• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.21-48
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• 2021

Today, with countless health information being accessible through online and offline, the public has been able to explore health-related information in various ways. The current study focuses on the information-seeking behavior of the mothers who actively explore information related to the health of their healthy infants (aged between 0 and 3 years). The researcher had conducted in-depth interviews of 24 American, Korean, and Korean immigrant mothers living in the United States, and then analyzed the sequential order of the information sources that they have used to search for the health-related information about their children. The current research highlights that the mothers' information-seeking pathways and searched topics tended to differ in accordance with their child(ren)'s health conditions (e.g., ill vs. healthy). For instance, regarding the information sources used, more diverse health information sources (e.g., public libraries, government health agencies, daycare teachers) were used when their child(ren) was not ill. In addition, when a child was ill, mothers were likely to focus on information about specific diseases or symptoms first, whereas when the child was healthy, they used to explore information on various health topics such as growth and development, nutrition and diets, parenting, and so on. Based on the results, implications for the information professionals are discussed when designing and providing health-related information services to mothers of healthy infants and toddlers.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.147-157
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• 2018

Objectives: The aim of this study is to measure health literacy levels and to identify health literacy related factors in vulnerable elders. Methods: The research design for this study was a descriptive survey design using convenience samples. Data collection was done by interviewing questionnaire with 200 elders from welfare centers in the cities. Data were analyzed by using percentage, Chi-square and multiple logistic regression with the IBM SPSS Statistics Ver. 24.0. Results: The results of this study are as follows: Vulnerable elders' sources of health information levels were very low, especially internet. In multiple logistic regression analysis, monthly income, sources of health information were significant accounted for OR 2.201, p<.05, OR 2.989, p< .01 health literacy. Conclusion: These results suggest that interventions for improving health literacy are necessary to enhance elders' finding of health information. Also, these results could be used in developing health literacy programs by internet.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.209-228
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• 2017

Previous studies have noted mothers' roles as active health information seekers, health managers, and caregivers for their family members. However, little is known about health information needs and seeking behaviors among Korean mothers of young children living in the United States. Using paper-based surveys, this study found that vaccination, child dental health, parenting, nutrition and diets, and physical exercise were ranked as the five most important health topics by the Korean mothers of young children aged 0 to 10 years old in this sample. Furthermore, this study revealed that mothers of boys evaluated the importance of two topics significantly higher than those of girls: circumcision (t=3.16, p < .01) and breastfeeding (t=2.47, p < .05). Also, age of child was an important factor influencing mothers' information needs in three health topics: child dental health (F=5.292, p < .01), physical exercise (F=7.107, p < .01), and child skin care (F=5.640, p < .01). Implications for developing health information services are also discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.231-250
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• 2021

Despite the increasing number of international students in Korea, there is a lack of research on the health information-seeking behavior of international students. This study examined the health information search behavior of international students in Korea through a questionnaires and in-depth interviews adopting Critical Incident Technique. Most frequent health information needs that the participants experienced were related to Covid-19 and locating doctors/hospitals. The difficulties in seeking health information were language barriers, lack of knowledge of the Korean medical system, insufficient or overflowing information on the Internet. However, despite the language barrier, international students mainly used Korean sources (friends/family, websites, social media) for searching health information. In order to search health information on Korean websites, they used Google Translator or got help from bilingual friends/family members. The participants who have lived in Korea for a shorter period of time or who have lower Korean language proficiency tend to obtain health information through the community on social networks; whereas the longer the period of residence in Korea and the better the Korean language proficiency, the more likely to use websites. Only 28% of the participants gave positive answers to the question asking their confidence in finding the health information they needed. It is discussed how to help international students find accurate and credible health information.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.161-181
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• 2017

The present study aimed at investigating health information seeking behaviors of health information consumers who changed their health behaviors by using mobile health applications according to the dynamic stages of change. For this purpose, the study analyzed the changes of perception, health information needs and seeking behaviors of health information consumers in each stage by employing Stages of Change as a theoretical framework. A total of 30 college students participated in this study to change health behaviors such as smoking or alcohol cessation, and regular exercise, while using health applications for 3 months; then written interviews were conducted with these students based on their experiences. Findings indicated that the study participants used diverse information sources, including social media and the Internet, seeking for different types of sources of information according to information needs. Above all, the health information needs and seeking behaviors examined in active utilization of health applications by consumers in the stage of action suggest the implications of health information services, particularly through health applications. In addition, stress management and relapse that consumers experienced while attempting health behavior changes, and the positive and negative effects of behavior changes inform health information providers of insights for supporting consumers' changes of health behaviors.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.389-409
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors affecting female college students' behaviors in seeking reproductive health information on the Internet and to explore the relationships among these factors. Based on the Health Belief Model(HBM) and the Theory of Planned Behavior(TPB), perceived sensitivity, perceived severity, perceived benefit, perceived barriers, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and affective evaluation were defined as key factors, and the study was designed accordingly. An online survey was distributed to female college students in Seoul through the university student's online community, 'Everytime.' The results showed that the intention of female college students to seek reproductive health information via the Internet was associated with higher perceived sensitivity, perceived benefit, and subjective norms, and lower perceived barriers. There were statistically significant differences between groups in terms of sexual experiences, experience with reproductive system disorders, and the level of health interest. We believe that this research outcome will contribute to assessing the level of awareness regarding reproductive health among female college students, thereby aiding in the development of online health information literacy education or related service programs by university libraries, health institutions, and similar entities targeting female college students.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.167-187
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• 2019

