Trust In Health Information Research Articles

Use of Social Media for Seeking Health Related Information – An Exploratory Study

: Introduction: Social Media (SM) is evolving and more number of people are experiencing benefits of SM. Though use of social media is beneficial, it has to be carefully calibrated when used for sharing health information. Social networks act as a powerful marketing channels in healthcare industry but many questions need to be resolved. Objective: We carried out a study to understand use of SM to seek health information. Method: The cross sectional study used convenience sampling method. The data was collected with the help of a structured questionnaire and the study was carried out in two different states of India. We received a total of 156 usable responses. Results: Prominently youngsters in the age group of 18-27 years use MS. Majority of the respondents were from health sciences background and had undergraduate qualification. WhatsApp is the preferred SM platform followed by Facebook, YouTube, twitter, blogs and LinkedIn. The information searched on SM include disease and related information, and information on medicines. Interestingly, 35 percent of respondents trust health information, 32 percent do not trust the information and 33 percent do not always trust health related information. Respondents stated that health information available through SM should have various controls. Conclusion: In India, at present we do not have legal mechanism to oversee that health information on social media is authentic. Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 is archaic and needs transformation including provisions on monitoring and controlling health information available through SM.Key words: Social Media, Healthcare, India, Regulations.

Intention to View Health TV Programs in South Korea: An Application of the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking

As people have become increasingly concerned about their health, programs about health have proliferated on South Korean television. This study’s purpose is to identify the factors associated with and processes through which Korean adults intend to view health TV programs. The comprehensive model of information seeking (CMIS) was tested using structural equation modeling that was fitted with survey data from a nationally representative sample of 1,020 South Korean adults. Results indicate that the demographic antecedents of being female and older adult and the psychological antecedents of being health conscious and health literate significantly predicted the degree to which people would perceive health TV programs to be useful. Among the information carrier factors of health TV programs, utility was directly related to intention to view, while trust in health information on TV was only indirectly related to intention to view. For theoretical implications, we suggest further conceptual and operational refinement of CMIS. For practical implications, we highlight the importance of motivational and utility factors in predicting people’s intention to view health TV programs. Finally, this study stresses the importance of TV as a viable health information provider that can reduce health information gaps and help people (particularly older adults, the poor, and the less educated) to improve their health knowledge and health behaviors.

Engagement with Genetic Information and Uptake of Genetic Testing: the Role of Trust and Personal Cancer History.

We used national survey data to (1) determine the extent to which individuals trust the sources from which they are most likely to receive information about cancer-related genetic tests (BRCA1/2, Lynch syndrome), (2) examine how level of trust for sources of genetic information might be related to cancer-related genetic testing uptake, and (3) determine whether key factors, such as cancer history and numeracy, moderate the latter association. We used cross-sectional data from the Health Information National Trends Survey. Our study sample included individuals who responded that they had heard or read about genetic tests (n=1117). All analyses accounted for complex survey design. Although respondents trusted information from health professionals the most, they were significantly less likely to report hearing about genetic testing from such professionals than via television (p<0.01). Regardless of source, higher levels of trust in the information source from which participants heard about genetic tests were associated with increased odds of genetic testing uptake, particularly among those with a personal cancer history. Numeracy was not associated with genetic testing uptake. Because health professionals were among the most trusted health information sources, they may serve as important brokers of genetic testing information for those with a personal cancer history.

Teens and Technology Transforming Acne Treatment.

