Health Information—Seeking Behavior
Abstract
Seeking information about one's health is increasingly documented as a key coping strategy in health-promotive activities and psychosocial adjustment to illness. In this article, the authors critically examine the scientific literature from 1982 to 2006 on the concept of health information-seeking behavior (HISB) to determine its level of maturity and clarify the concept's essential characteristics. A principle-based method of concept analysis provides the framework for exploring the nature of HISB. The authors reviewed approximately 100 published articles and five books reporting on HISB. Although HISB is a popular concept used in various contexts, most HISB definitions provide little insight into the concept's specific meanings. The authors describe the concept's characteristics, contributing to a clearer understanding of HISB, and discuss operationalizations, antecedents, and outcomes of HISB. Such an analysis of HISB might guide further theorizing on this highly relevant concept and assist health care providers in designing optimal informational interventions.
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The blend of interviews and focus group (methodological triangulation) supported insight from subjective and group realities and contributed to data completeness and trustworthiness.
“This blend of qualitative methods, sometimes referred to as methodological triangulation, supported insight from the subjective and the group realities and has been reported as contributing to both data completeness and the trustworthiness of research (Creswell and Miller 2000; Golafshani 2003; Lambert and Loiselle 2007; Vandermause 2007).”
From "You Have the Choice of Whether You're Going to Get Help or Attempt Suicide": Exploring the Process and Impact of Mental Health Help-Seeking with Young People (16–25 Years) (2025) · cites this paper as Lambert and Loiselle 2007
The combination of individual interviews and focus groups can offer a more nuanced understanding of clinical phenomena.
“Both focus groups and individual interviews were included as several researchers in the healthcare space [47] have found that the combination of individual interviews and focus groups can offer a more nuanced understanding of clinical phenomena.”
From A Qualitative Study of Participant Feedback on an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Group-Based Intervention for Parents of Youth with Anxiety Disorders. (2026) · cites this paper as [47]
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“Health information also helps patients understand their diagnosis, decide on treatments, predict their prognosis (Brashers et al., 2002), and cope with illness (Lambert & Loiselle, 2007).”
BackgroundXiao, N., Sharman, R., Rao, H., & Upadhyaya, S. (2012) · Decision Support Systems · doi:10.1016/j.dss.2012.10.047 · Cited by 350 · see citing works
Li, Y., Wang, X., Lin, X., & Hajli, M. (2016) · Technological Forecasting and Social Change · doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2016.07.021 · Cited by 242 · see citing works
“The information and knowledge that used to be exclusive to health care providers has now become available to all social media users (Ker et al., 2014; Lambert and Loiselle, 2007).”
BackgroundHou, J., & Shim, M. (2010) · Journal of Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10810730.2010.522691 · Cited by 228 · see citing works
“In their review of literature from 1982 to 2006 on health information-seeking behavior, Lambert and Loiselle ( 2007 ) identified primary antecedents of health information-seeking behavior, including an information need and other personal and situational factors.”
BackgroundHealth Information Seeking, Receipt, and Use in Diabetes Self-Management
Longo, D. R., Schubert, S., Wright, B. A., LeMaster, J., Williams, C. D., & Clore, J. N. (2010) · The Annals of Family Medicine · doi:10.1370/afm.1115 · Cited by 220 · see citing works
Health information seeking behaviour: A concept analysis
Zimmerman, M. S., & Shaw, G. (2020) · Health Information & Libraries Journal · doi:10.1111/hir.12287 · Cited by 198 · see citing works
Health Information–Seeking Behaviors, Health Indicators, and Health Risks
Weaver, J. B., Mays, D. M., Weaver, S. S., Hopkins, G. L., Eroğlu, D., & Bernhardt, J. M. (2010) · American Journal of Public Health · doi:10.2105/ajph.2009.180521 · Cited by 214 · see citing works
Gaps in knowledge: Tracking and explaining gender differences in health information seeking
Manierre, M. J. (2015) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.01.028 · Cited by 197 · see citing works
Nölke, L., Mensing, M., Krämer, A., & Hornberg, C. (2015) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-015-1423-0 · Cited by 192 · see citing works
How, When and Why People Seek Health Information Online: Qualitative Study in Hong Kong
Chu, J. T., Wang, M. P., Shen, C., Viswanath, K., Lam, T. H., & Chan, S. S. C. (2017) · Interactive Journal of Medical Research · doi:10.2196/ijmr.7000 · Cited by 181 · see citing works
“Health information seeking relates to the ways in which individuals obtain information, including information about their health, health promotion activities, risks to one’s health, and illness [4].”