Information behavior (IB) research in LIS and Health Information Seeking Behavior (HISB) in Health Medicine are two subject areas of research that have matured in the past few decades. This research aimed to compare these two research areas using a bibliometric approach. To conduct this study two distinct datasets were created using the Scopus database: a) bibliographic records of IB in the LIS domain, and b) bibliographic records of the HISB domain. The bibliometric analysis was performed according to the following criteria: published papers, citations, journal articles, author keywords, unique words in the title, words preceding "information" in the title, words preceding "study" in the title, and author keywords along with index keywords. As a result, the major differences in the two IB research areas were evident in terms of definitions, main focus, and general demographic groups. These varying types of differences suggest that researchers of the two areas should have flexibility when examining issues related to IB by considering the context and the unique distinction between the two fields.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.161-181
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• 2019

People begin to recognize sexual orientation or gender identity in adolescence, and adolescents frequently use an accessible and anonymous anonymity knowledge retrieval community to explore sensitive health information about gender. This study attempted to observe their information search behavior based on questions and answers about adolescents' gender identity in the knowledge retrieval community. First, we wanted to examine their information needs and to investigate what factors they preferred to answer by comparing the characteristics of the answers adopted with the non-adopted answers among the answers provided in the questions they shared. To this end, Naver, Korea's representative knowledge search community. In Knowledge-iN, a total of 358 sets of data were analyzed, consisting of responses adopted over three years from January 2016 to December 2018. As a result, adolescents with concerns about gender identity demanded information about definition or confusion about gender identity. In the responses adopted by the users, the factors that gave empathy and positive feelings were higher than those that were not adopted, whereas the negative responses were higher in the unaccepted answers. This study is meaningful in that it analyzes the information needs and information search behaviors of adolescents with no established gender identity, expands the discussion in the information search field, and confirms cognitive and emotional models for information evaluation of health information users. Also, based on the research results, we propose practical implications for effective information services on gender identity that social media should provide to young people.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.279-300
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• 2021

The present study aimed to investigate the information needs and information seeking behavior of consumers who attempted to quit or maintain the ceasing of smoking and analyze the effects of the health information obtained at different stages. In particular, we examined how consumers use mobile health applications(health apps) as aids to change unhealthy behaviors and how their use of health apps influence health behavior changes. For 7 months from December 2017 to July 2018, the researchers observed changes in smoking behaviors of college students who use smoking-cessation apps and conducted face-to-face interviews. Regarding the effects of smoking-cessation apps, the participants in the action stage reported that they were encouraged to quit smoking by visualized information such as the number of days of smoking cessation, change of health status, and the saving of money due to smoking cessation. The participants in the maintenance stage highlighted that smoking cessation apps were helpful in recognizing the importance and achievement of smoking cessation by sharing experiences and social support with other attempters in the app community. The study provided theoretical implications in the field of information behavior in that it identified the particular types of information needs and information-seeking behavior of the consumers who were using mobile apps in their behavior modification process. In addition, those findings can contribute to designing the contents of the smoking cessation apps that reflect the information needs of those who attempt to cease smoking and further suggest practical insights to health information services that promote effective information intervention strategies in health behavior change.

• Global Health & Nursing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.48-59
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• 2019

Purpose: Based on the salutogenetic model, the purpose of this study was to identify the levels of health-related information-seeking behavior, and the level of the health locus of control (HLC), sense of coherence (SOC), and self-rated health (SRH) among Korean patients with colorectal cancer, and to identify the factors influencing SRH. Methods: Using a correlation study design, 122 patients with colorectal cancer were recruited. A self-reported questionnaire was used to assess the participants' health-related information-seeking behavior, HLC, SOC, and SRH. Results: Most participants reported health-related information-seeking behaviors. The most frequently sought information included cancer diets, how to improve overall health, therapy methods, and carcinogenesis or metastasis. Throughout the process, participants were concerned about the quality of the information. Patients with information-seeking behaviors reported lower scores in powerful and chance HLC. SRH scores were influenced by being male, not being in a metastasis state, not having a colostomy, and higher SOC scores. Conclusion: Subjective health among patients with colorectal cancer is better if patients are male, have not had a colostomy, and have higher levels of SOC. Further studies need to explore the impact of information-seeking behavior on the health status of these patients in a longitudinal study design.