Acquiring Health Information: Interpreting Terminology and Reported Search Sources

Abstract

This study examines two main topics concerning the acquisition of health-related information. One was to explore how people interpret some relatively common terms used in the labeling of prescription and non-prescription drugs, specifically focusing on the terms “family history” and “MAOI.” The second is to determine the sources people report they would use to gather health information, or specifically, where they would go to get health-related information associated with an iron supplement. The results show that “family history” evoked an interpretation of older more than the younger blood relatives. Few persons could report what monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) meant. People report being more likely to consult the Internet or a health professional than any of the other sources listed. Implications for better health-related information acquisition through better-designed warning systems are discussed.

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