Although the Internet contains many health Web sites with valid information, it also contains sites with false information. To learn whether high school students searching health care information believe they are using evidence-based sites and to understand their topics of interest, frequently navigated sites, and trust/confidence in the credibility of information found. Cross-sectional. Students at a private high school answered an anonymous survey inquiring about their belief that they were using evidence-based sites, topics of interest, search engines of choice, and their trust in information obtained. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance were used to compare trends across grade levels. Of 705 students enrolled, 24.7% were absent or declined to participate. For the remaining students, 497 completed the surveys, representing a response rate of 70.5% (497/705) and a participation rate of 93.6% (497/531). Overall, 82% of students communicated that they believed they were using evidence-based sources when searching for health information (p < 0.0006). Findings showed that 42% searched general health information, and 43% investigated specific medical conditions; topics related to skin and acne were researched significantly more often (p < 0.05). Overall, most students (80%) reported using Google as their number 1 search engine (p < 0.004), 38% reported using WebMD Search (p < 0.0002), and 50% of students used Wikipedia (not significant). Most students trust health information they learn from the Internet. We found it chilling that less than half of students obtained their information from a Web site with health care professionals' oversight.

Factors Influencing Health-Related Internet Activities and Their Outcomes

This study explores why people participate in health-related Internet activities and what the potential impacts of such activities are. Specifically, this study examines how trust in health information (i.e., from a physician and from the Internet) determines individuals’ health-related Internet activities and whether this use subsequently improves outcomes such as discussion with doctors about online health information and satisfaction with health care. Findings from a Web-based survey in South Korea indicated that trust in health information from doctors decreased communication activities, whereas trust in online health information increased both communication and information activities. Both communication and information activities increased discussions with doctors about online health information, which subsequently led to satisfaction with health care.

Social Support, Trust in Health Information, and Health Information-Seeking Behaviors (HISBs): A Study Using the 2012 Annenberg National Health Communication Survey (ANHCS)

ABSTRACTWe proposed a conceptual model to predict health information-seeking behaviors (HISBs) from three different sources (family, the Internet, doctors). To test the model, a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted using data from the 2012 Annenberg National Health Communication Survey (ANHCS) (N = 3,285). Findings suggest higher social support from family predicts higher trust in health information from family members (abbreviated as trust in this article). Trust is positively related to HISBs from all three sources, with the path linking trust to HISB from family being the strongest. The effect of social support on HISB from family is partially mediated by trust, while effect of social support on HISBs from the Internet/doctors is fully mediated by trust. Implications of the study are discussed.

Low-Level Evidence Suggests that Perceived Ability to Evaluate and Trust Online Health Information is Associated with Low Health Literacy

Objective – To review, based on research evidence, the correlation between low health literacy and four outcomes of interest: (1) the ability to evaluate online health information based on (2) perceived reliability and accuracy, (3) trust in the Internet as an information source, and (4) the application of established evaluation criteria. &#x0D; &#x0D; Design – Systematic review and narrative synthesis.&#x0D; &#x0D; Setting –MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Communication and Mass-media Complete as well as articles discovered through the snowball method.&#x0D; &#x0D; Subjects – 38 studies identified through a systematic literature search.&#x0D; &#x0D; Methods – An exhaustive list of potential articles was gathered through searching five online databases and Google Scholar, and hand searching of references. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied in a two-phase screening process in which two researchers participated to address reliability. Data, including study characteristics and metadata, predictors, assessment methods, and outcomes, were extracted from relevant studies, and then synthesized narratively. &#x0D; &#x0D; Main Results – Following duplication removal 13,632 records were retrieved, 254 of which were identified for full-text assessment. Thirty-eight studies met the eligibility criteria. All studies were non-experimental and therefore graded as a low level of evidence; 35 were cross-sectional designs, 1 a focus group, and 2 were observational studies. Studies varied widely in population definition and sample size and were published between 2001 and 2013, primarily in North America. &#x0D; &#x0D; Overall, a positive association was identified between health literacy and outcomes related to the ability to evaluate or trust Internet health information, while findings were inconsistent related to perceived quality of information and the application of evaluative criteria. Four studies examined the impact of health literacy levels on one or more of the outcomes of interest. &#x0D; &#x0D; The most prevalent outcome measure studied was trust in online health information, and the least prevalent was the use of evaluative criteria. The ability to trust online health information was assessed primarily through self-reporting, half of which utilized the eHealth Literacy scale, the majority of which indicated a positive correlation between education level or low health literacy and the perceived or actual ability to evaluate online health information. &#x0D; &#x0D; No studies on perceived information quality were found to utilize health literacy as an indicator. A positive association between educational level and trust in health information on the Internet was reported in ten studies, while two articles noted a similar correlation based on proxies for health literacy, including English language proficiency and comprehension comfort. In terms of the use of evaluation criteria, only one study focused on health literacy, indicating that those with low health literacy evaluate online health information based on search result placement, celebrity endorsement, image quality, and site authorship, and that they trust university researchers more than government or religious authorities to provide health information. &#x0D; &#x0D; No association was shown between readability or physician-provided online information and evaluation criteria while one study demonstrated that study participants with higher education tended to check author credentials more often when evaluating a website.&#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusion – Effective and informed evaluation of online health information is impacted by low health literacy.

