Main Article Content
Abstract
In an era of plentiful digital health information, public health communication strategies must understand how young consumers find and share health content. The Health Belief Model (HBM) is used to examine health information behavior in 18-29-year-olds. A quantitative technique was used to poll young individuals from varied demographics online. Survey tool used HBM structures. The HBM helps explain young consumers' health information practices. Findings imply that improving perceived advantages, eliminating barriers, and strengthening information appraisal self-efficacy may improve young adult health information engagement. These insights should help public health communicators customize initiatives to this demographic's beliefs and motives. Implications: This study adds to the literature on digital health communication and can help health educators, policymakers, and digital platform developers increase health literacy and information distribution among young consumers.
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References
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- Becker, J.-M., Klein, K. and Wetzels, M. (2012), “Hierarchical latent variable models in PLS-SEM: guidelines for using reflective-formative type models”, Long Range Planning, Vol. 45 Nos 5/6, pp. 359-394. Bratland, K. M., Wien, C., & Sandanger, T. M. (2024). Exploring Online Health Information Seeking Behaviour (OHISB) among young adults: A scoping review protocol. BMJ open, 14(1), e074894. Choi, H. S., & Lee, J. E. (2023). Factors affecting COVID-19 preventive behaviors of young adults based on eHealth literacy and the Health Belief Model: a cross-sectional study. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 60, 00469580231159487. Feinberg, I., Aycock, D. M., Tighe, E. L., & Detamore, D. (2024). Outreach for Young Adult African Americans with Risk Factors for Stroke. HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice, 8(1), e38-e46.
- Hair, J.F., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J. and Anderson, R.E. (2010), Multivarite Data Analysis, 7th ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. Jia, X., Pang, Y., & Liu, L. S. (2021, December). Online health information seeking behavior: a systematic review. In Healthcare (Vol. 9, No. 12, p. 1740). MDPI. Lalazaryan, A., & Zare-Farashbandi, F. (2014). A Review of models and theories of health information seeking behavior. International Journal of Health System and Disaster Management, 2(4), 193-193. Lee, C., Choi, Y., Kim, K., Lim, Y., Im, H., & Hong, S. J. (2023). Health-promoting behavior among undergraduate students in the COVID-19 era: Its association with problematic use of social media, social isolation, and online health information-seeking behavior. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 45, 1-6. Makesh, D., & Rajasekhar, S. (2020). A Study of Health Information Search Behaviour and Its Application among Young Adults. Indian Journal of Youth and Adolescent Health (E-ISSN: 2349-2880), 7(1), 1-6. Malik, A., Islam, T., Ahmad, M., & Mahmood, K. (2023). Health information seeking and sharing behavior of young adults on social media in Pakistan. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 55(3), 579-595. Malik, A., Islam, T., Ahmad, M., & Mahmood, K. (2023). Health information seeking and sharing behavior of young adults on social media in Pakistan. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 55(3), 579-595.
- Massey, P. M., Prelip, M. L., & Contreras, R. D. (2021). Understanding the health information seeking behaviors of adolescents on social media: Implications for health promotion interventions. Journal of Adolescent Health, 69(5), 855-862. Nan, X., Wang, Y., & Thier, K. (2022). Why do people believe health misinformation and who is at risk? A systematic review of individual differences in susceptibility to health misinformation. Social Science & Medicine, 314, 115398.
- Nunnally, J.C. and Bernstein, I.H. (1994), Psychometric Theory, 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. Orji, R., Vassileva, J., & Mandryk, R. (2012). Towards an effective health interventions design: an extension of the health belief model. Online journal of public health informatics, 4(3), e61050.
- Paige, S. R., Krieger, J. L., & Stellefson, M. (2020). The influence of eHealth literacy on perceived benefits and barriers to online health information. Frontiers in Public Health, 8, 385.
- Pariera, K. L., & Brody, E. V. (2018). “Testing the waters”: Barriers to discussing sexual health topics with health care providers in emerging adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Health, 62(3), 246-251. Park, J. H., Gu, B., Leung, A. C. M., & Konana, P. (2014). An investigation of information sharing and seeking behaviors in online investment communities. Computers in Human Behavior, 31, 1-12. Shang, L., Zhou, J., & Zuo, M. (2021). Understanding older adults' intention to share health information on social media: the role of health belief and information processing. Internet Research, 31(1), 100-122. Silver, R. A., & Johnson, C. (2023). Health Information Seeking Behavior on Social Networking Sites and Self-Treatment: Pilot Survey Study. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 15, e51984.
- Smith, S. G., Yang, J., & Salerno, J. (2019). Adolescents' perceived susceptibility to health risks: An integrative review. Journal of Adolescent Health, 65(5), 641-649.
- Stellefson, M., Hanik, B., Chaney, B., & Chaney, D. (2020). eHealth literacy among college students: A systematic review with implications for eHealth education. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(10), e20368.
