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ETD Abstract Container

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Predictors of Online Health Information Seeking Behavior and Health Information Seeking Experience of Elderly Cancer Survivors Using the Internet

Oh, Young Sam
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1450291694

Abstract Details

2016, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Social Welfare.
The first aim of this dissertation was to describe online health information seeking behavior (OHISB) and health information seeking experience (HISE) in elderly cancer survivors using the Internet. The second purpose was to investigate predictors of OHISB and HISE in elderly cancer survivors using the Internet. In this dissertation, OHISB is defined as the behaviors engaged in by individuals to acquire health information via the Internet, while HISE refers to individuals’ perceptions and appraisals of not only the quality of information sources and contents, but also experiences and feelings during information seeking. As a theoretical framework, this dissertation adopts the comprehensive model of information seeking (CMIS). The CMIS posits that individuals’ health information seeking is affected by various demographic characteristics, health-related experiences, beliefs, salience, and perceptions of information sources. To address these purposes, a sample of 235 elderly cancer survivors was drawn from the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS); data were collected from January 2008 through May 2008 (a cross-sectional cohort survey). For this dissertation, inclusion criteria were individuals who reported they had been diagnosed with cancer at some time in their lives (self-report, not medical records), who used the Internet, and who were aged 60 years or older. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized structural relationships between predictors and OHISB, and between predictors and HISE. In advance of conducting the structural model, confirmatory factor analysis was used to confirm that each of two multiple-item scales (i.e., unmet health information needs and HISE) adequately fit a single factor model. In this dissertation, the structural model fit the data well. Being male and having higher trust in Internet health information significantly predicted higher OHISB, while higher education, more years since cancer diagnosis, lower unmet health information needs, and higher trust in Internet health information significantly predicted better HISE. The findings of this dissertation can help social workers in practice develop strategies to provide online health-related information to elderly survivors, to educate older survivors on how to use the Internet or how to use it better for getting health information, and to help older survivors improve their quality of life. Moreover, it is hoped that the findings from this research will inform OHISB and HISE intervention studies to reduce the stress of survivors as well as increase their self-care, improve their disease management, and support their medical decision making.
Aloen Townsend, L. (Advisor)
Kathleen Farkas (Committee Member)
Elizabeth Tracy (Committee Member)
Eva Kahana (Committee Member)
185 p.
Behaviorial Sciences; Health Care; Oncology; Social Work
online health information seeking behavior, health information seeking experience, elderly cancer survivors, comprehensive model of information seeking

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Oh, Y. S. (2016). Predictors of Online Health Information Seeking Behavior and Health Information Seeking Experience of Elderly Cancer Survivors Using the Internet [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1450291694

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Oh, Young Sam. Predictors of Online Health Information Seeking Behavior and Health Information Seeking Experience of Elderly Cancer Survivors Using the Internet. 2016. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1450291694.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Oh, Young Sam. "Predictors of Online Health Information Seeking Behavior and Health Information Seeking Experience of Elderly Cancer Survivors Using the Internet." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1450291694

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1450291694
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© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.