When to trust health information posted on the Internet.

Internet use is now part of our daily routine, with nearly 3 billion people around the world having access in 2014, according to the International Telecommunications Union.1 In Canada, 83% of Canadians used the Internet in 2012, and searching for medical and health-related information was an activity recorded by 70% of Canadians in 2010.2,3 As a result, accessing health information has never been easier, and not surprisingly, with the information found on the Internet, many patients challenge their health professionals on matters related to the patients’ medical conditions and drugs they are taking. However, as anyone can easily set up a website, there are many biased and nonvalidated electronic information sources that may not properly inform patients or caregivers.4 Recognizing trustworthy sites of information becomes crucial for an evidence-based approach to health care.

Trust in health information websites: A systematic literature review on the antecedents of trust.

Health websites are important sources of information for consumers. In choosing websites, trust in websites largely determines which website to access and how to best utilize the information. Thus, it is critical to understand why consumers trust certain websites and distrust others. A systematic literature review was conducted with the goal of identifying the antecedents of trust in health information websites. After four rounds of screening process, 20 articles between 2000 and 2013 were harvested. Factors that determine trust are classified into individual difference antecedents, website-related antecedents, and consumer-to-website interaction-related antecedents. The most frequently studied antecedents were socio-demographics, information quality, appearance, and perceived reputation of the website. Each antecedent of trust are discussed in detail and future research directions are proposed.

Physical Activity in Young Adults: A Signal Detection Analysis of Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 2007 Data

Many young adults are insufficiently active to achieve the health benefits of regular physical activity. Using signal detection analysis of data from the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey, the authors examined distinct subgroups of 18–39 year-old adults who vary in their likelihood of not meeting physical activity recommendations. We randomly split the sample and conducted signal detection analysis on the exploratory half to identify subgroups and interactions among sociodemographic and health communication variables that predicted engaging in less than 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity (low physical activity). We compared rates of low physical activity among subgroups with similarly defined subgroups in the validation sample. Overall, 62% of participants did not meet physical activity recommendations. Among 8 subgroups identified, low physical activity rates ranged from 31% to 90%. Predictors of low physical activity were general health, body mass index (BMI), perceived cancer risk, health-related Internet use, and trust in information sources. The least active subgroup (90% low physical activity) included young adults in poor to good health with a BMI of 30.8 or more (obese). The most active subgroup (31% low physical activity) comprised those in very good to excellent health, who used a website to help with diet, weight, or physical activity, and had little to no trust in health information on television. Findings suggest potential intervention communication channels and can inform targeted physical activity interventions for young adults.

Introduction on health recommender systems.

People are looking for appropriate health information which they are concerned about. The Internet is a great resource of this kind of information, but we have to be careful if we don't want to get harmful info. Health recommender systems are becoming a new wave for apt health information as systems suggest the best data according to the patients' needs.The main goals of health recommender systems are to retrieve trusted health information from the Internet, to analyse which is suitable for the user profile and select the best that can be recommended, to adapt their selection methods according to the knowledge domain and to learn from the best recommendations.A brief definition of recommender systems will be given and an explanation of how are they incorporated in the health sector. A description of the main elementary recommender methods as well as their most important problems will also be made. And, to finish, the state of the art will be described.

