title: We-Caring: Searching for Online Health Information by Italian Families.
abstract: Using data collected by the Italian National Institute of Statistics on 19,000 Italian adults who had accessed the Internet in 2013, our study investigates the interaction between online health information-seeking behaviors and family obligations among household members. The study presents a detailed picture of the likelihood of online health information searching according to health status and gendered family roles. Findings of binomial logistic regression models highlight that family obligations per se influence the probability of searching, regardless of the health of the seeker and that of family members. Illness, whether affecting the seeker or other individuals within the family network, proves to be another trigger for online health information seeking. Directions for future research and practical implications for public health organizations are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Political Sciences, Communication Sciences and Information Engineering , University of Sassari.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2820-2934
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cioni
authors.affiliation: a Department of Political Sciences, Communication Sciences and Information Engineering , University of Sassari.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5877-467X
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lovari
authors.affiliation: a Department of Political Sciences, Communication Sciences and Information Engineering , University of Sassari.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tronu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061108:Social Media; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires