Lifestyle Segmentation to Explain the Online Health Information–Seeking Behavior of Older Adults: Representative Telephone Survey

• DOI: 10.2196/15099
• Publication Date: 2020-06-12T13:45:46Z
• Authors: Winja Weber; Anne Reinhardt; Constanze Rossmann
• Keywords: Male; Original Paper; Internet; Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics; Health Behavior; Information Seeking Behavior; R858-859.7; Middle Aged; Telephone; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Surveys and Questionnaires; Humans; Female; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Life Style

Background As a result of demographic changes, the number people aged 60 years and older has been increasing steadily. Therefore, adults have become more important as target group for health communication efforts. Various studies show that online information sources gained importance among younger adults, but we know little about health-related internet use senior citizens in general particular variables explaining their information–seeking behavior. Media indicate addition to sociodemographic variables, lifestyle factors might play role this context. Objective The aim study was examine people’s use. Our focused on explanatory potential types over above predict adults’ information. Methods A telephone survey conducted with random sample German (n=701) quota-allocated by gender, age, educational status, degree urbanity place residence. Results results revealed participants used infrequently (mean 1.82 [SD 1.07]), medical personnel 2.89 1.11]), family friends 2.86 1.21]), brochures 2.85 1.21]) were main hierarchical cluster analysis based values, interests, leisure time activities three different years: Sociable Adventurer, Average Family Person, Uninterested Inactive. After adding these second-step predictors regression model (step 1), explained variance increased significantly (R2=.02, P=.001), indicating Person Adventurer often than Inactive, attributes. Conclusions findings still plays only minor behavior adults. Nevertheless, there are subgroups including younger, active, down-to-earth family-oriented males may be reached suggest should taken into account when predicting