Health information-seeking behavior in patients with coronary artery disease: Activating methods

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Health Behavior Research
• Health Literacy Studies

Background:

• Coronary artery disease (CAD) presents significant global mortality risks, necessitating continuous patient self-management and health information utilization.
• Effective long-term CAD management hinges on patients' ability to access and understand health-related information.
• Understanding health information-seeking behavior is a prerequisite for improving patient engagement in CAD care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors influencing health information-seeking behavior in patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease.
• To investigate the relationship between health literacy levels and the engagement in health information-seeking behaviors among CAD patients.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from the 2021 Korea Medical Panel Survey.
• Application of logistic regression analysis to determine predictors of health information-seeking behavior in CAD patients.

Main Results:

• Health information-seeking behavior in CAD patients varies based on demographic characteristics and preferred information sources.
• Significantly lower health literacy was a primary barrier, with patients exhibiting insufficient literacy being far less likely to seek health information (OR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.09-0.33; p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Interventions and educational programs aimed at enhancing health literacy are essential for improving health information-seeking behaviors in CAD patients.
• Targeted strategies to boost health literacy can empower patients to better manage their condition and engage more effectively with health information.