Study of health information needs among adolescents in Croatia shows distinct gender differences in information seeking behaviour

BACKGROUND

Understanding the health information needs of adolescents is the first step towards providing them with relevant information to aid them in their decision making regarding health issues.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study is to assess adolescents' needs, perceptions and sources of health information.

METHODS

Four hundred sixty-nine high school students in Osijek, Croatia, participated in this study by answering a questionnaire. The collected data were analysed using basic frequency and non-parametric statistical methods.

RESULTS

The most popular health topics identified by adolescents in our study were nutrition, diseases, depression, relationships, sexual intercourse and alcohol. Adolescents consider their parents the most reliable personal source of health information (72.0%), while they perceive the Internet as the main non-personal source of health information (29.8%). Adolescents wish to get more education about health issues at school (54.4%). Significant gender differences were found in adolescents' needs, perceptions and sources of health information.

CONCLUSIONS

It is important to provide adolescents with systematic institutional health education and improve health advisory services and library/information services to assist adolescents in locating health information and resolving their health related questions.

The use of mobile devices and applications for health information: A survey of Croatian students

This study aims to understand the information behaviours of youth seeking health information on mobile devices and to explore differences by prior knowledge, gender and grade level. A survey was conducted in two high schools in Osijek, Croatia. Results indicate that among the total 408 participants, 84.3% reported having used mobile devices for health information and 54.7% reported having used applications for health information. Students seek health information about physical activity and eating issues/nutrition mostly on mobile devices. Students with more prior medical knowledge tend to have more information needs, perceive mobile devices as more beneficial, search health information and use health-related applications more frequently, and consider the tracking/recording/monitoring feature of applications more useful. Students with less prior medical knowledge tend to consider the video feature of applications more useful. Students rely heavily on searching health topics in search engines on mobile devices, rather than browsing or using applications. This study provides implications to better assist young people in using mobile devices and applications to manage their health issues.

Health information behaviour of rare disease patients: seeking, finding and sharing health information

BACKGROUND

Rare disease patients find independent health information seeking necessary due to the general lack of knowledge on rare diseases and inadequate information provision by health care professionals.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to describe distinctive aspects of health information behaviour of rare disease patients and specific challenges they face when seeking health information.

METHODS

A qualitative research approach was employed including semi-structured interviews that were analysed using thematic analysis. Fifteen respondents suffering from three different rare diseases participated in the study.

RESULTS

Health information behaviour of rare disease patients is characterised by independent and continuous health information seeking and sharing. Connecting with other patients and getting realistic insight into the condition after diagnosis, advice for everyday life, comfort and hope and confirmation that their symptoms are 'normal' are of particular importance. Lack of specific advice for daily life, inaccessible new knowledge, lack of information about drugs and encountering severe health information are common challenges patients face due to insufficient support from health care professionals.

CONCLUSION

Health information seeking and sharing are important aspects of rare disease patients' everyday life. Challenges they face could be overcome in cooperation with patient support groups, health care professionals and health information professionals.