Health answer quality evaluation by librarians,nurses, and users in social Q&A

Health information consumers and patients increasingly take an active role in seeking health information online and in sharing their health problems and concerns in online support groups and social media venues. However, they may risk being influenced by unreliable and misleading information in such environments, as no intermediaries monitor the quality of this information. This study focuses on evaluating the quality of health information exchanged in one of the social media venues, by investigating how librarians, nurses, and users assessed the quality of health answers in Yahoo! Answers, a social question-and-answering (Q&A) service. Through statistical analysis differences among the three participant groups, how the background characteristics influenced their assessments, and the relationships between characteristics of the content of answers and quality evaluation criteria were each considered in detail. Librarians and nurses shared similar ratings of answer quality, but had differences in their level of medical knowledge and the types of services they offer, resulting in minor differences across criteria. Users perceived the quality of health answers in social Q&A to be higher than librarians and nurses for almost all criteria. Depending on the sources of information presented in health answers, librarians, nurses, and users gave different quality assessments. Implications exist for research into and practice of evaluating the quality of health information, which need to address both search and domain expertise along with the sharing of socioemotional values preferred by users.     

健康素养对用户健康信息在线搜索行为的影响分析

[目的/意义] 结合网络健康信息搜索情境,从健康知识素养和健康信息检索素养两个视角出发,对用户健康信息搜索行为的过程变量和结果变量进行影响分析,探究健康素养对用户健康信息检索行为的影响机理。[方法/过程] 采用情境模拟实验和问卷调查相结合的方法,选取在校大学生为实验对象,利用SPSS多变量方差分析和独立样本T检验归纳出用户健康信息检索过程呈现的规律特点,并探究用户健康素养及搜索经验与网络健康信息搜索行为过程变量和结果变量的影响关系。[结果/结论] 结果表明,用户的健康知识素养和健康信息检索素养对搜索过程变量分别有较大影响,对搜索结果变量有交互影响。     

Consumer health information seeking in social media: a literature review

Objective

The objective of this literature review was to summarise current research regarding how consumers seek health‐related information from social media. Primarily, we hope to reveal characteristics of existing studies investigating the health topics that consumers have discussed in social media, ascertaining the roles social media have played in consumers’ information‐seeking processes and discussing the potential benefits and concerns of accessing consumer health information in social media.

Methods

The Web of Science Core Collection database was searched for existing literature on consumer health information seeking in social media. The search returned 214 articles, of which 21 met the eligibility criteria following review of full‐text documents.

Conclusion

Between 2011 and 2016, twenty‐one studies published explored various topics related to consumer information seeking in social media. These ranged from online discussions on specific diseases (e.g. diabetes) to public health concerns (e.g. pesticide residues). Consumers’ information needs vary depending on the health issues of interest. Benefits of health seeking on social media, in addition to filling a need for health information, include the social and emotional support health consumers gain from peer‐to‐peer interactions. These benefits, however, are tempered by concerns of information quality and authority and lead to decreased consumer engagement.     

冲突性健康信息对用户健康信息搜寻的影响:基于不确定性视角的探究

[目的/意义] 近年来,由于互联网上针对各类健康话题的信息体量激增、信息质量参差不齐等,用户在健康信息搜寻过程中遭遇冲突性健康信息已成为一种常见的体验,然而冲突性健康信息对用户的相关影响却鲜有研究。本文从经典信息搜寻理论出发,梳理信息搜寻与不确定性的关系,并针对冲突性健康信息提出研究问题。[方法/过程] 以实验方法为手段构建实验组与控制组,以单因素方差分析检验冲突性健康信息对用户的知识概念状态、困惑感、健康信念的影响。[结果/结论] 实验结果表明,在健康信息搜寻过程中遭遇冲突性健康信息会使用户针对某一健康话题的知识概念状态变得模糊,困惑感上升,健康信念下降,因此用户所面临的不确定性上升。在实验结果基础上,着重讨论相关理论与实践启示。     

