title: Sharing Health Information and Influencing Behavioral Intentions: The Role of Health Literacy, Information Overload, and the Internet in the Diffusion of Healthy Heart Information.
abstract: Low health literacy remains an extremely common and problematic issue, given that individuals with lower health literacy are more likely to experience health challenges and negative health outcomes. In this study, we use the first three stages of the innovation-decision process found in the theory of diffusion of innovations (Rogers, 2003). We incorporate health literacy into a model explaining how perceived health knowledge, information sharing, attitudes, and behavior are related. Results show that health information sharing explains 33% of the variance in behavioral intentions, indicating that the communicative practice of sharing information can positively impact health outcomes. Further, individuals with high health literacy tend to share less information about heart health than those with lower health literacy. Findings also reveal that perceived heart-health knowledge operates differently than health literacy to predict health outcomes.
authors: a Department of Communication Studies , The University of Texas at Austin.
authors: Brittani
authors: B
authors: Crook
authors: a Department of Communication Studies , The University of Texas at Austin.
authors: Keri K
authors: KK
authors: Stephens
authors: a Department of Communication Studies , The University of Texas at Austin.
authors: Angie E
authors: AE
authors: Pastorek
authors: b Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations and Health Science Center , The University of Texas at Austin.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Mackert
authors: a Department of Communication Studies , The University of Texas at Austin.
authors: Erin E
authors: EE
authors: Donovan
mesh_terms: D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D058015:Health Communication; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020407:Internet