Seeking health information and support online: does it differ as a function of engagement in risky health behaviors? Evidence from the health information national trends survey.

Publisher: JMIR Publications Country of Publication: Canada NLM ID: 100959882 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1438-8871 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 14388871 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Med Internet Res Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: <2011- > : Toronto : JMIR Publications
Original Publication: [Pittsburgh, PA? : s.n., 1999-

Health Behavior* ; Information Seeking Behavior* ; Internet*/statistics & numerical data; Adolescent ; Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; Diet ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk-Taking ; Smoking ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Sunscreening Agents ; Young Adult

Background: The Internet is an important tool to deliver health behavior interventions, yet little is known about Internet access and use of health-related information, or support, by the intended intervention recipients.
Objective: Our aim was to evaluate whether health-related Internet use differed as a function of common health-risk behaviors (excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, low fruit/vegetable intake, inactive/sedentary lifestyle, unprotected sun exposure, or obesity).
Methods: Sociodemographic, health behavior characteristics, and information on Internet access and use were assessed in the nationally representative US Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 4. Data from 3911 participants collated in 2011/12 were included.
Results: Of the 78.2% (95% CI 76.1-80.1) of participants who had ever accessed the Internet, approximately three-quarters (78.2%, 95% CI 75.4-80.7) had obtained health-related information online last year. About half had used the Internet as the first source of health-related information (47.8%, 95% CI 44.8-50.7) or to access behavioral support (56.9%, 95% CI 53.7-60.0) in the last year. Adjusting for sociodemographic determinants of going online (being younger, white, female, with at least college education) revealed few differences in Internet access and use between health-risk behaviors. Participants with inadequate sun protection were less likely to access the Internet (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.04-0.88) and those with low fruit/vegetable intake were less likely to have gone online to obtain health-related information last year (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.45-0.80). Smokers in particular were likely to use the Internet to obtain behavioral support (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.35-2.68).
Conclusions: Internet access and use to obtain health-related information and support is widespread and mostly independent of engagement in various health-risk behaviors. However, those with low fruit/vegetable intake or inadequate sun-protective behaviors may be more difficult to reach with Internet-based interventions. In addition, when developing online health promotions, relevant sociodemographic determinants of Internet use need to be targeted to maximize their impact.

J Med Internet Res. 2010 Feb 17;12(1):e4. (PMID: 20164043)
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007 Apr;16(4):820-2. (PMID: 17416777)
J Med Internet Res. 2006 Jun 23;8(2):e10. (PMID: 16867965)
MMWR Recomm Rep. 2003 Oct 17;52(RR-15):1-12. (PMID: 14561953)
J Med Internet Res. 2013 Mar 18;15(3):e50. (PMID: 23506944)
J Med Internet Res. 2011 Jan 06;13(1):e2. (PMID: 21212045)
J Health Commun. 2012;17(8):979-89. (PMID: 23020763)
Addiction. 2009 Nov;104(11):1792-804. (PMID: 19832783)
J Med Internet Res. 2012 Jun 11;14(3):e82. (PMID: 22687887)
PLoS Med. 2006 Nov;3(11):e442. (PMID: 17132052)
Br J Health Psychol. 2014 Nov;19(4):839-55. (PMID: 24308806)
J Am Acad Dermatol. 2010 Jun;62(6):950-6. (PMID: 20236728)
Soc Sci Med. 1997 Mar;44(6):809-19. (PMID: 9080564)
J Health Commun. 2004 Sep-Oct;9(5):443-60; discussion 81-4. (PMID: 15513791)
Med Care. 1996 Mar;34(3):220-33. (PMID: 8628042)
Addict Behav. 2012 Dec;37(12):1365-70. (PMID: 22795643)
J Adolesc Res. 2004 Jul 1;19(4):428-445. (PMID: 16429605)
J Am Diet Assoc. 2006 Sep;106(9):1371-9. (PMID: 16963342)
Lancet. 2005 Mar 19-25;365(9464):1099-104. (PMID: 15781105)
Lancet. 2013 Feb 16;381(9866):585-97. (PMID: 23410608)
Am J Prev Med. 2007 Jul;33(1):54-64. (PMID: 17572313)
J Med Internet Res. 2010 Dec 19;12(5):e62. (PMID: 21169175)
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2013 Nov;22(11):2066-74. (PMID: 24148971)
Lancet. 1991 Jun 8;337(8754):1387-93. (PMID: 1674771)
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 Oct;41(10):1849-55. (PMID: 19727030)
Prev Med. 1996 Nov-Dec;25(6):673-83. (PMID: 8936569)
Annu Rev Public Health. 2009;30:273-92. (PMID: 19296777)
Subst Use Misuse. 2011;46(1):57-65. (PMID: 21190406)
J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011 Jan 18;57(3):292-9. (PMID: 21232666)
Alcohol Alcohol. 2002 Nov-Dec;37(6):573-6. (PMID: 12414549)
Br J Cancer. 2011 Dec 6;105 Suppl 2:S77-81. (PMID: 22158327)

MR/K023195/1 United Kingdom MRC_ Medical Research Council

Keywords: Internet-based intervention; health information and national trends survey (HINTS); health-risk behavior; information seeking; online support

0 (Sunscreening Agents)

Date Created: 20141108 Date Completed: 20150409 Latest Revision: 20240510

20240510

PMC4259986

10.2196/jmir.3368

25380308