Identity and the health information consumer: a research agenda

There is currently a need to better understand the impacts of emerging technologies used to support health and health information needs as they relate to users. In the discussion of health information searching behavior, human individual differences and identity are factors to be considered. Identity, specifically, is a key to understanding the health-related self-maintenance behaviors of individuals with a variety of illnesses. As a result, this position paper will identify a research program that supports the investigation of identity in the context of the human information consumer. A number of research questions will be posed that are meant to encourage further research, debate, and discussion around developing e-health technologies that are tailored to a patient’s individual health background and needs. Thus, beginning to situate the user appropriately within these characteristics is a challenge that will yield more understanding of the individual and increase the usability of the technology for health-related purposes.