“I'm Not Ashamed to Talk on It!”: African-American Women's Decisions About Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control in South Carolina

BackgroundCervical cancer disparities persist despite cervical cancer prevention advances and declining mortality rates, particularly among African-American women in the South. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore behavior, knowledge, and attitudes as influences on health decisions and preferences for cervical cancer prevention and control among African-American women in South Carolina. MethodsData were collected from three focus groups conducted with 28 adult women aged 18 to 70 years in South Carolina. Purposive snowball sampling was employed. Data were coded using a content analysis approach in NVivo 10. Fleiss' kappa coefficient, a measure of interrater reliability, was 0.83. FindingsTwenty-seven participants self-identified as African American. The mean age of focus group participants was 45.3 years. Knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer risk was relatively low. Participants positively viewed cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination. Lack of health insurance and costs were screening barriers. Providers were viewed as trusted health information sources, yet stigma and fear negatively influenced screening. Cultural identity served as a facilitator and barrier for screening. Motivated by strength, identified as a central to African-American womanhood, participants viewed cervical cancer prevention as an important responsibility. However, the “Strong Black Woman” script, which has been associated with self-care and coping strategies, was also a screening barrier owing to competing priorities. ConclusionsStudy findings provide insight into cervical cancer prevention decision making and support tailored interventions. Culturally relevant interventions may better convey evidence-based messages about advances in cervical cancer prevention and control.

The Impact of Trust in E‐Government on Electronic Health Literacy

The electronic information the U.S. government provides to the public on health issues may impact health literacy, suggested by indicators including the perception of quality and security of information and confidence in health information utilized. The study uses social cognitive theory (SCT) to develop a foundation for why patients are affected by sources of health information around them. A logistic regression is conducted on 2007 HINTS survey data in order to assess how trust in different types of information sources (e‐government, the Internet, charitable organizations, television, etc.) impact health literacy indicators. The result of the study suggests that greater trust in health information from e‐government increases patient perception of information security and confidence in health information, but does not impact perception of quality of health information. The study suggests how e‐government information affects self‐efficacy and interest in e‐health literacy and provides policy analysis of direct and indirect initiatives that e‐government can take in the future to improve on current health literacy outcomes. The study summarizes the results and policy analysis on the impact of e‐government on e‐health literacy for the community.

Is Trust in Health Information Related to Better Hand Hygiene Among Military Conscripts?

Respiratory infectious diseases present a major health problem among military conscripts. To examine determinants of hand washing and their relations to trust in authority-provided health information, a social-cognitive model was applied to cross-sectional data from 140 Finnish conscripts aged 18 to 22. The results show that trust in authority-provided health information is associated with higher self-efficacy, higher knowledge, higher perceived effectiveness, and lower perceived risk; that higher self-efficacy and higher disease worry are associated with hand washing; and that trust in authority-provided health information has a direct, independent effect on hand washing. The results give information for designing behavior change interventions.

The health related uses of social media among users in Saudi Arabia

Background: Social media refer to groups of social networking sites (SNS) that are used by many people to communicate and to share different information. Health-related issues became very popular subjects of discussion on these networks. Aims & Objectives: To describe the health-related uses of SNS among users in Saudi Arabia and to identify the most trusted sources of health information for them. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on the SNS, Twitter, among users in Saudi Arabia. Results: The study included 816 users, almost two-third of them were women. The majority of users (83.1%) were ≤ 34 years of age. More than 60% of users reported following health-related accounts and 81.4% of them benefited from health information seen on SNS. Almost one-third of users discovered wrong health information. The majority of users (86.4%) trust health information only if from trusted sources and 72.1% of them check the information from other sources. Health-care providers were the most trusted sources of health information. Female gender and those with higher level of education were associated with the health-related use of SNS. Conclusion: The users of SNS in Saudi Arabia are using it for health, and the majority of them supported the use of SNS for health related activities. Any health intervention should consider the age of users as the majority of them are young.

