► The characteristics of those individuals who seek health information online for themselves differ from those who seek for themselves and others (surrogate seekers). ► The markers of caregiving are positively associated with surrogate seeking. ► Self- and surrogate-seekers differ in their patterns of online health information seeking. ► Findings provide a foundation for intervention research in the realm of computer tailored health interventions for caregivers.
Internet access is prevalent in the United States [9], [21]. In 2005, a majority of adult Americans had access to the Internet [33]. Even more users have access to the Internet now through their mobile phones [36]. The Internet has great potential to support health care and self-care [3], [5], [23], [33]. A majority of Internet users have reported searching the Internet for health information, with some estimates of 40–70% of Internet users or 90–160 million people using the Internet for this purpose [6], [8], [10], [19], [33]. Internet health information has the potential to influence health behaviors and outcomes.
In addition to searching for themselves, many Internet information seekers are also surrogates who seek health information for others in their social network. Findings from the Pew Internet and American Life Project health survey (2002 and 2008) indicated that 57% and 56%, respectively, of users reported acting as surrogate health information seekers [15], [18]. Previous studies have not compared surrogate-seekers to those information seekers who seek only for themselves (self seekers). Who are these surrogate seekers? Are surrogate seekers caregivers for sick patients or concerned with the health status of their friend or family? What information are surrogate seekers looking for online and does the information found online impact surrogate seekers similarly to self seekers? Answering these questions will assist in the development of Internet interventions that better support the needs of surrogate seekers.
In this paper, we report our analysis of data from the Pew Internet & American Life Project [18], a nationally representative dataset collected in 2008. Our primary objective was to compare self seekers versus those that acted as surrogate seekers. We sought factors independently associated with surrogate seeking and the types of information they sought.
Our analysis was conducted using data from the Pew Internet and American Life Project November/December 2008 Health Survey [18]. Telephone interviews were conducted in English and Spanish by Princeton Survey Research Associates International between November 19 and December 20, 2008. The data was primarily collected to describe Internet use and health information seeking. In this more detailed secondary analysis, we took the opportunity to compare those who reported seeking for themselves with
Our final sample included 1250 information seekers who reported looking for health information online. Out of these, 56% (N = 705) reported looking for health information for others the last time they sought health information on the Internet.
Using the Pew Internet and American Life study, we found that looking for health information for others online (surrogate seeking) was common. This is consistent with prior reports using multiple measures of health information seeking including a proximal marker (the last time you went online…) or a longer time period (within the past year). Expanding beyond prior research, we demonstrated that race, a common disparity to Internet access, was not different among surrogate seeking and
The Internet provides the opportunity to influence the health of a significant proportion of the population. Internet information seekers look for information for themselves as well as others. Studies which seek to further understand these Internet information seekers will enhance our ability to design and implement more effective Internet-based interventions. Our findings, based on analysis of the Pew Internet and American Life Project November/December 2008 Health Survey, provide further
RSS conducted the data analysis with the oversight of TKH and JA, and drafted the initial manuscript along with K. TKH reviewed and approved the final draft. SCL, SLS, TKH, and JA participated in the critical review, edited, and approved the final draft.
The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Summary points What was already known on the topic: It is estimated that around 200 million individuals in the United States now have online access, thus making the Internet a potential mode in which to influence health behaviors. Past research has demonstrated that characteristics (race, age, etc.) may be influential to online health-seeking behaviors. Yet, there has been no distinction made between individuals who seek health information