BackgroundTan, A. S. L., Lee, C., & Chae, J. (2015) · Journal of Communication · doi:10.1111/jcom.12163 · Cited by 181 · see citing works
Online Health Information Seeking in the Context of the Medical Consultation in Switzerland
Caiata-Zufferey, M., Abraham, A., Sommerhalder, K., & Schulz, P. J. (2010) · Qualitative Health Research · doi:10.1177/1049732310368404 · Cited by 171 · see citing works
Richardson, A. K., Allen, J. A., Xiao, H., & Vallone, D. (2012) · Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved · doi:10.1353/hpu.2012.0181 · Cited by 168 · see citing works
Gozzi, N., Tizzani, M., Starnini, M., Ciulla, F., Paolotti, D., Panisson, A., & Perra, N. (2020) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/21597 · Cited by 166 · see citing works
“Health information–seeking behavior is the act by which individuals retrieve and acquire new knowledge about a specific topic related to health [61,62]; it is likely to be triggered on a population scale by a disrupting event, such as the threat of a previously unknown disease [63,64].”
BackgroundSo, J., Kuang, K., & Cho, H. (2016) · Communication Research · doi:10.1177/0093650216679536 · Cited by 155 · see citing works
Murnane, E. L., Cosley, D., Chang, P., Guha, S., Frank, E., Gay, G., & Matthews, M. (2016) · Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association · doi:10.1093/jamia/ocv165 · Cited by 134 · see citing works
Kim, W., Kreps, G. L., & Shin, C. (2015) · International Journal for Equity in Health · doi:10.1186/s12939-015-0169-8 · Cited by 151 · see citing works
“Introduction Researchers have become increasingly interested in the dynamics of health information seeking and the sources of relevant health information [1-11].”
BackgroundAbrahamson, J. A., Fisher, K., Turner, A. G., Durrance, J. C., & Turner, T. C. (2008) · Journal of the Medical Library Association JMLA · doi:10.3163/1536-5050.96.4.006 · Cited by 145 · see citing works
“Several studies corroborated the findings concerning gender, preferences for providers and family or friends as information sources, tie strength, and various information needs reported [36, 46, 48, 49, 53, 54, 73–76].”
ResultInternet Skills Performance Tests: Are People Ready for eHealth?
van Deursen, A. J. A. M., & van Dijk, J. A. G. M. (2011) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/jmir.1581 · Cited by 163 · see citing works
“In health-related literature, a popular concept is health information–seeking behavior [25].”
BackgroundInquiring Minds Acquiring Wellness: Uses of Online and Offline Sources for Health Information
Dobransky, K. M., & Hargittai, E. (2011) · Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10410236.2011.585451 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
“Consistent with prior research (see Lambert & Loiselle, 2007; Rice, 2006), women are more likely to look for treatment information from all sources except online discussions.”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialHu, X., Bell, R. A., Kravitz, R. L., & Orrange, S. E. (2012) · Journal of Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10810730.2011.650828 · Cited by 134 · see citing works
“Demographic and health predictors of online information seeking are well studied (Fox, 2008; Hardiker & Grant, 2010, 2011; Lambert & Loiselle, 2007; Rice, 2006).”
BackgroundSocial Determinants of Health Information Seeking among Chinese Adults in Hong Kong
Wang, M. P., Viswanath, K., Lam, T. H., Wang, X., & Chan, S. S. C. (2013) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0073049 · Cited by 134 · see citing works
“The finding that older people in our study were more likely to seek health information from newspapers/magazines and radio was in contrast to the inverse associations reported in Western studies [9,27].”
ResultPredictors of online health information seeking behavior: Changes between 2002 and 2012
Li, J., Theng, Y., & Foo, S. S.-B. (2015) · Health Informatics Journal · doi:10.1177/1460458215595851 · Cited by 121 · see citing works
Quinn, S., Bond, R., & Nugent, C. (2016) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.12.032 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Exploring ward nurses' perceptions of continuing education in clinical settings
Govranos, M., & Newton, J. (2013) · Nurse Education Today · doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2013.07.003 · Cited by 119 · see citing works
Defining information need in health - assimilating complex theories derived from information science
Ormandy, P. (2010) · Health Expectations · doi:10.1111/j.1369-7625.2010.00598.x · Cited by 117 · see citing works
Niu, Z., Willoughby, J., & Zhou, R. (2021) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/19134 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
“Additionally, a variety of health information and knowledge that used to be exclusive to health care providers are now available to health information seekers on social media [10].”
BackgroundHarrison, M., Ryan, T., Gardiner, C., & Jones, A. (2016) · Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation · doi:10.1080/10749357.2016.1196908 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
McKinley, C. J., & Wright, P. J. (2014) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.04.023 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Jonikas, J. A., Grey, D. D., Copeland, M. E., Razzano, L. A., Hamilton, M. M., Floyd, C. B., Hudson, W. B., & Cook, J. Α. (2011) · Community Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1007/s10597-011-9475-9 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
Yardley, L., Morrison, L. G., Andreou, P., Joseph, J., & Little, P. (2010) · BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making · doi:10.1186/1472-6947-10-52 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
“In particular, recent advances in technology make it possible to provide more detailed information which is automatically ‘tailored’ to the specific needs of the individual, in order to increase perceived personal relevance and avoid information overload [ 34 ].”