Examining cultural identity and media use as predictors of intentions to seek mental health information among Chinese

Mental health is a stigmatized issue in many parts of the world. We conducted a survey of Chinese adults (n?=?661) to examine predictors of intentions to seek information related to mental health. Attitudes and subjective norms positively influenced intentions to seek mental health information, with subjective norms being a stronger predictor. Cultural identity was negatively associated with intentions to seek mental health information, with participants who held a stronger cultural identity being less likely to seek information related to mental health. Media use was positively associated with intentions to seek information. This research highlights that cultural identity may influence mental health information seeking, and that health campaigns could focus more on influencing subjective norms, thereby changing the seeking intention of Chinese adults regarding mental health information. Additionally, practitioners may want to explore possible ways of providing health information to people with strong cultural identity, as they may be less likely to seek out information on their own.     

Who goes to a library for cancer information in the e-health era? A secondary data analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS)

This study identifies characteristics of Americans who chose the library as their primary cancer information source over the Internet by examining demographic characteristics, online use experience, concerns of information quality, and perceptions of cancer information seeking. A secondary data analysis is conducted using the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Findings reveal that people who are more likely to choose the library are, compared to their Internet counterparts, people who lack online experience, are distrustful of online cancer information, and are more aware of cancer sources. However, they are not necessarily more adept cancer information seekers and do not have a greater expectation of getting quality information from the library. These findings suggest how the library plays its role as an information source for cancer information consumers in the e-health environment. Implications of the findings are discussed in a way that libraries could invest their efforts to reduce the digital health divide and to advance consumer health information literacy.     

Health information seeking behaviour during exceptional times: A case study of Persian-speaking minorities in Finland

Literature on minorities' health-related information seeking shows that minorities, like non-minorities, require access to accurate and timely information, but they also need information in a range of languages and from a variety of sources. Health-related information seeking behaviour of Persian-speaking minorities living in Finland, explicitly focused on the COVID-19 pandemic situation, was investigated. Eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the extended Longo Health Information Model was used as a theoretical lens for analysing the data. The results point to several factors that can improve the outcome of minorities' health-related information seeking behaviours and activities, such as providing information related to their personal health, a deeper understanding of factors influencing the quality of health conditions at the individual or household level and broadcasting the latest health-related information in different languages and emphasize the needs for mental health-related information and services. The findings suggest that not only healthcare providers, immigration officials, and policymakers should be aware of the specific health-related information that minorities require, seek, and use during times of adversity, but also the extent to which how the identified factors influence the process of minorities' seeking health-related information.     

Information needs and information sources of individuals living with spinal cord injury

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Access to health information is important for the well-being of people living in the community after spinal cord injury (SCI). In order to design appropriate information interventions, it is critical first to understand the information sources typically used. The goal of this study therefore is to identify the information-seeking practices of this group. SAMPLE AND METHODS: A sample of 207 individuals living in the community following traumatic spinal cord injury were surveyed regarding their ongoing information needs and practices for seeking information. RESULTS: The results reveal that respondents have unmet information needs, despite the fact that they typically access information through a variety of channels. SCI specialists are the most commonly used source, although they are viewed as relatively inaccessible. By contrast, the Internet (used by a relatively high proportion of respondents) is viewed as comparatively accessible, although there are some concerns about the quality of information found there. CONCLUSIONS: These survey results point to the need for an information source that is accessible and delivers high quality information. Although respondents use a variety of information sources, none meets this ideal profile. Information professionals should consider this gap in the design of information interventions.     

