Womens Use of the Internet for Health Information: The Impact of Selected Demographic and Health Var

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Womens Use of the Internet for Health
InformationThe Impact of Selected Demographic
and Health Variables

• Mary L. Klem, PhD, MLIS, Health Sciences Library
  System, Ellen G. Detlefsen, DLS, School of
  Information Sciences, and Marsha D. Marcus, PhD,
  Western Psychiatric Institute Clinic
• University of Pittsburgh

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Introduction

• The Internet is an increasingly common source of
  health information for consumers
• Women are more likely than men to be searching
  for health information (Pew Foundation, 2003)
• This study explored, in a sample of women age
  25-44 yrs, use of the Internet for the purpose of
  finding health information

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Participants

• 182 women participating in a clinical trial of
  methods for prevention of weight gain
• Women were at risk for weight gain
• Randomly assigned to an experimental group and
  assessed on annual basis
• Completed a Heath Information Questionnaire as
  part of 1-year follow-up assessment

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Baseline Demographic and Health Characteristics
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Baseline Characteristics, contd
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Computer Access at Home?
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Internet Access?
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Site of Internet Access?
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Internet Used In Past Year To
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Sources of Health Information Used in Past Year
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Modal Rating of Information Source Usefulness
1 not at all 5 very
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Perceived Quality of Internet Health Information
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How Trustworthy Are Sites Sponsored By
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Summary

• Internet is a popular and useful method for
  finding health information
• Demographic and health factors had limited impact
  on Internet access or use
• Observed differences suggest a digital divide
• Marital status and education may reflect income
  differences
• Internet health information is viewed as easy to
  find and understand, but there are doubts about
  trustworthiness
• Judgments of trustworthiness are based, in part,
  on a sites sponsor

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Limitations and Strengths

• A select and homogeneous sample
• Self-report data
• Sample reflects largest group of consumers
  seeking health information
• Piggyback model for survey research

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Future Directions

• Opportunity to measure changes in info-seeking
  behaviors over time (2- and 3-year FU)
• Continue to test the utility of the piggyback
  model
• Will be exploring information seeking among
  lesbian and heterosexual women enrolled in a
  study of cardiovascular risk factors