Research on the Characteristics and Behavior Patterns of Surrogate Health Information Seekers in China Under the Internet Environment

Song Xiaokang; Zhao Yuxiang; Song Shijie; Zhu Qinghua

doi:10.13266/j.issn.0252-3116.2020.22.011

2020 , Vol. 64 >Issue 22: 107 - 117

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13266/j.issn.0252-3116.2020.22.011

Research on the Characteristics and Behavior Patterns of Surrogate Health Information Seekers in China Under the Internet Environment

Song Xiaokang ,
Zhao Yuxiang ,
Song Shijie ,
Zhu Qinghua

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1 School of Management and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093;
2 School of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094;
3 School of Information Management, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023

Received date: 2020-05-11

Revised date: 2020-07-13

Online published: 2020-11-20

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Abstract

[Purpose/significance] Using the Internet to seeking health information on behalf of others has become an important form of health information support for non-medical professionals.Understanding the characteristics and behavior patterns of surrogate health information seekers will be of positive significance to health information service and communication.[Method/process] In this paper, three aspects of individual characteristics of the participants were investigated, including demographic variables, health information seeking experience related variables and family structure related variables. And based on the 5W(Why-Who-When-Where-What) perspective, we analyzed the behavior patterns of surrogate health information seekers.In addition to semi-structured interview on why, other variables were measured by questionnaire.[Result/conclusion] The study found that 87.0% of online health information seekers had the surrogate health information seeking experience in the past 12 months. Surrogate health information seekers' characteristics includingfemale, only child, married, in good health condition, rich experience in online health information seeking, and family members with chronic diseases.The motivations of surrogate health information seekers include caring, altruism, etc. They are more likely to help people with strong social ties seeking for health information. Surrogate health information seekers help patients seeking health information online before they go to hospital. Surrogate health information seekers' information sources mainly include search engines, online health communities and online Q&A communities.They need more general information related to specific diseases, daily health care and treatment related information.

Key words： Internet; surrogate health information seeking; individual characteristics; behavior patterns; digital inequality

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Song Xiaokang , Zhao Yuxiang , Song Shijie , Zhu Qinghua . Research on the Characteristics and Behavior Patterns of Surrogate Health Information Seekers in China Under the Internet Environment[J]. Library and Information Service, 2020 , 64(22) : 107 -117 . DOI: 10.13266/j.issn.0252-3116.2020.22.011

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