Time as a context of information seeking

The ways in which the temporal context of information seeking has been approached in the information-seeking literature are explored. Three major approaches were identified: (i) time as a fundamental attribute of situation or context of information seeking, (ii) time as qualifier of access to information, and (iii) time as an indicator of the information-seeking process. Temporal factors qualify situations and contexts of information seeking by expresssions such as dynamic, reiterative, and project. These factors can also be referred to as qualifiers of accessibility in the sense of constraints within which information may be accessed particularly in hurry situations. Temporal factors also qualify information seeking as a process from the viewpoint of stages or cycles. Recently, cyclic and non-linear models challenge the stage models of information seeking by emphasizing the contingency of information-seeking processes.     

健康信息需求分析及相关网络资源的使用——对达拉斯福和地区华人的调查

本文阐述了一项由全美医学图书馆联盟中南区中心资助的研究项目。其目的是了解北美华人对健康信息的需求及网络健康信息资源的使用状况。本研究回收了101份调查表。研究结果发现调查对象有兴趣了解更多关于乳腺癌、糖尿病、乙型肝炎等疾病的信息,愿意学习如何使用互联网络查找高品质的健康信息资源。语言障碍以及对美国医疗体系知识的缺乏了解是调查对象在获取医疗健康信息中遇到困难的主要原因。面对这些需求和问题, 指出认识语言和文化的差异性,推荐权威性、可靠性、针对性强的高质量的健康信息资源,介绍网络健康信息质量评估方法, 将有助于对华人的医疗健康信息服务。     

互联网环境下我国健康信息替代搜寻者特征及其行为模式研究

[目的/意义] 代表他人使用互联网搜寻健康信息成为非医学专业人员为患者提供健康信息支持的重要形式，了解替代搜寻者特征及其行为模式将对健康信息服务与传播具有积极意义。[方法/过程] 从参与者人口统计、健康信息搜寻经验和家庭结构3个方面的个体特征变量进行调查，并基于5W（Why-Who-When-Where-What）视角对健康信息替代搜寻者的行为模式进行分析。其中，除了对行为动机Why使用半结构化访谈之外，其余变量均通过问卷调查方法进行测量。[结果/结论] 研究发现，87.0%的在线健康信息搜寻者在近12个月内有帮助别人在线搜寻健康信息的经历；健康信息替代搜寻者的特征包括女性、独生子女、已婚、健康状态较好、有丰富的在线健康信息搜寻经验以及家人有慢性病患者；健康信息替代搜寻者的行为动机包括关怀、利他主义等；替代搜寻者更多地帮助与他们有强社会关系的人搜寻健康信息；替代搜寻者一般在患者就医之前帮助他们在线搜寻健康信息；替代搜寻者的信息来源于搜索引擎、在线健康社区和在线问答社区等；替代搜寻者更加需要与疾病本身相关的一般性信息、日常保健以及治疗相关的信息。     

互联网环境下我国健康信息替代搜寻者特征及其行为模式研究

[目的/意义] 代表他人使用互联网搜寻健康信息成为非医学专业人员为患者提供健康信息支持的重要形式，了解替代搜寻者特征及其行为模式将对健康信息服务与传播具有积极意义。[方法/过程] 从参与者人口统计、健康信息搜寻经验和家庭结构3个方面的个体特征变量进行调查，并基于5W（Why-Who-When-Where-What）视角对健康信息替代搜寻者的行为模式进行分析。其中，除了对行为动机Why使用半结构化访谈之外，其余变量均通过问卷调查方法进行测量。[结果/结论] 研究发现，87.0%的在线健康信息搜寻者在近12个月内有帮助别人在线搜寻健康信息的经历；健康信息替代搜寻者的特征包括女性、独生子女、已婚、健康状态较好、有丰富的在线健康信息搜寻经验以及家人有慢性病患者；健康信息替代搜寻者的行为动机包括关怀、利他主义等；替代搜寻者更多地帮助与他们有强社会关系的人搜寻健康信息；替代搜寻者一般在患者就医之前帮助他们在线搜寻健康信息；替代搜寻者的信息来源于搜索引擎、在线健康社区和在线问答社区等；替代搜寻者更加需要与疾病本身相关的一般性信息、日常保健以及治疗相关的信息。     

