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Exploring the Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior in a Sample of Italian Women: The “SEI Donna” Study

Author

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  • Loredana Covolo

    (Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, Section of Public Health and Human Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa, 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy)

  • Miriam Guana

    (Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, School of Midwifery, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy)

  • Guglielmo Bonaccorsi

    (Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy)

  • Laura Brunelli

    (Department of Medicine, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
    Quality and Accreditation Unit, Friuli Centrale Healthcare University Trust, 33100 Udine, Italy)

  • Silvana Castaldi

    (Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
    Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda OMP Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Antonella De Donno

    (Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Alessandra Mereu

    (Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy)

  • Marco Verani

    (Department of Biology, University of Pisa, 56127 Pisa, Italy)

  • Umberto Gelatti

    (Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, Section of Public Health and Human Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa, 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy)

Abstract

There is much discussion about the skills of people in understanding and managing online health information. The Italian survey “SEI Donna” aimed to investigate perceptions and use of the web in women regarding health issues considering their health literacy (HL) and healthcare skills. We used an online questionnaire to explore different aspects of online health-related information-seeking behavior. The study participants ( n = 7027) were categorized into healthcare workers (HW), healthcare students (HS), and non-healthcare women (non-HW). Half the sample (52%) searched online for a second opinion after the medical examination without statistical difference among HW, HS, and non-HW. Women in the age range of 26–40 years (OR = 1.28, p < 0.001), having chronic illness (OR = 1.48; p < 0.001), and being moderately (OR = 1.58; p < 0.001) or not satisfied (OR = 2.04; p < 0.001) with healthcare professionals were more likely to use the Internet to seek medical insight. Overall, 34% of women had a functional HL, the same being higher in HW (64%) and in HS (43%) than the rest of the women (18%) ( p < 0.0001). The suboptimal HL suggests the need to improve HL in the general population to be skilled in surfing the web and, at the same time, to reorganize health training to improve the HL of healthcare professionals, also enriching their communication skills.

Suggested Citation

  • Loredana Covolo & Miriam Guana & Guglielmo Bonaccorsi & Laura Brunelli & Silvana Castaldi & Antonella De Donno & Alessandra Mereu & Marco Verani & Umberto Gelatti, 2022. "Exploring the Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior in a Sample of Italian Women: The “SEI Donna” Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-18, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:8:p:4745-:d:793715
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Heidi J. Larson, 2018. "The biggest pandemic risk? Viral misinformation," Nature, Nature, vol. 562(7727), pages 309-309, October.
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