Where Am I to Go? Use of the Internet for Consumer Health Information by Two Vulnerable Communities

Detlefsen, Ellen Gay

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/1733 Copy

Description

Title

Where Am I to Go? Use of the Internet for Consumer Health Information by Two Vulnerable Communities

Author(s)

Detlefsen, Ellen Gay

Issue Date

2004

Keyword(s)

• Consumer health information
• Health information
• Public services (Libraries)

Abstract

The elderly and African Americans are groups sometimes described as vulnerable or at risk for health complications, and both are communities for whom consumer health information is believed to be important. A review of recent research literature on the information behaviors of these two special populations is provided, and information is presented from the research literature about the use of the Internet by the elderly and by African Americans. Both groups seem to prefer information from their health care providers and/or from established sources, but both groups do seek consumer health information and are increasingly using the Internet for information searches. The characteristics of desirable Web-based consumer health information for these groups are presented, as well as tools or tips that are available for evaluating Web-based consumer health information for these special populations. Finally, specific consumer health Web sites that provide quality information and that are especially useful for the elderly and for African Americans are identified.

Publisher

Graduate School of Library and Information Science. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

ISSN

0024-2594

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/1733

Copyright and License Information

Copyright owned by Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2004.

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