scholarly journals Automatic attitudes and health information avoidance.

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 816-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Howell ◽  
Kate A. Ratliff ◽  
James A. Shepperd
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Avoidance ◽  
Automatic Attitudes

Health Information Avoidance

2020 ◽  
pp. 279-286
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Howell ◽  
Nikolette P. Lipsey ◽  
James A. Shepperd
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Avoidance

scholarly journals Low Health Literacy and Health Information Avoidance but Not Satisficing Help Explain “Don’t Know” Responses to Questions Assessing Perceived Risk

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (8) ◽  
pp. 1006-1017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Orom ◽  
Elizabeth Schofield ◽  
Marc T. Kiviniemi ◽  
Erika A. Waters ◽  
Caitlin Biddle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colon Cancer ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Direct Effect ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Mean Square ◽  
Information Avoidance

Background. People who say they don’t know (DK) their disease risk are less likely to engage in protective behavior. Purpose. This study examined possible mechanisms underlying not knowing one’s risk for common diseases. Methods. Participants were a nationally representative sample of 1005 members of a standing probability-based survey panel who answered questions about their comparative and absolute perceived risk for diabetes and colon cancer, health literacy, risk factor knowledge and health information avoidance, and beliefs about illness unpredictability. Survey satisficing was a composite assessment of not following survey instructions, nondifferentiation of responses, haphazard responding, and speeding. The primary outcomes were whether a person selected DK when asked absolute and comparative risk perception questions about diabetes or colon cancer. Base structural equation modeling path models with pathways from information avoidance and health literacy/knowledge to DK responding for each DK outcome were compared to models that also included pathways from satisficing or unpredictability beliefs. Results. Base models contained significant indirect effects of health literacy (odds ratios [ORs] = 0.94 to 0.97, all P < 0.02) and avoidance (ORs = 1.05 to 1.15, all P < 0.01) on DK responding through risk factor knowledge and a direct effect of avoidance (ORs = 1.21 to 1.28, all P < 0.02). Adding the direct effect for satisficing to models resulted in poor fit (for all outcomes, residual mean square error estimates >0.17, all weighted root mean square residuals >3.2, all Comparative Fit Index <0.47, all Tucker-Lewis Index <0.49), indicating that satisficing was not associated with DK responding. Unpredictability was associated with not knowing one’s diabetes risk (OR = 1.01, P < 0.01). Limitations. The data were cross-sectional; therefore, directionality of the pathways cannot be assumed. Conclusions. DK responders may need more health information, but it needs to be delivered differently. Interventions might include targeting messages for lower health literacy audiences and disrupting defensive avoidance of threatening health information.

The role of powerful audiences in health information avoidance

2019 ◽  
Vol 220 ◽  
pp. 430-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolette P. Lipsey ◽  
James A. Shepperd
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Avoidance

scholarly journals To share or not to share: an explorative study of health information non-sharing behaviour among Flemish adults aged fifty and over

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martijn Huisman ◽  
◽  
Stijn Joye ◽  
Daniël Biltereyst ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Overload ◽  
Individual Responsibility ◽  
Information Avoidance ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Social Settings ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
Contextual Framework ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Depth Interviews

Introduction. This study explores health information non-sharing behaviour in everyday social settings and interactions. The novelty and relevance of the study lies in the fact that it explores a common yet understudied information behaviour, as very few studies have examined information non-sharing. Method. Forty qualitative in-depth interviews were held in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern part of Belgium, with adults between the ages of fifty and eighty. Analysis. A contextual framework was drawn from information studies and health information and communication research, consisting of the concepts of health orientation, information avoidance, uncertainty management, to help understand health information non-sharing. Thematic analysis was employed to identify reasons for non-sharing behaviour. Results. Seven key themes or reasons emerge for health information non-sharing behaviour; health as a non-topic, avoid being labelled as ill, individual responsibility, avoid burdening others, lack of trust in others, lack of trust in the internet, and avoiding information overload. Conclusions. This study is not only more nuanced than earlier work on sharing behaviour, but also leads to new questions about outcomes of health information non-sharing. The findings further illuminate 'non-information behaviour' within information studies, while also offering insights relevant to health communication researchers and healthcare practitioners.

Health Information Avoidance Measure

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Howell ◽  
Benjamin S. Crosier ◽  
James A. Shepperd
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Avoidance

scholarly journals Coping self-efficacy influences health information avoidance

2020 ◽  
pp. 135910532096566
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Hua ◽  
Jennifer L. Howell
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Information Avoidance ◽  
Positive Coping ◽  
Good Target ◽  
And Coping ◽  
General Self Efficacy

Avoiding information about one’s health can have long-term implications for health and well-being. Two studies examined the relationship between health information avoidance and coping self-efficacy, or a sense that one can effectively cope. In Study 1, coping self-efficacy, but not general self-efficacy, was associated with information avoidance. In Study 2, participants who reflected on their positive coping strategies were less likely to avoid learning their risk for disease as compared to those who did not reflect on their coping strategies. These findings suggest that coping self-efficacy is a good target for future interventions aimed at reducing health information avoidance.

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