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Online Health Information Seeking and Preventative Health Actions: Cross-Generational Online Survey Study
1Department of Marketing & Logistics, College of Business, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States.
Journal of Medical Internet Research
|March 11, 2024
Summary
Digital natives and immigrants differ in online health information seeking (OHIS) types, but both generations engage similarly in preventative health actions. OHIS types mediate the link between generational differences and health actions, highlighting the need to understand evolving digital health behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Digital Health
- Health Communication
- Gerontology
Background:
- Online health information seeking (OHIS) is increasingly popular due to accessibility.
- Understanding generational differences in OHIS and subsequent health actions is crucial for effective health management.
- This study focuses on digital natives (18-42) and digital immigrants (≥43).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate variations in OHIS and preventative health actions between digital natives and immigrants.
- To explore the mediating role of OHIS types on generational differences in preventative health actions.
- To examine the moderating effects of OHI search frequency, gender, and chronic diseases.
Main Methods:
- A preregistered online survey was conducted on Prolific with 1137 US participants.
- Stratified sampling was used to recruit digital natives and digital immigrants.
- Analyses included ANCOVA, PROCESS Macro Model 4 for mediation, and linear regression.
Main Results:
- Generational differences in OHIS were observed: digital natives favored health wellness information, while digital immigrants preferred health guidance and management information.
- No significant differences in preventative health actions were found between generations.
- All OHIS types mediated the relationship between generational differences and preventative health actions.
Conclusions:
- This is the first study to compare OHIS and preventative health behaviors across two digital generations.
- Understanding these generational differences is vital as the older adult population grows.
- Tailoring online health information strategies for different age groups can enhance quality of life.
Keywords:
digital immigrantsdigital nativesmobile phoneonline health information seekingpreventative health actionsMore Related Videos
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