patients’ tendency to turn to the Internet to find information about their health and care is well-documented. However, little is known about patients’ information seeking behavior when using online EHRs. By using information horizons as an analytical tool this paper aims to investigate the information behavior of cancer patients who have chosen to view their EHRs (readers) and to those who have not made that option (non-readers). Thirty interviews were conducted with patients. Based on information horizons, it seems that non-reading is associated with living in a narrower information world in comparison to readers. The findings do not suggest that the smallness would be a result of active avoidance of information, or that it would be counterproductive for the patients. The findings suggest, however, that EHRs would benefit from comprehensive linking to authoritative health information sources to help users to understand their contents. In parallel, healthcare professionals should be more aware of their personal role as a key source of health information to those who choose not to read their EHRs.


Author(s):  
Rachel Wexelbaum

The author of this article presents the available findings on the reading habits and preferences of LGBTIQ+ youth. She will discuss the information seeking behavior of LGBTIQ+ youth and challenges that these youth face in locating LGBTIQ+ reading materials, whether in traditional book format or via social media. Finally, the author will provide recommendations to librarians on how to make LGBTIQ+ library resources more relevant for youth, as well as identify areas that require more research.


2020 ◽  
Vol V (III) ◽  
pp. 137-145
Author(s):  
Tehmina Ashfaq Qazi ◽  
Noor Hayat

Social media is quickly becoming the most available and easiest source for seeking health information due to the emerging popularity of social media among people where everyone is expected to be online and connected to social media. This research was carried out to examine women's online breast cancer-related information-seeking behavior. The comprehensive model of information seeking (CMIS) was tested in Pakistan in order to examine the information-seeking behavior of women. Another significant factor of social stigma was added as an independent variable into the existing model. Researchers hypothesized that the utility of information channels plays a role of mediator in the association amongst the factors, i.e. demographics, social stigma, direct experience, salience, beliefs, and characteristics in the information-seeking behavior about breast cancer. The survey questionnaire was distributed among Six hundred women from Islamabad by using the convenient sampling technique. Researchers collected the data by already developed scales. Statistical test of Multiple Linear Regression was employed by the researchers. Therefore, the study carried out significant findings.


Author(s):  
Mohammed Nasser Al-Suqri

Many researchers in the area of information seeking behavior have highlighted the importance of context in influencing information-seeking behavior. However, few have elaborated on how contextual factors influence information-seeking in practice. This chapter explores the impact of disciplinary traditions of non-western, developing country external environments on patterns of information seeking and retrieval. Conditions that influence information seeking behaviors of social science scholars in non-western, developing countries impact research traditions, publication patterns, and subsequent formats are examined. This chapter draws on existing literature to examine the impact of contextual factors on information seeking by social science scholars as well as, on relevant findings based on research with other categories of researchers. The chapter concludes that there is substantial evidence from previous research to indicate the importance of contextual factors in influencing the information-seeking behavior of social scientists. Some of these factors are related to the nature of social science as a domain of study, while others are related to researcher’s external environment, including constraints on the availability of particular types of information.


Author(s):  
Shaikha Aldukhail ◽  
Israel Agaku

Abstract Background: In the 2006, landmark ruling, US District Judge Gladys Kessler instructed tobacco companies to disseminate corrective-statements (CSs) against their products through media advertisements. This study objectives were to (1) examine the proportion of adults who were exposed to each of the five CS messages ; and to (2) describe the association between exposure to CSs and health-information seeking behavior among the US adult population.Methods: Data, settings, participants, outcomes, and statistical approach.We analyzed the most recent nationally representative data from the population-based cross-sectional survey of US adults, the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS5-Cycle2,2018). Data collection began in January 2018 and concluded in May 2018, and analysis took place from May 2019 to October 2019. Statistical significance was defined as a P-value less than 0.05, and all tests were 2-tailed. All data were weighted to be nationally representative.Results: Key findings.Exposure to CS was not independently associated with health-information seeking behavior. Among exposed, those with less than high school education sought out health information significantly less (70.2%, 95%CI=53.8-86.5) compared to college graduates (93.3%, 95%CI=90.8 - 95.7) (p<0.0002); exposed females reported higher prevalence of seeking healthinformation 88.4% (95%CI= 85.9– 90.96) compared to males at 75.4% (95%CI =67.3– 83.6) (p<0.0001). Assessing the impact of CS language and advertisement framing on message recall, we found that majority reported exposure to (Message 1) “health effects of smoking.” estimated at 85.8% (95%CI= 82.9 – 88.6). Followed by 65.8% (95%CI= 61.1 – 70.5) recalling (Message 2) “health effects of secondhand smoke”.Our logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of health information seeking were two times higher in females (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR], 2.07; 95%CI=1.59- 2.69); while odds were 2.55 folds higher among those who had at least college education (95% CI= 1.26 - 5.21), compared with less than high school. Compared to white adults, odds of seeking health information were lower among Blacks (AOR=0.46; 95%CI=0.29 - 0.74) and Hispanics (AOR=0.51; 95%CI= 0.33 - 0.79).Conclusions: Key message and implications.This study found that the court ordered national antismoking advertising campaign had different exposure and recall patterns in subgroups depending on the message category. While some messages were easier to recall others, perhaps more technical ones, were less likely to make an impact on participants’ memory and prompt change to health behavior.


2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 804-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinhui Li ◽  
Yin-Leng Theng ◽  
Schubert Foo

The Internet has become an important and preferred source of health information. Although the literature has highlighted several key predictors that influence an individual’s online health information seeking behavior, insufficient attention has been paid to the changes in the predictors’ roles and effects over time. This study explores and compares the effects that specific predictors had on online health information seeking behavior over a period of 10 years by integrating and analyzing two Pew datasets collected in 2002 and 2012. Hierarchical regression analyses indicate that socio-demographic factors and overall health condition are significant predictors that had an increasing impact on online health information seeking behavior. However, the impact of Internet usage decreased significantly from 2002 to 2012. A comparison across time contributes to a vertical understanding of the changes in online health information seeking behavior and its predictors and helps health professionals and researchers tailor their informational interventions to meet the up-to-date needs and preferences of users.


2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 237-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hosam Al-Samarraie ◽  
Atef Eldenfria ◽  
Husameddin Dawoud

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 281-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annice E. Kim ◽  
Jennifer C. Duke ◽  
Heather Hansen ◽  
Lauren Porter

Measuring the impact of online health campaigns is challenging. Traditionally, advertisement click-through rates (CTRs) have been used to measure message reach, but CTRs are low with most clicks coming from a small fraction of users. However, low CTRs do not necessarily indicate that an ad was not effective. There may be latency effects whereby people do not click on ads at time of exposure but visit the promoted website or conduct searches later. Online panels that unobtrusively collect panelists’ web behavior may provide a more reliable data source for measuring online campaign effects. We used web behavior data from a proprietary online panel to identify panelists who were either exposed or unexposed to the Tobacco Free Florida Cessation Internet ad campaign. We assessed whether ad exposure influenced website visits and searches on campaign-related topics up to 4 weeks after initial exposure. Those who were exposed to the campaign were significantly more likely than those who were not exposed to have visited the campaign website (0.65% vs. 0.13%, respectively, p < .001), but ad exposure did not influence searches on campaign-related topics. These results suggest that panel web behavior data may be useful for understanding behavioral response to and latency effects of online campaigns.


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