- Tam, C. C., Li, X., Li, X., Wang, Y., & Lin, D. (2023). Adherence to preventive behaviors among college students during COVID-19 pandemic in China: The role of health beliefs and COVID-19 stressors. Current Psychology, 42(20), 17280-17290. Tang, Y., Luo, C., & Su, Y. (2024). Understanding health misinformation sharing among the middle-aged or above in China: roles of social media health information seeking, misperceptions and information processing predispositions. Online Information Review, 48(2), 314-333. Tasnim, S., Hossain, M. M., & Mazumder, H. (2020). Impact of rumors and misinformation on COVID-19 in social media. Journal of preventive medicine and public health, 53(3), 171-174. Wang, W., Zhuang, X., & Shao, P. (2020, July). Exploring health information sharing behavior of Chinese elderly adults on WeChat. In Healthcare (Vol. 8, No. 3, p. 207). Witte, K., & Allen, M. (2000). A meta-analysis of fear appeals: Implications for effective public health campaigns. Health education & behavior, 27(5), 591-615. Xu, X., Li, H., & Shan, S. (2021). Understanding the health behavior decision-making process with situational theory of problem solving in online health communities: the effects of health beliefs, message credibility, and communication behaviors on health behavioral intention. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4488. Yastica, T. V., Salma, S. A., Caesaron, D., Safrudin, Y. N., & Pramadya, A. R. (2020, December). Application of theory planned behavior (TPB) and health belief model (HBM) in COVID-19 prevention: a literature review. In 2020 6th International Conference on Interactive Digital Media (ICIDM) (pp. 1-4). IEEE.
- Yoo, W., Choi, D. H., & Park, K. (2020). The effects of health information sharing on social networking sites: An integrated model of social support and social capital. Journal of Health Communication, 25(12), 913-922. Vchhh. Zewdie, A., Mose, A., Sahle, T., Bedewi, J., Gashu, M., Kebede, N., & Yimer, A. (2022). The health belief model’s ability to predict COVID-19 preventive behavior: A systematic review. SAGE open medicine, 10, 20503121221113668. Zimmerman, M. S., & Shaw Jr, G. (2020). Health information seeking behaviour: a concept analysis. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 37(3), 173-191. Zhang, L., & Jiang, S. (2021). Linking health information seeking to patient-centered communication and healthy lifestyles: an exploratory study in China. Health Education Research, 36(2), 248-260. Zhao, Y. C., Zhao, M., & Song, S. (2022). Online health information seeking among patients with chronic conditions: integrating the health belief model and social support theory. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(11), e42447.
References
Ahadzadeh, A. S., Pahlevan Sharif, S., & Sim Ong, F. (2018). Online health information seeking among women: the moderating role of health consciousness. Online Information Review, 42(1), 58-72. Alagili, D. E., & Bamashmous, M. (2021). The Health Belief Model as an explanatory framework for COVID-19 prevention practices. Journal of infection and public h
Becker, J.-M., Klein, K. and Wetzels, M. (2012), “Hierarchical latent variable models in PLS-SEM: guidelines for using reflective-formative type models”, Long Range Planning, Vol. 45 Nos 5/6, pp. 359-394. Bratland, K. M., Wien, C., & Sandanger, T. M. (2024). Exploring Online Health Information Seeking Behaviour (OHISB) among young adults: A scoping review protocol. BMJ open, 14(1), e074894. Choi, H. S., & Lee, J. E. (2023). Factors affecting COVID-19 preventive behaviors of young adults based on eHealth literacy and the Health Belief Model: a cross-sectional study. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 60, 00469580231159487. Feinberg, I., Aycock, D. M., Tighe, E. L., & Detamore, D. (2024). Outreach for Young Adult African Americans with Risk Factors for Stroke. HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice, 8(1), e38-e46.
Hair, J.F., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J. and Anderson, R.E. (2010), Multivarite Data Analysis, 7th ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. Jia, X., Pang, Y., & Liu, L. S. (2021, December). Online health information seeking behavior: a systematic review. In Healthcare (Vol. 9, No. 12, p. 1740). MDPI. Lalazaryan, A., & Zare-Farashbandi, F. (2014). A Review of models and theories of health information seeking behavior. International Journal of Health System and Disaster Management, 2(4), 193-193. Lee, C., Choi, Y., Kim, K., Lim, Y., Im, H., & Hong, S. J. (2023). Health-promoting behavior among undergraduate students in the COVID-19 era: Its association with problematic use of social media, social isolation, and online health information-seeking behavior. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 45, 1-6. Makesh, D., & Rajasekhar, S. (2020). A Study of Health Information Search Behaviour and Its Application among Young Adults. Indian Journal of Youth and Adolescent Health (E-ISSN: 2349-2880), 7(1), 1-6. Malik, A., Islam, T., Ahmad, M., & Mahmood, K. (2023). Health information seeking and sharing behavior of young adults on social media in Pakistan. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 55(3), 579-595. Malik, A., Islam, T., Ahmad, M., & Mahmood, K. (2023). Health information seeking and sharing behavior of young adults on social media in Pakistan. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 55(3), 579-595.
