scholarly journals Association Between eHealth Literacy in Online Health Communities and Patient Adherence: Cross-sectional Questionnaire Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinyi Lu ◽  
Runtong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Patient Adherence ◽  
Patient Communication ◽  
Ehealth Literacy ◽  
Internet Health Information ◽  
Physician Patient Communication ◽  
Health Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Physician Patient

BACKGROUND eHealth literacy is significantly associated with patients’ online information behavior, physician-patient relationship, patient adherence, and health outcomes. As an important product of the internet, online health communities (OHCs) can help redistribute idle medical resources, increase medical resource utilization, and improve patient adherence. However, studies on eHealth literacy in OHCs are limited. Therefore, this study examined patients’ eHealth literacy regarding health information–seeking behavior and physician-patient communication in OHCs. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the association between eHealth literacy in OHCs and patient adherence by employing social cognitive theory. METHODS This was an empirical study, in which a research model consisting of 1 independent variable (patients’ eHealth literacy), 3 mediators (physician-patient communication in OHCs, patient health information–seeking behavior in OHCs, and patients’ perceived quality of health information in OHCs), 1 dependent variable (patient adherence), and 4 control variables (age, gender, living area, and education level) was established to examine the associations. Multi-item scales were used to measure variables. An anonymous online survey involving 560 participants was conducted through Chinese OHCs in July 2018 to collect data. Partial least squares and structural equation modeling were adopted to analyze data and test hypotheses. RESULTS The survey response rate was 79.6% (446/560). The reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity were acceptable. Age, gender, living area, and education level were positively associated with patient adherence, and gender was positively associated with physician-patient communication and patients’ perceived quality of internet health information in OHCs. Patients’ eHealth literacy was positively associated with patient adherence through the mediations of physician-patient communication, internet health information–seeking behavior, and perceived quality of internet health information in OHCs. CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that physician-patient communication, internet health information–seeking behavior, and the perceived quality of internet health information are significantly associated with improving patient adherence via a guiding of eHealth literacy in OHCs. These findings suggest that physicians can understand and guide their patients’ eHealth literacy to improve treatment efficiency; OHCs’ operators should this strengthen the management of information quality, develop user-friendly features, and minimize the gap between the actual and perceived information quality.

scholarly journals Effects of health information seeking behaviors on anxiety, and loss among East Asian international students

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Chih-Chun Chuang
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Health Anxiety ◽  
Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Internet Health Information ◽  
Health Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
Seeking Behavior

This study examined the influences of anxiety, health information seeking behavior, cross-cultural loss on satisfaction with life among 186 East Asian international students while studying abroad in the U.S. The results showed that general and health anxiety are both significantly associated with satisfaction with life, while there is a positive association between health anxiety and Internet health information seeking behaviors. Internet health information seeking behavior also mediated the link between health anxiety and satisfaction with life in the U.S. Cross-cultural loss did not moderate the relationship between Internet health information seeking behavior and satisfaction with life as predicted. Results of this study provide additional knowledge about East Asian international students' health, including the connection between general and health anxiety, Internet health information seeking behavior, and satisfaction with life. Findings from this study may have implications for higher education institutions serving international students.

scholarly journals An Ecological View of Internet Health Information Seeking Behavior Predictors: Findings from the CHAIN Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua K Calvert ◽  
Angela A Aidala ◽  
Josh H West
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Internet Health Information ◽  
Health Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Aids

Objective: The purpose of the study was to further elucidate proximal and distal demographic and social predictors of Internet Health Information Seeking Behavior (IHISB) among a cohort of HIV+ individuals through an ecological framework. Methods: The Community Health Advisory & Information Network (CHAIN) project is an ongoing prospective study of a representative sample of persons living with HIV/AIDS in New York City and the Tri-County region. The study sample was drawn from a two-stage randomized technique with the clients of 43 medical and social service organizations with 693 HIV+ participants. Bivariate correlations were computed between IHISB and independent demographic variables in ecological blocks. Multivariate hierarchical logistic regression was used to test association between blocks of variables and IHISB. Results: Among the surveyed respondents (n=645) 50.3% indicated that they used the Internet. Being above the poverty line, having less than a high school education, and having fewer neighbors were statistically significant predictors of IHISB related to HIV. Conclusions: The benefits of accessing the Internet may influence health behavior and may be considered a target for interventions that aim to increase access to health related information online. Coupled with increased access, is the need for increased patient education interventions, and creative managed care approaches to ensure that information gleaned from online sources is interpretable and accurate in order to benefit the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS.

scholarly journals Impact of Physician-Patient Communication in Online Health Communities on Patient Compliance: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinyi Lu ◽  
Runtong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Patient Compliance ◽  
Perceived Quality ◽  
Patient Communication ◽  
Medical Resources ◽  
Internet Health Information ◽  
Physician Patient Communication ◽  
Physician Patient

BACKGROUND In China, the utilization of medical resources is tense, and most hospitals are highly congested because of the large population and uneven distribution of medical resources. Online health communities (OHCs) play an important role in alleviating hospital congestions, thereby improving the utilization of medical resources and relieving medical resource shortages. OHCs have positive effects on physician-patient relationships and health outcomes. Moreover, as one of the main ways for patients to seek health-related information in OHCs, physician-patient communication may affect patient compliance in various ways. In consideration of the inevitable development of OHCs, although they have several shortcomings, identifying how physician-patient communication can impact patient compliance is important to improve patients’ health outcomes through OHCs. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the impact of physician-patient communication on patient compliance in OHCs through the mediation of the perceived quality of internet health information, decision-making preference, and physician-patient concordance, using an empirical study based on the self-determination theory. METHODS A research model was established, including 1 independent variable (physician-patient communication), 3 mediators (perceived quality of internet health information, decision-making preference, and physician-patient concordance), 1 dependent variable (patient compliance), and 4 control variables (age, gender, living area, and education level). Furthermore, a Web-based survey involving 423 valid responses was conducted in China to collect data, and structural equation modeling and partial least squares were adopted to analyze data and test the hypotheses. RESULTS The questionnaire response rate was 79.2% (487/615) and the validity rate was 86.9% (423/487); reliability and validity are acceptable. The communication between physicians and patients in OHCs positively affects patient compliance through the mediation of the perceived quality of internet health information, decision-making preference, and physician-patient concordance. Moreover, physician-patient communication exhibits similar impacts on the perceived quality of internet health information, decision-making preference, and physician-patient concordance. Patients’ decision-making preference shows the weakest impact on patient compliance compared with the other 2 mediators. Ultimately, all 3 mediators play a partially mediating role between physician-patient communication and patient compliance. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that physician-patient communication in OHCs exhibits a positive impact on patient compliance; thus, patient compliance can be improved by guiding physician-patient communication in OHCs. Furthermore, our findings suggest that physicians can share high-quality health information with patients, discuss benefits, risks, and costs of treatment options with patients, encourage patients to express their attitudes and participate in health-related decision making, and strengthen the emotional connection with patients in OHCs, thereby decreasing patients’ misunderstanding of information and increasing concordance between physicians and patients. OHCs are required to not only strengthen the management of their published health information quality but also understand users’ actual attitudes toward information quality and then try to reduce the gap between the perceived and actual quality of information.

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