Individual Differences and Online Health Information Source Selection

Abstract

Online information sources are become increasingly diverse. The selection of sources for health information has significant implications for people's healthcare decision-making. However, little is known about how individual differences influence users' selection of online sources for health information. This study intends to fill this gap by exploring the impact of a number of individual characteristics on users' selection of five online sources (search engines, social Q&A sites, social networking sites (SNSs), online health communities, and crowdsourcing sites) for three distinct types of health-related search task (factual, exploratory, and personal experiences). We found that individuals' health literacy and frequency of using a source are the most significant predictors of their source selections across task types. Preference for information has an impact on users' selection of SNSs for exploratory tasks. Extraversion personality has an impact on users' selection of search engines for tasks that seek personal experiences. Nevertheless, demographic factors, including gender, income, and health status, do not predict users' selection of online sources for health information.