A Study of Health Information Search Behaviour and Its Application among Young Adults

Deepa  Makesh; Sandhya  Rajasekhar

Deepa Makesh Research Scholar, School of Communication and Media Studies, M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women (Autonomous) Chennai, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8335-9144
Sandhya Rajasekhar Associate Professor & Head, Department of Journalism, School of Communication and MediaStudies, M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women (Autonomous) Chennai, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8335-9144

Keywords: Health Information Search Behaviour, Media Access and Consumption, Application of Health Related Information, Health Related Values and Beliefs, Young Adults

Abstract

Health Information Seeking Behaviour (HISB) refers to the ways in which individuals seek information about their health, risks, illnesses, and health-protective behaviours. According to a survey, the most common topics of search included fitness and exercise, diet and nutrition, stress and anxiety, sexually transmitted diseases, puberty, depression and other mental health issues and sleep. The growth in the digital landscape and increase in health information has introduced a new trend among the young adultsâ€“seeking information from internet. Health Belief Model is one of the most important models in studying influences on health beliefs on both individuals and society. This is a study to identify media consumption patterns of young adults pertaining to health - the main areas of search, the platforms that are most commonly accessed, application of the information gathered and their existing health related values, attitudes and beliefs. Through a survey the study points out that although respondents are satisfied with health information consumed online, most of them however, do not find a positive change in health-related values and beliefs by consuming health information on media. There is a need for strong communication on health aspects.

How to cite this article:

Makesh D, Rajasekhar S. A Study of Health Information Search Behaviour and Its Application among Young Adults. Ind J Youth Adol Health 2020; 7(1): 1-6.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2349.2880.202001

References

World Health Organisation Consolidated ARV guidelines, (June 2013).

Lambert & Loiselle, 2007; Mills & Todorova, 2016, Qualitative Health Research, 10.1177/1049732307305

, 01/11/2007 Vol 17.

Ovarec JA. On-line medical information and service delivery:implications for health education. J Health Educ 2000; 31: 105-110.

Wartella E, Rideout V, Montague H, Beaudoin-Ryan L, Lauricella A. Teens, Health and Technology, a national survey conducted by the Center on Media and Human Development at Northwestern University.

Jacobs W, Ann O. Amuta, Jeon CK, Alvares C. Health information seeking in the digital age: An analysis of health information seeking behavior among US adults. Cogent Social Sciences 2017; 3:1. DOI: 10.108 0/23311886.2017.1302785.

JA Flora, Edward W, Maccoby N. The Role of Media across Four levels of Heath Promotion Intervention. Annu Rev Public Health 1989; 10: 181-201.

Bou-Karroum L, El-Jardali F, Hemadi N. Using media to impact health policy-making: an integrative systematic review. Implementation Sci 2017; 12(52). DOI:10.1186/ s13012-017-0581-0.

Renganathan L, Ray S, Nagpal D. Use of internet for accessing healthcare information among patients in an outpatient department of a Tertiary Care Center. J Mar Med Soc 2017; 19: 15-17.

Bakar. Information Seeking Behaviours of Rural Women in Malaysia. Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal) 2011.

Pascalina P. Media Use for Health Information Assemination to Rural Communities by Ghana Health Service. Journal of Information Science Systems and Technology 2018.

Sweta Anand Mayukta Gupta et al. Social media and effective health communication. Journal of Social Science and Interdisciplinary Research 2013; 2.

Olarunlekein E. Behaviour change Communication Using Social Media a Review. International Journal of Communication and Health 2016.