Susan Perez|Richard L. Kravitz|Robert A. Bell|Man Shan Chan|Debora A. Paterniti
Characterizing internet health information seeking strategies by socioeconomic status: a mixed methods approach
University of California, Davis|University of California, Davis|University of California, Davis|University of California, Davis|University of California, Davis
internet valuable limited access health care services low cost wealth information objectives investigate internet used obtain healthrelated information individuals differing socioeconomic resources navigate presented health decisionstudy participants recruited public settings social service agencies participants listened one two clinical scenarios consistent influenza bacterial meningitis conducted internet search screencapture video software captured internet search participant internet search strategies analyzed coded pre postinternet search guess diagnosis information seeking patterns individuals college degree recruited locations offering social services categorized lower socioeconomic status ses remainder categorized higher ses participants 78 internet health information seekers ranging 2135 years age experienced barriers accessing health care serviceslowerses individuals likely use intuitive rather deliberative approach internet health information seeking lower higherses participants differ tendency make diagnostic guesses based internet searches lowerses participants likely higherses counterparts narrow scope searchour findings suggest individuals different levels socioeconomic status vary heuristics search patterns rely upon direct searches influence use credible information process making decision associated education prior experiences healthcare services limited resources may disadvantaged turning internet make health decision