title: Women Empowerment through Health Information Seeking: A Qualitative Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Today, women empowering is an important issue.  Several methods have been introduced to empower women. Health information seeking is one of the most important activities in this regard. A wide range of capabilities have been reported as outcomes of health information seeking in several studies. As health information seeking is developed within personal-social interactions and also the health system context, it seems that the qualitative paradigm is appropriate to use in studies in this regard. This study aimed to explore how women's empowerment through health information seeking is done.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this qualitative content analysis study, data collection was done with regard to inclusion criteria, through purposive sampling by semi-structured interviews with 17 women and using documentation and field notes until data saturation. Qualitative data analysis was done constantly and simultaneous with data collection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four central themes were emerged to explain women's empowerment through health information seeking that included: a) Health concerns management with three subcategories of Better coping, Stress management, Control of situation, b) Collaborative care with two subcategories of Effective interaction with health professions and Participation in health decision making c) Individual development d) Self-protection with four sub- categories of Life style modification,  Preventive behaviors promoting, Self-care promoting, and  medication adherence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicate the importance of women empowerment through foraging their health information seeking rights and comprehensive health information management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery College, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Tehran, Iran;
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nikbakht Nasrabadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery College, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran;
authors.forename: Sakineh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabzevari
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery College, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Tayebeh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Negahban Bonabi
keywords: Empowerment; Health Information; Information Seeking; Women