Abstract
BackgroundThe Internet is valuable for those with limited access to health care services because of its low cost and wealth of information. Our objectives were to investigate how the Internet is used to obtain health-related information and how individuals with differing socioeconomic resources navigate it when presented with a health decision.MethodsStudy participants were recruited from public settings and social service agencies. Participants listened to one of two clinical scenarios – consistent with influenza or bacterial meningitis – and then conducted an Internet search. Screen-capture video software captured the Internet search. Participant Internet search strategies were analyzed and coded for pre- and post-Internet search guess at diagnosis and information seeking patterns. Individuals who did not have a college degree and were recruited from locations offering social services were categorized as “lower socioeconomic status” (SES); the remainder was categorized as “higher SES.” Participants were 78 Internet health information seekers, ranging from 21–35 years of age, who experienced barriers to accessing health care services.ResultsLower-SES individuals were more likely to use an intuitive, rather than deliberative, approach to Internet health information seeking. Lower- and higher-SES participants did not differ in the tendency to make diagnostic guesses based on Internet searches. Lower-SES participants were more likely than their higher-SES counterparts to narrow the scope of their search.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that individuals with different levels of socioeconomic status vary in the heuristics and search patterns they rely upon to direct their searches. The influence and use of credible information in the process of making a decision is associated with education and prior experiences with healthcare services. Those with limited resources may be disadvantaged when turning to the Internet to make a health decision.
Highlights
The Internet is valuable for those with limited access to health care services because of its low cost and wealth of information
Eligible participants were 21 to 35 years of age, had searched the Internet for health information within the past 12 months, and reported at least one barrier to health care services access, including inability to get an appointment in a timely manner, challenges with transportation to see a health care provider, no consistent primary care provider, or inability to pay for services [2]
Building on previous research that concluded that there are two types of Internet search behaviors for processing information – intuitive and deliberative [12], we examined the relationship between socioeconomic status and information processing, again using Pearson’s χ2 test of significance
Summary
The Internet is valuable for those with limited access to health care services because of its low cost and wealth of information. Despite implementation of the United States’ Affordable Care Act to expand access to healthcare services, barriers to healthcare still include finding continuity of care (e.g., a consistent primary care provider); accessing care in a timely manner (e.g., ability to get an appointment in a timely manner); gaining access to a site of care where needed services are readily available (e.g., transportation); and inability to pay for services Those with socio-economic resources, health literacy, and experience with the healthcare system have a greater capacity for navigating health information sources to inform. Little is known about how individuals make use of the Internet to inform decisions related to healthrelated care and care access [5]
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