What Shapes Health Information Seeking Behavior Among Kenya’s Elderly Slum Dwellers

  • Geoffrey Gathii Njenga The Co-operative University of Kenya
Keywords: Elderly slum dwellers, health, information-seeking behavior, Kenya

Abstract

Abstract Views: 0

There is a strong correlation between media use and quality of life because various channels aid positive social change, including healthy eating in contemporary communities. This research highlights the essential attributes that influence the choice of media for elderly people in Kenya’s slums and how it influences their health-related knowledge in terms of the major variables that shape their health information-seeking behavior. Interviews and focus group discussions provided valuable insights into the underlying elements that shape health information-seeking behavior. It was found that anxiety, attitudes, self-efficacy, and health literacy were the major contributing elements that determined how the elderly utilized various health channels. Media can play a great role in the dissemination of quality health knowledge.  In this regard, boosting media channels for quality health knowledge dissemination may include adjusting radio content to address local needs for the elderly, strengthening social networks to enhance interpersonal communication, and involving all health stakeholders to improve the digital media navigation skills of the elderly.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Adu-Gyamfi, S., & Asante, E. A. (2022). Sources of information about COVID-19 among older adults in Ghana, 2019-2021. Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences, 16(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.5590/jsbhs.2022.16.1.01

Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. In D. T. Gilbert, S. T. Fiske, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (pp. 438–459). Sage Publications.

Arora, N. K., Hesse, B. W., Rimer, B. K., Viswanath, K., Clayman, M. L., & Croyle, R. T. (2008). Frustrated and confused: The American public rates its cancer-related information-seeking experiences. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 23, 223–228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-007-0406-y

Bandura, A., & Cervone, D. (1983). Self-evaluative and self-efficacy mechanisms governing the motivational effects of goal systems. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45(5), 1017–1028. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.45.5.1017

Bass, S. B., Ruzek, S. B., Gordon, T. F., Fleisher, L., McKeown-Conn, N., & Moore, D. (2006). Relationship of Internet health information use with patient behavior and self-efficacy: Experiences of newly diagnosed cancer patients who contact the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service. Journal of Health Communication, 11(2), 219–236. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730500526794

Blumler, J. G. & Katz, E. (1974). The uses of mass communications: Current perspectives on gratifications research. Sage Publications.

Brashers, D. E., Goldsmith, D. J., & Hsieh, E. (2002). Information seeking and avoiding in health contexts. Human Communication Research, 28(2), 258–271. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2002.tb00807.x

Callaghan, D. (2005). Healthy behaviors, self-efficacy, self-care, and basic conditioning factors in older adults. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 22(3), 169–178. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327655jchn2203_4

Çaylan, A., Yayla, K., Öztora, S., & Dağdeviren, H. N. (2017). Assessing health literacy, the factors affecting it and their relation to some health behaviors among adults. Biomedical Research (India), 28(15), 6803–6807.

Chaudhuri, S., Le, T., White, C., Thompson, H., & Demiris, G. (2013). Examining health information–seeking behaviors of older adults. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 31(11), 547–553. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NCN.0000432131.92020.42

Chen, J. Z., Hsu, H. C., Tung, H. J., & Pan, L. Y. (2013). Effects of health literacy to self-efficacy and preventive care utilization among older adults. Geriatrics and Gerontology International, 13(1), 70–76. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0594.2012.00862.x

Cheng, C., Gearon, E., Hawkins, M., McPhee, C., Hanna, L., Batterham, R., & Osborne, R. H. (2022). Digital health literacy as a predictor of awareness, engagement, and use of a national web-based personal health record: Population-based survey study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(9), Article e35772. https://doi.org/10.2196/35772

Choi, M. (2020). Association of eHealth use, literacy, informational social support, and health-promoting behaviors: Mediation of health self-efficacy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(21), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17217890

Cutilli, C. C., Simko, L. C., Colbert, A. M., & Bennett, I. M. (2018). Health literacy, health disparities, and sources of health information in U.S. older adults. Orthopaedic Nursing, 37(1), 54–65. https://doi.org/10.1097/NOR.0000000000000418

Cutilli, C. C. (2010). Seeking health information: What sources do your patients use? Orthopaedic Nursing, 29(3), 214–219. https://doi.org/10.1097/NOR.0b013e3181db5471

Czajka, H., Czajka, S., Biłas, P., Pałka, P., Jędrusik, S., & Czapkiewicz, A. (2020). Who or what influences the individuals’ decision-making process regarding vaccinations? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(12), Article e4461. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124461

De Wit, L., Fenenga, C., Giammarchi, C., Di Furia, L., Hutter, I., De Winter, A., & Meijering, L. (2017). Community-based initiatives improving critical health literacy: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence. BMC Public Health, 18(1), Article e40. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4570-7

Dudovskiy, J. (2022). An ultimate guide to writing a dissertation in business studies: A step-by-step assistance. ABE Publishing.

