Trust In Online Health Information Research Articles

Parents of Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes - Their Views on Information and Communication Needs and Internet Use. A Qualitative Study

BackgroundLittle is known about parents’ views on the use of online resources for information, education and support regarding childhood type 1 diabetes (T1DM). Considering the rapidly evolving new communication practices, parents’ perspectives need to be explored. The main purpose of this paper was to explore parents’ perceptions of their information-seeking, Internet use, and social networking online. This applied to their everyday life, including the contexts of T1DM and contact with peers. A second aim was to identify implications for future development of Internet use in this respect.Methodology/Principal FindingsTwenty-seven parents of 24 young persons aged 10–17 with T1DM participated in eight focus group interviews during their regular visits to a county hospital. Focus group discussions were video/audio-taped, transcribed and analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis. Self-reported demographic and medical information was also collected. A main theme was Finding things out, including two sub-themes, Trust and Suitability. The latter were key factors affecting parents’ perceptions of online resources. Parents’ choice of information source was related to the situation, previous experiences and knowledge about sources and, most importantly, the level of trust in the source. A constantly present background theme was Life situation, including two sub-themes, Roles and functions and Emotions and needs. Parents’ information-seeking regarding T1DM varied greatly, and was closely associated with their life situation, the adolescents development phases and the disease trajectory.Conclusions/SignificanceHealth practitioners and system developers need to focus on creating trust and suitability for users’ needs. They should understand the children’s diverse needs, which depend on their life situation, on the children’s development, and on the disease trajectory. To enhance trust in online health information and support services, the participation of local practitioners is crucial.

Factors influencing online health information search: An empirical analysis of a national cancer-related survey

People are increasingly using the Internet to access health information and the information obtained has an impact on their healthcare outcomes. This paper examines the impacts of IT enablers and health motivators on peoples' online health information search behavior. We characterize users' online health information search behavior along three dimensions: the frequency of online health information search, the diversity of online health information usage, and the preference of the Internet for initial search. Using the 2003 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) data on cancer, we find that ease of access to Internet services and trust in online health information could affect the three dimensional search behavior listed above. While perceived quality of communication with doctors has an impact on diversity of use and preference of use, we surprisingly do not find an impact on the frequency of search for online health information. In addition, our results find that perceived health status could affect both frequency and diversity of search for online health information. But we do not find evidence that perceived health status could lead to a preference for using the Internet as a source for health information.

Internet Access and Online Cancer Information Seeking Among Latino Immigrants From Safety Net Clinics

Internet use is widespread, but little is known about Internet use for cancer information among Latinos, especially those who rely on safety net clinics. The authors investigated access to and intended use of the Internet for cancer information among low income, immigrant Latinos predominately from Central and South America. A cross-sectional study of 1,273 Latinos 21 years and older attending safety net clinics or health fairs was conducted from June 2007 to November 2008. The authors used logistic regression models to evaluate associations of age, acculturation, psychosocial factors and other covariates with Internet access and intended use of the Internet for cancer information among those with access. Of the sample, 44% reported Internet access. Higher information self-efficacy and greater trust in the Internet were independently associated with Internet access (p = .05 and p < .001, respectively). Among those with access, 53.8% reported they intended to seek cancer help online if they needed information. Those with younger age and higher acculturation, education and self-efficacy had higher odds of intended Internet use for cancer information, considering covariates. In addition, those with high (vs. low) perceived risk of cancer (OR = 1.76; 95% CI [1.14, 2.73]; p = .01) and higher levels of trust in online health information (OR = 1.47 per one-point increase; 95% [CI 1.19, 1.82]; p = .0004) were more likely to intend to seek cancer information online. These findings that Internet access is fairly high in the immigrant Latino population and that the Internet is a trusted source of cancer information suggest that the Internet may be a channel for cancer control interventions.

Trust in the Internet as a Health Resource Among Older Adults: Analysis of Data from a Nationally Representative Survey

