Health Information Seeking Behavior Among American Indian and Alaska Native Peoples

PurposeAmerican Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) peoples face disproportionate health risks. Understanding how AI/ANs seek out information can inform effective campaigns design that can help address these risks. We investigate preferred communication sources, health information seeking behavior (HISB), self-efficacy, perceived importance of health information, and prevention orientation of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs).DesignWe administered a survey at 3 cultural events.SettingThe National Tribal Health Conference in Bellevue, the University of Washington Winter and Spring Powwows in Seattle.SubjectsParticipants (N = 344) of the survey included people from tribes throughout the US, particularly from northwestern tribes.AnalysisIndependent samples t-tests and ANOVAs examined differences in HISB. Frequency analyses identified preferred health information. PROCESS tested the relationship between perceived importance and HISB, and moderation from prevention orientation and self-efficacy.ResultsPreferred health information source were doctor (M = 3.5), the internet (M = 3.32) and friends/relatives (M = 3.11). Females demonstrated more HISB than males (P < .01). Individuals with a college degree or higher showed greater HISB (P < .001). AI/ANs living on reservations (M = 2.34, SD = 1.53) preferred newspapers for health information more than those in metropolitan (M = 1.64, SD = .13) or rural areas (M = 1.45, SD = .16, P < .05). Perceived importance is a robust positive factor that predicts HISB (b = .48, t(315) = 9.67, P < .001).ConclusionThis study offers advice for scholars and practitioners to design messages to increase accessibility of health information.