Feltwell, A. K., & Rees, C. E. (2004). The information-seeking behaviours of partners of men with prostate cancer: A qualitative pilot study. Patient Education and Counseling, 54(2), 179–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0738-3991(03)00212-X

Fishbein, M., Cappella, J., Hornik, R., Sayeed, S., Yzer, M., & Ahern, R. K. (2001). The role of theory in developing effective antidrug public service announcements. In W. D. Crano & M. Burgoon (Eds.), Mass media and drug prevention (pp. 89–117). Psychology Press.

Gombeski, R., Ramirez, G., Kautz, A., Farge, J., Moore, J., & Weaver, J. (1982). Communicating health information to urban Mexican Americans: Sources of health information. Health Education Behavior, 9, 293–309. https://doi.org/10.1177/109019818200900402

Hill, R. J. (1981). Attitudes and behavior. In M. Rosenberg & R. H. Turner (Eds.), Social psychology: Sociological perspectives (pp. 347–377). Basic Books.

Hilton, J. F., Barkoff, L., Chang, O., Halperin, L., Ratanawongsa, N., Sarkar, U., Leykin, Y., Muñoz, R. F., Thom, D. H., & Kahn, J. S. (2012). A cross-sectional study of barriers to personal health record use among patients attending a safety-net clinic. PLOS ONE, 7(2), 24–28. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0031888

Hollenbaugh, E. E. (2021). Self-presentation in social media: Review and research opportunities. Review of Communication Research, 9, 80–98. https://doi.org/10.12840/ISSN.2255-4165.027

Johnson, J. D., & Meischke, H. (1993). A comprehensive model of cancer-related information seeking applied to magazines. Human Communication Research, 19, 343–367. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.1993.tb00305.x

Kim, K., Lee, M., & Macias, W. (2014). An alcohol message beneath the surface of ER: How implicit memory influences viewers health attitudes and intentions using entertainment-education. Journal of Health Communication, 19(8), 876–892. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2013.837556

Muiruri, E. M. (2019). Media and health information seeking among the elderly: A study of diabetes patients in Makueni County [Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi]. University of Nairobi Research Archive. https://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/108908

Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. (2019). 2019 Kenya population and housing census: Analytical report on population dynamics. https://www.knbs.or.ke/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2019-Kenya-population-and-Housing-Census-Analytical-Report-on-Population-Dynamics.pdf

Kyobutungi, C., Egondi, T., & Ezeh, A. (2010). The health and well-being of older people in Nairobi's slums. Global Health Action, 3(1), Article e2138. https://doi.org/10.3402/[email protected]

Lambert, S. D., & Loiselle, C. G. (2007). Health information-seeking behavior. Qualitative Health Research, 17(8), 1006–1019. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732307305199

Lee, H. S. (2018). A comparative study on the health information needs, seeking and source preferences among mothers of young healthy children: American mothers compared to recent immigrant Korean mothers. Information Research: An International Electronic Journal, 23(4), Article e4.

Lewis, N., Gray, S. W., Freres, D. R., & Hornik, R. C. (2009). Examining cross-source engagement with cancer-related information and its impact on doctor–patient relations. Health Communication, 24(8), 723–734. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410230903264030

Liu, J., Li, H., Xie, Y., Zhao, Y., Zhao, Q., Xiao, M., Wang, J., & Huang, H. (2023). Acquisition behaviours for nutrition‐related information based on a health promotion model for older adults in a long‐term care facility. Nursing Open, 10(9), 6416–6427. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1891

Liu, Y. B., Liu, L., Li, Y. F., & Chen, Y. L. (2015). Relationship between health literacy, health-related behaviors and health status: A survey of elderly Chinese. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(8), 9714–9725. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120809714

Loiselle, C. G., Lambert, S. D., & Cooke, A. (2006). The searching, processing, and sharing of breast cancer information by women diagnosed with the illness. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research Archive, 38(3), 82–104.

Magalhães, E., Grych, J., Ferreira, C., Antunes, C., Prioste, A., & Jongenelen, I. (2022). Interpersonal violence and mental health outcomes: Mediation by self-efficacy and coping. Victims and Offenders, 17(2), 182–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2021.1880508

Mills, A., & Todorova, N. (2016, December 4–6). An integrated perspective on factors influencing online health-information seeking behaviours [Paper presentation]. Proceedings of Australasian Conference on Information Systems. Wollongong. Australia.

