title: Digital inequalities of family life information seeking and family well-being among Chinese adults in Hong Kong: a population survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inequalities in Internet use and health information seeking are well documented, but less is known about information for family life activities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the social determinants of online family life information seeking behaviors and its associations with family well-being among Chinese adults in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  A probability-based telephone survey was conducted in 2012 to record family life information seeking behaviors, including frequency of seeking and paying attention to family life information, levels of trust, and perceived usefulness of family life information. Family well-being was assessed using 3 single items on perceived family harmony, happiness, and health, with higher scores indicating greater well-being. Adjusted odds ratios for family life information seeking behaviors by socioeconomic characteristics and lifestyle behaviors, and adjusted beta coefficients for family well-being by family life information seeking behaviors were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1537 respondents, 57.57% (855/1537) had ever and 26.45% (407/1537) sought monthly family life information through the Internet. Lower educational attainment and household income, smoking, and physical inactivity were associated with less frequent seeking and paying attention (all P<.05). Greater perceived family health was associated with more frequent attention (adjusted β=.32, 95% CI.11-.52), greater levels of trust (adjusted β=.28, 95% CI .07-.48), and perceived usefulness (adjusted β=.23, 95% CI .01-.45) of family life information. Frequent attention and higher level of trust were also associated with greater family harmony (adjusted β=.22, 95% CI .002-.41) and happiness (adjusted β=.23, 95% CI .003-.42), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study investigating family life information seeking behaviors and suggested inequalities of online family life information seeking behaviors. The association between family life information seeking behavior and family well-being needs to be confirmed in prospective studies.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China (Hong Kong).
authors.forename: Man Ping
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kasisomayajula
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Viswanath
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Tai Hing
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Sophia S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: family health; information seeking behavior; socioeconomic factors