The evolution of NCI's Health Information National Trends Survey: methods, data, and future directions

Area of Science:

• Health Communication
• Cancer Control
• Population Sciences

Background:

• The Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) was established by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in 2003.
• It was developed in response to a 1997 conference recommendation for a population survey focused on health and cancer communication.
• HINTS is a nationally representative survey tracking public health information needs, access, use, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the evolution and impact of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS).
• To highlight the utility of HINTS datasets for secondary analysis in cancer control and population sciences.
• To showcase HINTS' adaptability in survey methodology and data collection formats.

Main Methods:

• HINTS is a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey of US adults (18+).
• Data collection has evolved, including changes in administration modes and oversampling specific populations.
• The program has expanded to include data linkages and a longitudinal panel.

Main Results:

• HINTS has been administered 17 times between 2003 and 2024.
• The survey collects data on public health information needs, access, use, and related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.
• Datasets can be analyzed individually or merged to examine trends and increase sample size.

Conclusions:

• HINTS provides valuable, long-term data on health and cancer communication trends.
• The survey's methodological evolution ensures its continued relevance in tracking emerging research areas.
• HINTS data supports a wide range of social and behavioral research questions in cancer control.