数字环境下城乡青年健康信息搜寻行为研究

[目的/意义] 从信息行为视角阐释城乡青年在健康信息领域的表征与原由,为相关管理部门制定政策与措施、医疗与网站等健康服务教育机构提升健康信息服务提供参考。[方法/过程] 采用半结构化访谈收集24位20-29岁河南省城乡青年的健康信息搜寻行为数据,考察数字环境下城乡青年健康信息需求动机、信息搜寻行为特点及异同,借助Nvivo对数据进行整理、编码和内容分析。从网络获取方式、手机与电脑使用体验差异、健康信息需求类别、搜寻途径、检索方式及平台选择等方面对城乡青年健康信息搜寻行为的共性与差异予以分析。[结果/结论] 与农村青年相比,城市青年健康信息需求范围更广泛、检索策略与平台选择多样化。论文提出城乡青年间“数字鸿沟”的存在可能引发“健康信息鸿沟”的风险,根源在于收入水平、受教育程度、信息技术使用能力等因素直接影响数字环境下网络接入、使用及信息化水平。     

基于元分析的用户在线信息搜寻意愿影响因素研究

[目的/意义] 在线信息搜寻行为一直以来都是用户信息行为研究领域备受关注的焦点问题,既有文献对在线信息搜寻意愿的影响因素认定存在差异,进一步明确各影响因素的整体效应值,可为深入理解用户在线信息搜寻意愿提供系统性参考。[方法/过程] 选择影响用户在线信息搜寻意愿的8个前因变量、5个调节变量,纳入104篇研究文献的178个独立效应值进行元分析。[结果/结论] 感知风险（r=0.166）、自我效能（r=0.309）、感知有用性（r=0.509）、感知易用性（r=0.384）、信源可信度（r=0.441）、信息质量（r=0.466）、信息素养（r=0.389）以及焦虑情绪（r=0.244）对用户在线信息搜寻意愿产生显著正向作用。搜寻渠道、搜寻场景、受教育程度、身份类别和社会文化会对上述8个变量与在线信息搜寻意愿之间的关系产生调节。     

平台视角下青年人健康信息搜寻行为的人格特质差异研究

[目的/意义] 探索搜索引擎、网络健康社区、问答社区、社交软件四类健康信息平台下,人格特质对青年人健康信息搜寻行为的影响,以期能够改善国内健康信息服务,为青年用户提供有效的健康信息支持。[目的/意义] 以青年人作为研究对象,采用问卷调查法收集了391位用户的数据,并选取30位用户进行访谈,利用相关统计方法,对不同健康信息平台下用户健康信息搜寻行为的人格特质差异进行实证分析。[结果/结论] 研究结果发现,人格特质对青年人健康信息搜寻行为具有显著影响,并且不同人格特质对不同平台健康信息搜寻的影响效应大小各异;用户在不同健康信息平台下的健康信息搜寻行为具有差异性,其中,搜寻引擎的使用经验最为丰富,而网络健康社区的经验最为匮乏,并且对PC端与移动端的健康信息平台的使用偏好不同。     

Assessing internet access and use in a medically underserved population: implications for providing enhanced health information services

Background: The relationship between health information seeking, patient engagement and health literacy is not well understood. This is especially true in medically underserved populations, which are often viewed as having limited access to health information. Objective: To improve communication between an urban health centre and the community it serves, a team of library and information science researchers undertook an assessment of patients’ level and methods of access to and use of the Internet. Methods: Data were collected in 53 face‐to‐face anonymous interviews with patients at the centre. Interviews were tape‐recorded for referential accuracy, and data were analysed to identify patterns of access and use. Results: Seventy‐two percentage of study participants reported having access to the Internet through either computers or cell phones. Barriers to Internet access were predominantly lack of equipment or training rather than lack of interest. Only 21% of those with Internet access reported using the Internet to look for health information. Conclusion: The findings suggest that lack of access to the Internet in itself is not the primary barrier to seeking health information in this population and that the digital divide exists not at the level of information access but rather at the level of information use.     

