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Proxy Information Seeking by Users of a Parenting Information Website: Quantitative Observational Study
Reem El Sherif1, Pierre Pluye1, Tibor Schuster1
1Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting
|March 7, 2022
Summary
Parents and their social circles (entourage) use online parenting information differently. Parents use it for understanding and decision-making, while the entourage uses it for discussion and child well-being.
Area of Science:
- Consumer health information seeking behaviors
- Digital health literacy among parents
- Proxy information seeking outcomes
Background:
- Parents and their social networks actively seek health information online.
- Understanding the outcomes of this proxy seeking behavior is limited.
- Parenting websites are a key source for this information.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe consumer health information outcomes reported by proxy seekers.
- To compare information use between parents and their entourage.
- To explore how access method influences reported outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A 2-year quantitative observational study was conducted in Canada.
- Participants included parents and their entourage accessing a parenting website or newsletter.
- A content-validated Information Assessment Method questionnaire was used to gather data on information use outcomes.
Main Results:
- Individuals in the entourage were more likely to use information for discussion.
- Parents were more likely to use information for understanding and decision-making.
- Active website users reported greater benefits in worry reduction and problem-solving, while newsletter users focused on child well-being.
Conclusions:
- Information providers should tailor content to meet diverse user needs.
- Healthcare practitioners can leverage online resources to reach patients' social networks.
- Understanding proxy information seeking enhances health information dissemination strategies.
Keywords:
child developmentchild healthconsumer health informationdigital healthhealth informationinformation outcomesinformation seeking behavioronline informationparentingMore Related Videos
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