The Role of Health Literacy and Social Networks in Arthritis Patients' Health Information-Seeking Behavior : A Qualitative Study
Joint Authors
Worsley, Anthony
Ellis, Janette
Mullan, Judy
Pai, Nagesh
Source
International Journal of Family Medicine
Issue
Vol. 2012, Issue 2012 (31 Dec. 2012), pp.1-6, 6 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2012-09-10
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
6
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
Background.
Patients engage in health information-seeking behaviour to maintain their wellbeing and to manage chronic diseases such as arthritis.
Health literacy allows patients to understand available treatments and to critically appraise information they obtain from a wide range of sources.
Aims.
To explore how arthritis patients' health literacy affects engagement in arthritis-focused health information-seeking behaviour and the selection of sources of health information available through their informal social network.
Methods.
An exploratory, qualitative study consisting of one-on-one semi-structured interviews.
Twenty participants with arthritis were recruited from community organizations.
The interviews were designed to elicit participants' understanding about their arthritis and arthritis medication and to determine how the participants' health literacy informed selection of where they found information about their arthritis and pain medication.
Results.
Participants with low health literacy were less likely to be engaged with health information-seeking behaviour.
Participants with intermediate health literacy were more likely to source arthritis-focused health information from newspapers, television, and within their informal social network.
Those with high health literacy sourced information from the internet and specialist health sources and were providers of information within their informal social network.
Conclusion.
Health professionals need to be aware that levels of engagement in health information-seeking behaviour and sources of arthritis-focused health information may be related to their patients' health literacy.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Ellis, Janette& Mullan, Judy& Worsley, Anthony& Pai, Nagesh. 2012. The Role of Health Literacy and Social Networks in Arthritis Patients' Health Information-Seeking Behavior : A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Family Medicine،Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-6.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-468898
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Ellis, Janette…[et al.]. The Role of Health Literacy and Social Networks in Arthritis Patients' Health Information-Seeking Behavior : A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Family Medicine No. 2012 (2012), pp.1-6.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-468898
American Medical Association (AMA)
Ellis, Janette& Mullan, Judy& Worsley, Anthony& Pai, Nagesh. The Role of Health Literacy and Social Networks in Arthritis Patients' Health Information-Seeking Behavior : A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Family Medicine. 2012. Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-6.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-468898
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-468898