Who Searches for Health Information on the Internet? Findings from the Canadian Internet Use Survey
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Abstract
Background: In Canada, as in other parts of the world, women are more likely than men to search for health information on the Internet. Given that information and communication technologies are increasingly being used to facilitate patient self-care it is important to understand patterns of Internet use, particularly in relation to gender and other socio-demographic characteristics.
Objective: This study draws from theoretical work on gendered health information seeking to examine the relationship between gender and online health information seeking by socio-demographic characteristics among a representative sample of Canadians. A set of Internet-use clusters are also identified in order to consider ways online health information can effectively reach patients.
Methods: Using data from the 2012 Canadian Internet Use Survey (n= 17,384), differences in socio-demographic characteristics were examined based on whether respondents had used the used to search for health information. Next, gender differences in health information seeking were examined across age cohorts. Principal component factor analysis was used to develop four distinct Internet-use clusters and logistic regression models identified characteristics predictive of Internet-use clusters. Finally the implications of Internet-use clusters for enhancing the delivery of health information to patients was considered by integrating findings from this study with prior research.
Results: Sixty-six (66) percent of the sample had searched the Internet for health information in the past year. On average significantly more women used the Internet to search for health information (72%) compared with men (40%). Regression models indicated that women were significantly more likely to use the Internet to search for medical or health-related information in every age cohort, adjusting for other socio-demographic factors. Principal component factor analysis lead to the emergence of four factors: entertainment seekers (movies, tv, music, shopping); information seekers (medical, government, community, news); social seekers (social networking, email, instant messaging, games), and job seekers (employment, education). Across all age cohorts women were more likely to be information seekers or social seekers and men were more likely to be entertainment and job seekers.
Conclusions: Findings provide general support for culturally dominant theoretical constructions of gendered health information seeking and suggest that using the Internet to disseminate health-related information may be most effectively targeted to women through traditional online information venues or social media and men may be more likely to view health information if it is disseminated through entertainment venues.
Objective: This study draws from theoretical work on gendered health information seeking to examine the relationship between gender and online health information seeking by socio-demographic characteristics among a representative sample of Canadians. A set of Internet-use clusters are also identified in order to consider ways online health information can effectively reach patients.
Methods: Using data from the 2012 Canadian Internet Use Survey (n= 17,384), differences in socio-demographic characteristics were examined based on whether respondents had used the used to search for health information. Next, gender differences in health information seeking were examined across age cohorts. Principal component factor analysis was used to develop four distinct Internet-use clusters and logistic regression models identified characteristics predictive of Internet-use clusters. Finally the implications of Internet-use clusters for enhancing the delivery of health information to patients was considered by integrating findings from this study with prior research.
Results: Sixty-six (66) percent of the sample had searched the Internet for health information in the past year. On average significantly more women used the Internet to search for health information (72%) compared with men (40%). Regression models indicated that women were significantly more likely to use the Internet to search for medical or health-related information in every age cohort, adjusting for other socio-demographic factors. Principal component factor analysis lead to the emergence of four factors: entertainment seekers (movies, tv, music, shopping); information seekers (medical, government, community, news); social seekers (social networking, email, instant messaging, games), and job seekers (employment, education). Across all age cohorts women were more likely to be information seekers or social seekers and men were more likely to be entertainment and job seekers.
Conclusions: Findings provide general support for culturally dominant theoretical constructions of gendered health information seeking and suggest that using the Internet to disseminate health-related information may be most effectively targeted to women through traditional online information venues or social media and men may be more likely to view health information if it is disseminated through entertainment venues.
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