Student perceptions of teacher affinity‐seeking and classroom climate

This study explored how teacher use of affinity‐seeking strategies is related to student perceptions of classroom climate. Participants were 147 undergraduate students enrolled at a large midwestern university. Results indicate that a significant relationship exists between teachers' use of affinity‐seeking strategies and student perceptions of classroom climate. Nineteen of the 25 strategies were correlated with classroom climate. Furthermore, communication teachers regularly used 19 of the 25 strategies. Student gender failed to account for any differences in perception of teacher use of affinity‐seeking strategies or classroom climate.     

Monitoring or avoiding health information--the relation to inner inclination and health status

Background: The way a person responds to health information, for instance by actively seeking it out or avoiding it, is an important part of overall coping with health issues. This study starts from the assumption that there are individual differences in information behaviour in charged contexts such as when faced with the stress and anxiety of compromised health. Objective: To shed light on mechanisms through which personal characteristics (locus of control) and world views (sense of coherence) influence health information interest and health information seeking in relation to health status. Method: The methods used in this study are quantitative. The material consists of data procured via a postal survey, which was posted to a representative sample group consisting of 2500 Finnish citizens aged 18–65 years. The statistical analysis consists of F‐tests for means, frequency analyses and cross tab‐analyses (chi‐square and Goodman–Kruskal gamma). Results: Persons with perceived health problems are comparatively more characterised by external locus of control and by lower motivation to act on health issues. Conclusion: More research is needed before these complex relationships are fully understood. However, the results of this study show that internal locus of control entails high interest in, and low avoidance of, health information.     

Genetic research and genetic information: a health information professional's perspective on the benefits and risks

BACKGROUND: The completion of the Human Genome Project, and recent breakthroughs in identifying the genes both directly responsible for and contributing to the severity of specific diseases and disabilities in humans offer great potential for future health care. AIM: The aim of the paper is to inform the health information community of these developments in order to foster debate over their wide-reaching implications. METHODS: The article outlines recent research in this area and explains how our growing understanding opens the way for improved diagnosis of disease, detection of possible predisposition to specific diseases, the interaction between genetics and environmental aspects such as diet, as well as enabling gene therapy and preventative actions. This new knowledge also opens the way for the use of pharmacogenetic information to enhance the efficacy of pharmaceuticals and to avoid toxic reactions. RESULTS: These advances have significant social, legal and ethical implications. Most countries have limited legislative control over the use and protection of genetic information about individuals. CONCLUSION: There is a role for health information professionals to play in promoting wider public knowledge of genetic research and its implications, in fostering public debate on key issues, and in seeking clearer policies in the health sector concerning the use of genetic information about individuals.     

重大突发公共卫生事件中公众信息搜寻行为影响因素探究

[目的/意义] 在重大突发公共卫生事件中,公众对于相关信息需求旺盛,信息搜寻成为公众了解和应对风险的重要途径。面对风险信息,公众对信息搜寻的态度如何塑造其行为？哪些因素会影响公众信息搜寻态度与行为？不同人群间是否具有差异性？解答这些问题有助于为公众提供针对性的信息服务、助力提升个体应对效能、开展有效防疫工作。[方法/过程] 以在线问卷形式调查国内719名受访者,探究重大突发公共卫生事件中影响公众信息搜寻态度与行为的因素。[结果/结论] 研究表明：不同地区、年龄、学历的公众信息搜寻态度与行为具有显著差异;感知风险、情感反应、信息充分性、信息主观规范与知觉行为控制正向影响公众信息搜寻态度与行为;信息搜寻态度在各因素与信息搜寻行为间起中介作用。基于研究结果,分别从信息发布渠道、信息传播过程与信息搜索平台等角度提出意见。