title: Information Behavior and HIV Testing Intentions Among Young Men at Risk for HIV/AIDS.
abstract: Health research shows that knowing about health risks may not translate into behavior change. However, such research typically operationalizes health information acquisition with knowledge tests. Information scientists who investigate socially embedded information behaviors could help improve understanding of potential associations between information behavior-as opposed to knowledge-and health behavior formation, thus providing new opportunities to investigate the effects of health information. We examine the associations between information behavior and HIV testing intentions among young men who have sex with men (YMSM), a group with high rates of unrecognized HIV infection. We used the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to predict intentions to seek HIV testing in an online sample of 163 YMSM. Multiple regression and recursive path analysis were used to test two models: (a) the basic TPB model and (b) an adapted model that added the direct effects of three information behaviors (information exposure, use of information to make HIV-testing decisions, prior experience obtaining an HIV test) plus self-rated HIV knowledge. As hypothesized, our adapted model improved predictions, explaining more than twice as much variance as the original TPB model. The results suggest that information behaviors may be more important predictors of health behavior intentions than previously acknowledged.
authors.affiliation: School of Information, University of Michigan, 4429 North Quad, 105 South State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1285. cmeadow@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Chrysta C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Meadowbrooke
authors.affiliation: School of Information, University of Michigan, 4429 North Quad, 105 South State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1285. tveinot@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Tiffany C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Veinot
authors.affiliation: HIV/AIDS Resource Center, 3075 Clark Road, Suite 203, Ypsilanti, MI 48197. loveluck@hivaidsresource.org.
authors.forename: Jimena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loveluck
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029. ahickock@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hickok
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029. jbauerme@umich.edu.
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bauermeister