Mobile Media and Trust in Sources of Health Information: A Comparative Study in 26 European Countries

The context in which people consume health information has changed with the diffusion of the mobile media. The interactive health communication influences the health care system with its information dissemination, health promotion and support for health services. The object of this study is to analyze the relationships between mobile media and the credibility of health sources. The health sources include health professionals, mass media, and family/friends. Mobile media have been conceptualized at two levels. The individual-level analysis sees mobile media as a medium through which users receive information, and examines how the individual use of mobile media affects users' perceived credibility of health sources. The country-level analysis sees mobile media as a context in which trust in health sources is constructed, and examines how mobile contexts affect perceived credibility of health sources. The individual-level data came from a large cross-national survey conducted by the European Barometer in May, 2016, which aims to investigate people's opinions about antibiotics. The country-level data have been obtained from the United Nations and the European Social Survey. All the data have been combined into the final sample, consisting of 25,896 respondents in 26 European countries. For the main effects, the mobile phone penetration is negatively related to health professionals but positively related to media and family or friends. The wireless broadband penetration is positively related to health professionals but negatively related to family or friends. The health performance is positively related to health professionals but negatively related to family or friends. The post-materialistic culture is negatively related to media.