Information-strained, social media-oriented, and patient-centered seekers: a latent profile analysis of health information seeking

This study explored latent profiles related to health information seeking (HIS), examined their associations between demographic characteristics and profile membership, and investigated differences in health-related outcomes among the identified profiles. Three indicators were used to identify latent profiles related to health information seeking: negative health information-seeking experience, use of health-specific social media, and patient-centered communication. Data were collected from the sixth cycle of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6), which investigates cancer-related information and health communication behaviors among adults in the United States ( N = 1,614). This study identified three distinct profiles of health information seeking: information-strained seekers ( n = 353, 21.9%), social media-oriented seekers ( n = 681, 42.2%), and patient-centered seekers ( n = 580, 35.9%). These three profiles demonstrated different patterns across the indicators of health information seeking, but were not associated with demographic characteristics such as gender, education, income, employment status, or history of cancer. Patient-centered seekers reported higher levels of patient activation, general health status, and trust in doctors and scientists as sources of health information compared to other profiles. The two profiles with higher levels of health-specific social media use, information-strained seekers and social media-oriented seekers, reported higher scores on cancer salience and beliefs about cancer. However, cancer screening intention and perceptions of the most responsible source to reduce misinformation did not differ among the three identified profiles. This study provides empirical evidence on subgroups of health information seekers that can inform the development of tailored strategies to enhance public health.