Mukherjee, A., & Bawden, D. (2012). Health information seeking in the information society. Health Information and Library Journal, 29(3), 242–246. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2012.00997.x

Pechrapa, K., Yodmai, K., Kittipichai, W., Charupoonpol, P., & Suksatan, W. (2021). Health literacy among older adults during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in an urban community in Thailand. Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research, 25(4), 309–317. https://doi.org/10.4235/agmr.21.0090

Peechapol, C., Na-Songkhla, J., Sujiva, S., & Luangsodsai, A. (2018). An exploration of factors influencing self-efficacy in online learning: A systematic review. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 13(9), 64–86. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v13i09.8351

Pesala, S., Virtanen, M. J., Sane, J., Mustonen, P., Kaila, M., & Helve, O. (2017). Health information-seeking patterns of the general public and indications for disease surveillance: Register-based study using Lyme disease. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 3(4), Article e86. https://doi.org/10.2196/publichealth.8306

Rice, D. P., & Fineman, N. (2004). Economic implications of increased longevity in the United States. Annual Review of Public Health, 25(1), 457–473. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.25.101802.123054

Schuster, A. M., Ghaiumy Anaraky, R., & Cotten, S. R. (2023). Online health information seeking and the association with anxiety among older adults. Frontiers in Public Health, 11(11), 66–74. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1076571

Shi, H. J., Nakamura, K., & Takano, T. (2004). Health values and health-information-seeking in relation to positive change of health practice among middle-aged urban men. Preventive Medicine, 39(6), 1164–1171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.04.030

Singh, K., & Brown, R. J. (2016). From headache to tumour: An examination of health anxiety, health-related Internet use and “query escalation.” Journal of Health Psychology, 21(9), 2008–2020. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105315569620

Smith, S. G., O’Conor, R., Aitken, W., Curtis, L. M., Wolf, M. S., & Goel, M. S. (2015). Disparities in registration and use of an online patient portal among older adults: Findings from the LitCog cohort. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 22, 888–895. https://doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocv025

Smith-McLallen, A., Fishbein, M., & Hornik, R. C. (2011). Psychosocial determinants of cancer-related information seeking among cancer patients. Journal of Health Communication, 16(2), 212–225. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2010.522227

Sorensen, K., Van den Broucke, S., Fullam, J., Doyle, G., Pelikan, J., Slonska, Z., & Brand, H. (2012). Health literacy and public health: A systematic review and integration of definitions and models. BMC Public Health, 12, Article e80. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-80

Sun, J., & Lyu, S. (2020). Social participation and urban-rural disparity in mental health among older adults in China. Journal of Affective Disorders, 274, 399–404. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.091

te Poel, F., Baumgartner, S. E., Hartmann, T., & Tanis, M. (2016). The curious case of cyberchondria: A longitudinal study on the reciprocal relationship between health anxiety and online health information seeking. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 43, 32–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2016.07.009

Turner, A. M., Osterhage, K. P., Taylor, J. O., Hartzler, A. L., & Demiris, G. (2018, November 3–7). A closer look at health information seeking by older adults and involved family and friends: Design considerations for health information technologies [Paper presentation]. Proceedings of Annual Symposium AMIA. California, USA.

United Nations. (2013, June 17). World population prospects, the 2012 revision. https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/publications/world-population-prospects-the-2012-revision.html

von Wagner, C., Steptoe, A., Wolf, M. S., & Wardle, J. (2009). Health literacy and health actions: A review and a framework from health psychology. Health Education & Behavior, 36(5), 860–877. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198108322819

van Hoa, H., Giang, H. T., Vu, P. T., Van Tuyen, D., & Khue, P. M. (2020). Factors associated with health literacy among the elderly people in Vietnam. BioMed Research International, 2020(1), Article e3490635. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3490635

van Leeuwen, L., Renes, R. J., & Leeuwis, C. (2013). Televised entertainment-education to prevent adolescent alcohol use: Perceived realism, enjoyment, and impact. Health Education & Behavior, 40(2), 193–205. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198112445906

Wackerbarth, S. B., & Johnson, M. M. (2002). Essential information and support needs of family caregivers. Patient Education and Counseling, 47(2), 95–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0738-3991(01)00194-X

Wang, W., Zhang, Y., Lin, B., Mei, Y., Ping, Z., & Zhang, Z. (2020). The urban-rural disparity in the status and risk factors of health literacy: A cross-sectional survey in central China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(11), Article e3848. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113848

Wu, D., & Li, Y. (2016). Online health information seeking behaviors among Chinese elderly. Library & Information Science Research, 38(3), 272–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2016.08.011

Yamashita, T., Bardo, A. R., Liu, D., & Cummins, P. A. (2020). Literacy, numeracy, and health information seeking among middle-aged and older adults in the United States. Journal of Aging and Health, 32(1), 33–41. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264318800918

Yeom, H. E. (2014). Association among ageing-related stereotypic beliefs, self-efficacy and health-promoting behaviors in elderly Korean adults. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 23(9–10), 1365–1373. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.12419

Yu, Y., Wu, Y., Huang, Z., & Sun, X. (2023). Associations between media use, self-efficacy, and health literacy among Chinese rural and urban elderly: A moderated mediation model. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, Article e1104904. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1104904

Zalta, E. N. (2004). Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Philpapers. https://philpapers.org/rec/ZALSEO

Published
2024-12-31
How to Cite
Gathii Njenga, G. (2024). What Shapes Health Information Seeking Behavior Among Kenya’s Elderly Slum Dwellers. Media and Communication Review, 4(2), 184–209. https://doi.org/10.32350/mcr.42.09
Section
Articles