Inquiring Minds Acquiring Wellness: Uses of Online and Offline Sources for Health Information

被引:118
作者
Dobransky, Kerry [1 ]
Hargittai, Eszter [2 ]
机构
[1] James Madison Univ, Dept Sociol & Anthropol, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 USA
[2] Northwestern Univ, Dept Commun Studies, Evanston, IL 60208 USA
关键词
SOCIOECONOMIC-STATUS; FUNDAMENTAL CAUSES; SUPPORT GROUPS; INTERNET; KNOWLEDGE; SEEKING; WEB; HISPANICS; CONSUMERS; SKILLS;
D O I
10.1080/10410236.2011.585451
中图分类号
G2 [信息与知识传播];
学科分类号
050302 [传播学];
摘要
Variation in ability to access and use health information is a key pathway through which social status may impact health. Digital media offer new opportunities for health information seeking, potentially lowering barriers to such content. Using a data set with nuanced information about what sources a diverse group of college students consults for different types of health material, coupled with detailed measures of Internet experiences, this article explores factors related to where young adults turn for health content. Results suggest considerable sex differences in practices across sources of health information. We also find differences in Hispanic students' actions based on parents' country of origin across sources. Finally, challenging assumptions about the universal savvy of young adults, findings suggest that those who are more highly skilled with the Internet are more likely to use it for health information seeking, and Internet experiences are especially important for explaining who turns to online discussions in this realm. Our findings not only contribute to a better understanding of health information seeking and health inequality, but also point to possible sites of intervention to ameliorate health disparities.
引用
收藏
页码:331 / 343
页数:13
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