title: How consumers search for health information.
abstract: To date most of the research concerning consumer health information has focused on trust and quality of health information websites. In this research, we observed 48 consumers searching for four health-related topics (some of their own choosing) using Google. Using transaction logs, video screen capture, retrospective verbal protocols and self-reported questionnaires, we examined holistically the consumer's search process. Results indicate significant problems in query formulation and in making efficient selections from results lists.
authors: Centre for Management Informatics, Faculty of Management, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3J5. etoms@dal.ca
authors: Elaine G
authors: EG
authors: Toms
authors: Celeste
authors: C
authors: Latter
mesh_terms: D054626:Consumer Health Information; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D020407:Internet; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States