Examining the relationship between flexible resources and health information source selection
Date
2012
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
This study examines how variations in flexible resources influence where individuals begin their search for health information. Variations in flexible resources can alter the accessibility of sources of health information, such as doctors and the Internet, by limiting the number of accessible, convenient, and trustworthy health information sources. Using the HINTS 2007 sample, I examine if information source utilization is predicted by the same factors in two groups with distinct levels of access to flexible resources, as measured by high and low levels of education. Variation in access to flexible resources is hypothesized to produce differences in coefficient strength and significance in predicting information source utilization. Four health information sources, including doctors, the Internet and print media serve as dependent variables. Logistic regression models were used to assess how a number of variables influence the probability of using each information source first in each of the two flexible resource groups. Results suggest that flexible resources can modify the information-seeking process by limiting easy access to the Internet via the digital divide, but it does not appear that diminished access to health insurance decreases utilization of doctors first. In all, few differences were found between the low and high flexible groups. Future research should take into account the distinctions between different offline sources while also seeking to further understand how social inequality relates to the utilization of different health information sources and corresponding health outcomes.