Online Fitness Information-Seeking Behavior’s Prevalence Among Californian Arts Schools’ Adolescents

Abstract

Engagement in online health information-seeking behavior has the potential to improve patient-physician relationships. Previous research suggested online fitness information-seeking behavior is generally the most prevalent online health information-seeking behavior amongst Californian adolescents aged 13 to 18 years, making it the most vital online health information-seeking behavior to monitor. Further research into online fitness information-seeking behavior’s prevalence amongst specific demographics within Californian adolescents was necessary because previous research showed patient experiences improve when physicians treat patients as unique individuals. One such unexamined demographic was those who received an arts education; this research focused on this gap. After the implementation of an online, quantitative, and cross-sectional survey research method, responses from 155 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years attending one Californian arts school were divided into 4 areas: percent engagement in online fitness information-seeking behavior, relative prevalence of this behavior, perceived importance of fitness, and health literacy. By analyzing the 4 areas with descriptive and inferential statistics and then synthesizing the results into a single understanding, it was concluded there may be a high prevalence of online fitness information-seeking behavior amongst the inquired population. The conclusion also noted the potential for a moderate prevalence instead. This new understanding has implications for beginning to form the foundation of a context physicians can utilize with California’s arts-educated, adolescent patients in order to better treat them as individuals. Further research with larger, more random, and more representative samples was recommended.