Unpacking proxy information seeking of Chinese parents: A multigroup comparison of the extended comprehensive model of information seeking in the context of preventive healthcare

Abstract

Proxy health information seeking, where individuals search for health information on behalf of others, has emerged as a critical focus in health informatics research. The Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking (CMIS) provides an important theoretical framework to understand individuals’ proxy information seeking behaviors. Distinguished from previous CMIS research conducted in acute and life-threatening health contexts, this study examines proxy seeking in children's myopia management, a chronic condition characterized by sustained parental engagement and rich interpersonal communication. Drawing upon the unique features of preventive healthcare contexts, this study extends the CMIS by incorporating information-related factors (perceived informational norms and familiarity) and conducts a multigroup analysis based on interpersonal discussion levels. Based on structural equation modeling of survey data from Chinese parents of school-age children (N = 406), results reveal that health beliefs predict information utility and informational norms directly affect both utility and information seeking. Additionally, parents who highly engage in interpersonal discussions are influenced by perceived informational norms and familiarity to seek myopia information, while information utility exerts a pronounced impact on the information-seeking intention for those with low levels.Theoretically, this study extends the CMIS framework into the chronic preventive care context and incorporates the impacts of information-related factors. Practically, this study offers guidance for health communication practitioners, helping them design interventions to promote parental information seeking, while tailoring strategies to align with different levels of interpersonal discussion among parents.