BackgroundDistrust in the Internet as a source of health information remains common among older adults. The influence of this distrust on Internet use for health-related purposes, however, is unclear.ObjectiveThe objective of our study was to explore how older adults’ trust in the Internet influences their online health-related activities, and to identify potential targets for improving health-related Internet resources for older adults.MethodsData were obtained from a nationally representative, random digit-dial telephone survey of 1450 adults 50 years of age and older in the United States. A model was developed to conceptualize the hypothesized relationships among individual characteristics, distrust, and avoidance of the Internet as a health resource. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between trust in online health information and use of the Internet for health-related purposes. Additional multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the key characteristics associated with trust in online health information, adding sequentially the variables hypothesized to account for distrust among older adults: sociodemographic and health characteristics, inexperience and technical difficulties with the Internet, negative feelings toward the Internet, and lack of awareness about the sources providing the health information found online.ResultsThe mean (SD) age of the study population was 63.7 (10.6) years. Of the 823 (56.8%) Internet users, 628 (76.3%) reported using the Internet as a health resource. Trust in the Internet as a source of health information was associated with using the Internet for a number of health activities, including searching for information about a specific health condition (adjusted OR 4.43, P < .001), purchasing prescription drugs (adjusted OR 2.61, P = .03), and talking with a health care provider about information found online (adjusted OR 2.54, P = .002). Older adults (age ≥65 years) were less likely to trust the Internet as a source of health information (OR 0.63, P = .04), even after adjusting for other sociodemographic characteristics and health and function. This age effect was only slightly attenuated (adjusted OR 0.69, P = .13) after adjusting for inexperience and technical difficulties with the Internet, but it disappeared entirely (adjusted OR 0.96, P = .91) after adjusting for other hypothesized contributors to distrust (including finding the Internet confusing because it provides “too much information,” and lacking awareness about the source providing health information found online).ConclusionsWebsite design features that clearly identify the source and credibility of information and minimize confusion may build trust among older adults and offer an opportunity to increase the utility of the Internet as a health resource for this population.

Correlates of Consumer Trust in Online Health Information: Findings From the Health Information National Trends Survey

The past few decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in consumers seeking health information online. However, the quality of such information remains questionable, and the trustworthiness of online health information has become a hot topic, whereas little attention has been paid to how consumers evaluate online health information credibility. This study builds on theoretical perspectives of trust such as personal-capital-based, social-capital-based, and transfer-based, and it examines various correlates of consumer trust in online health information. The author analyzed the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey data (N = 7,674). Results showed that consumer trust in online health information did not correlate with personal capital such as income, education, and health status. Social capital indicated by visiting social networking Web sites was not associated with trust in online health information either. Nevertheless, trust in online health information transferred from traditional mass media and government health agencies to the Internet, and it varied by such information features as easiness to locate and to understand. Age appeared to be a key factor in understanding the correlates of trust in online health information. Theoretical and empirical implications of the results are discussed.

A Path Analysis on Correlates of Consumer Trust in Online Health Information: Evidence from the Health Information National Trends Survey

Many people look for health information online, and the Internet is the third most trusted health information source. What implications does this trust have on consumer health? Not much research has been done in this area. This study explored various health-related correlates of consumer trust in online health information, including Internet use for health, self-efficacy belief in managing one's own health, negative emotions, and subjective health status. The 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey data were analyzed. Results showed that controlling for demographics, trust in online health information was directly related to both Internet use for health and the self-efficacy belief, and was indirectly associated with negative emotions; the latter two factors in turn were associated with self-rated health.

The Role of Provider–Patient Communication and Trust in Online Sources in Internet Use for Health-Related Activities

Provider–patient communication is an important factor influencing patients' satisfaction and health outcomes. This study draws upon the uses and gratification theory to examine how individuals' perception of communication with healthcare providers is associated with their Internet use for health-related activities. Using the data from the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), we found that as individuals perceived their communication with providers to be less patient-centered, they were more likely to engage in various types of online health activities, such as using websites for healthy lifestyles, searching for healthcare providers, and seeking health information. Trust in online health information was also found to be a significant predictor of online health activities. The results of this study emphasized the important role of provider–patient communication in motivating individuals to turn to the Internet for health purposes.

Trust in online health information: Purchasing medicine or vitamins online (preliminary analysis of the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey)

In this technology-driven society, trust in online health information can play a pivotal role in an individual's health behavior including purchasing medicine or vitamins online. The National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) assesses American's health-related information behaviors and its links to health behavior change, attitudes, and knowledge in order to improve the American health information environment (Nelson, 2004). Analyses of the 2007 HINTS data reported that approximately 19% of Americans said that they have a lot of trust in online health information, approximately 48% of Americans have some trust in online health information, and approximately 17.47% of American have a little trust in online health information. However, only 14.47% of Americans were likely to purchase medicine or vitamins online. It was hypothesized that those who trust in online health information a lot are likely to purchase medicine or vitamins online. As a result, online users, who trust in online health information a lot, are more likely to purchase medicine or vitamins online (p<0.05). This study explains trust in online health information influences decisions regarding the purchase of medicine or vitamins online that might result in changes in health-related behaviors.