Parental Cancer Beliefs and Trust in Health Information From Medical Authorities as Predictors of HPV Vaccine Acceptability

This research examines parental cancer beliefs and trust in health information from medical authorities as predictors of HPV vaccine acceptability. Specifically, the authors investigated how parents' perceived susceptibility to and severity of cancer, fatalistic beliefs about cancer prevention, and trust in health information from doctors/health professionals and government health agencies are related to willingness to vaccinate their daughters ages 11–12 years against HPV. The authors analyzed data from the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey. The authors found that parents were more likely to accept the vaccine if they perceived a higher risk of getting cancer themselves and if they had a higher level of trust in health information from medical authorities. Perceived severity of cancer and fatalistic beliefs about cancer prevention did not predict vaccine acceptance.

The Influences of Immigration on Health Information Seeking Behaviors Among Korean Americans and Native Koreans

Korean Americans (KAs) have low screening rates for cancer and are often not well informed about their chronic diseases. Reduced access to health-related information is one reason for gaps in knowledge and the widening health disparities among minority populations. However, little research exists about KAs' health information seeking behaviors. Guided by the Structural Influence Model, this study examines the influence of immigration status on KAs' trust in health information sources and health information seeking behaviors. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area as well as in the Gwangju metropolitan city in South Korea during 2006-2007. Two hundred and fifty-four KAs and 208 native Koreans who were 40 years of age or older completed the surveys. When comparing native Koreans to KAs, we found KAs were 3 times more likely to trust health information from newspapers or magazines (odds ratio [OR] = 3.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.49-6.54) and 11 times more likely to read the health sections of newspapers or magazines (OR = 11.35; 95% CI = 3.92-32.91) in multivariate adjusted models. However, they were less likely to look for health information from TV (OR = 0.29; 95% CI = 0.12-0.72) than native Koreans. Our results indicate that immigration status has profound influences on KAs' health information seeking behaviors. Increasing the availability of reliable and valid health information from printed Korean language magazines or newspapers could have a positive influence on increasing awareness and promoting screening behaviors among KAs.

Use of and trust in health information on the Internet: A nationwide eight-year follow-up survey

Already in its infancy, the World Wide Web was predicted to be a prime tool to promote healthier behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to compare the use of and trust in health information on the Internet during two points of time, 2001 and 2009. The target group of the study is the Finnish population aged 18–65 years. The empirical material is based on two similar postal surveys. Over the period, growth in Internet use was rapid. The results also show a huge growth in use of and trust in health information on the Internet. But still, the e-Health visions evoked in the late 1990s are far from fulfilled, since too many people seem not to seek or obtain health information from the Internet at all. Furthermore, still in 2009, approximately one-third of the respondents had no conception (‘do not know’) about the online health information reliability, due to the fact that they had used it too rarely or not at all.

Untangling the antecedents of initial trust in Web-based health information: The roles of argument quality, source expertise, and user perceptions of information quality and risk

As the Internet develops as a medium for disseminating health-related information, research on Web-based health information consumption grows increasingly important to academics and practitioners. Building on the current research in this area, our study proposes a model of initial trust formation in Web-based health information, rooted in the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and Toulmin's model of argumentation. The proposed model theorizes trust as a function of perceived information quality and perceived risk, which are in turn determined by the structural quality of the message (argument quality) and the expertise of the message source (source expertise). Testing of the research model was accomplished via a field experiment involving 300 online users who had searched for health information on the Web. Overall, the results largely support the proposed model, explaining substantial variance in trust and highlighting the important but distinct roles that argument quality, source expertise, and user perceptions of information quality and risk play in determining an individual's decision to trust health information online.

Supplemental Material for Healthy Skepticism: Do Adults Trust Health Information From Children in Rural Kenya?

Supplemental Material for Healthy Skepticism: Do Adults Trust Health Information From Children in Rural Kenya?