Massey, P. M., Prelip, M. L., & Contreras, R. D. (2021). Understanding the health information seeking behaviors of adolescents on social media: Implications for health promotion interventions. Journal of Adolescent Health, 69(5), 855-862. Nan, X., Wang, Y., & Thier, K. (2022). Why do people believe health misinformation and who is at risk? A systematic review of individual differences in susceptibility to health misinformation. Social Science & Medicine, 314, 115398.
Nunnally, J.C. and Bernstein, I.H. (1994), Psychometric Theory, 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. Orji, R., Vassileva, J., & Mandryk, R. (2012). Towards an effective health interventions design: an extension of the health belief model. Online journal of public health informatics, 4(3), e61050.
Paige, S. R., Krieger, J. L., & Stellefson, M. (2020). The influence of eHealth literacy on perceived benefits and barriers to online health information. Frontiers in Public Health, 8, 385.
Pariera, K. L., & Brody, E. V. (2018). “Testing the waters”: Barriers to discussing sexual health topics with health care providers in emerging adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Health, 62(3), 246-251. Park, J. H., Gu, B., Leung, A. C. M., & Konana, P. (2014). An investigation of information sharing and seeking behaviors in online investment communities. Computers in Human Behavior, 31, 1-12. Shang, L., Zhou, J., & Zuo, M. (2021). Understanding older adults' intention to share health information on social media: the role of health belief and information processing. Internet Research, 31(1), 100-122. Silver, R. A., & Johnson, C. (2023). Health Information Seeking Behavior on Social Networking Sites and Self-Treatment: Pilot Survey Study. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 15, e51984.
Smith, S. G., Yang, J., & Salerno, J. (2019). Adolescents' perceived susceptibility to health risks: An integrative review. Journal of Adolescent Health, 65(5), 641-649.
Stellefson, M., Hanik, B., Chaney, B., & Chaney, D. (2020). eHealth literacy among college students: A systematic review with implications for eHealth education. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(10), e20368.
Tam, C. C., Li, X., Li, X., Wang, Y., & Lin, D. (2023). Adherence to preventive behaviors among college students during COVID-19 pandemic in China: The role of health beliefs and COVID-19 stressors. Current Psychology, 42(20), 17280-17290. Tang, Y., Luo, C., & Su, Y. (2024). Understanding health misinformation sharing among the middle-aged or above in China: roles of social media health information seeking, misperceptions and information processing predispositions. Online Information Review, 48(2), 314-333. Tasnim, S., Hossain, M. M., & Mazumder, H. (2020). Impact of rumors and misinformation on COVID-19 in social media. Journal of preventive medicine and public health, 53(3), 171-174. Wang, W., Zhuang, X., & Shao, P. (2020, July). Exploring health information sharing behavior of Chinese elderly adults on WeChat. In Healthcare (Vol. 8, No. 3, p. 207). Witte, K., & Allen, M. (2000). A meta-analysis of fear appeals: Implications for effective public health campaigns. Health education & behavior, 27(5), 591-615. Xu, X., Li, H., & Shan, S. (2021). Understanding the health behavior decision-making process with situational theory of problem solving in online health communities: the effects of health beliefs, message credibility, and communication behaviors on health behavioral intention. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4488. Yastica, T. V., Salma, S. A., Caesaron, D., Safrudin, Y. N., & Pramadya, A. R. (2020, December). Application of theory planned behavior (TPB) and health belief model (HBM) in COVID-19 prevention: a literature review. In 2020 6th International Conference on Interactive Digital Media (ICIDM) (pp. 1-4). IEEE.
Yoo, W., Choi, D. H., & Park, K. (2020). The effects of health information sharing on social networking sites: An integrated model of social support and social capital. Journal of Health Communication, 25(12), 913-922. Vchhh. Zewdie, A., Mose, A., Sahle, T., Bedewi, J., Gashu, M., Kebede, N., & Yimer, A. (2022). The health belief model’s ability to predict COVID-19 preventive behavior: A systematic review. SAGE open medicine, 10, 20503121221113668. Zimmerman, M. S., & Shaw Jr, G. (2020). Health information seeking behaviour: a concept analysis. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 37(3), 173-191. Zhang, L., & Jiang, S. (2021). Linking health information seeking to patient-centered communication and healthy lifestyles: an exploratory study in China. Health Education Research, 36(2), 248-260. Zhao, Y. C., Zhao, M., & Song, S. (2022). Online health information seeking among patients with chronic conditions: integrating the health belief model and social support theory. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(11), e42447.