Health information on the Internet and people living with HIV/AIDS: information evaluation and coping styles.
Individuals who seek information on the Internet to cope with chronic illness may be vulnerable to misinformation and unfounded claims. This study examined the association between health-related coping and the evaluation of health information. Men (n = 347) and women (n = 72) who were living with HIV/AIDS and reported currently using the Internet completed measures assessing their Internet use. Health Web sites downloaded from the Internet were also rated for quality of information. HIV-positive adults commonly used the Internet to find health information (66%) and to learn about clinical trials (25%); they also talked to their physicians about information found online (24%). In a multivariate analysis, assigning higher credibility to unfounded Internet information was predicted by lower incomes, less education, and avoidant coping styles. People who cope by avoiding health information may be vulnerable to misinformation and unfounded claims that are commonly encountered on the Internet.
Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA. seth.k@uconn.edu
Seth C
SC
Kalichman
Charsey
C
Cherry
Demetria
D
Cain
Lance S
LS
Weinhardt
Eric
E
Benotsch
Howard
H
Pope
Moira
M
Kalichman
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D015658:HIV Infections; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008490:Medical Informatics; D008875:Middle Aged