BackgroundInfluentialHealth literacy programs for older adults: a systematic literature review
Manafò, E., & Wong, S. (2012) · Health Education Research · doi:10.1093/her/cys067 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
“Increased availability and accessibility of information and a greater emphasis on self-management and care [9] have raised concern about the health literacy skills of individuals [10] and now more specifically, eHealth literacy skills [11].”
BackgroundTang, C., Wu, X., Chen, X., Pan, B., & Yang, X. (2019) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-019-6538-2 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
Exploring Older Adults' Health Information Seeking Behaviors
Manafò, E., & Wong, S. S.-L. (2011) · Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2011.05.018 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
“Increased availability and accessibility of information, a focus on selfmanagement and care, and a refocus on disease prevention are some considerations that account for the growing attention in this area.(1) Health information-seeking behavior is described as ‘‘verbal or nonverbal behaviour used to obtain, clarify or…”
BackgroundCao, W., Zhang, X., Xu, K., & Wang, Y. (2016) · Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10410236.2015.1045236 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
“In their review of literature, Lambert and Loiselle (2007) compiled a list of definitions of health information-seeking behavior.”
BackgroundA Review of models and theories of health information seeking behavior
Zare‐Farashbandi, F., & Lalazaryan, A. (2014) · International Journal of Health System and Disaster Management · doi:10.4103/2347-9019.144371 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
Feinberg, I. Z., Frijters, J. C., Johnson‐Lawrence, V., Greenberg, D., Nightingale, E., & Moodie, C. (2016) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0148751 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
“Knowing how adults with differing education levels engage in HISB is important because those who actively seek health information from a variety of sources are likely to use that information and be more cognitively and psycho-socially prepared to engage in medical decision-making and with the medical system [64,65].”
BackgroundA rapid review of consumer health information needs and preferences
Ramsey, I., Corsini, N., Peters, M. D. J., & Eckert, M. C. (2017) · Patient Education and Counseling · doi:10.1016/j.pec.2017.04.005 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Li, C., Zhang, E., & Han, J. (2020) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2020.106581 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Skarpa, P. E., & Garoufallou, E. (2021) · International Journal of Medical Informatics · doi:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104465 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
A United States-China Comparison of Risk Information–Seeking Intentions
Yang, Z. J., Kahlor, L., & Li, H. (2014) · Communication Research · doi:10.1177/0093650213479795 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
“In the last two decades, there has been a steady stream of research on information seeking in mass communication as well as interpersonal communication, information and library science, health psychology and behavior, and beyond (Case, 2002; Lambert & Loiselle, 2007).”
BackgroundFactors Associated with Health Information-Seeking in Low-Income Pregnant Women
Shieh, C., Broome, M. E., & Stump, T. E. (2010) · Women & Health · doi:10.1080/03630242.2010.506152 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
“Health information-seeking is described by Lambert and Loiselle (2007) as “the type and amount of health-related information sought, the specific actions implemented to obtain the information, and the sources individuals use” (p.”
BackgroundLambert, S., Loiselle, C., & Macdonald, M. (2009) · Cancer Nursing · doi:10.1097/01.ncc.0000343372.24517.bd · Cited by 86 · see citing works
“I'm the One Taking It”: Adolescent Participation in Chronic Disease Treatment Decisions
Lipstein, E. A., Muething, K. A., Dodds, C. M., & Britto, M. T. (2013) · Journal of Adolescent Health · doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.02.004 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Yardi, S., Caldwell, P. H. Y., Barnes, E. H., & Scott, K. M. (2018) · Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health · doi:10.1111/jpc.14068 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
Building community resilience on social media to help recover from the COVID-19 pandemic
Xie, L., Pinto, J., & Zhong, B. (2022) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2022.107294 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Liu, P. L., & Jiang, S. (2019) · Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10410236.2019.1673948 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Where people look for online health information
LaValley, S. A., Kiviniemi, M. T., & Gage‐Bouchard, E. A. (2016) · Health Information & Libraries Journal · doi:10.1111/hir.12143 · Cited by 81 · see citing works
Lee, S. Y., & Hawkins, R. P. (2016) · Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10410236.2015.1018701 · Cited by 81 · see citing works
“For instance, patients may be overwhelmed by the information obtained and face increased anxiety (Lambert & Loiselle, 2007).”
BackgroundBiting the bullet: When self-efficacy mediates the stressful effects of COVID-19 beliefs
Meyer, N., Niemand, T., Dávila, A., & Kraus, S. (2022) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0263022 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
“For example, Lambert and Loiselle [28] state that seeking information, specifically regarding health issues, may act as a coping strategy towards promoting better health.”
Ellis, J., Mullan, J., Worsley, A. F., & Pai, N. B. (2012) · International Journal of Family Medicine · doi:10.1155/2012/397039 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
“Health information-seeking behaviour has been identified as a key component of patient behaviour which assists in the psychosocial adjustment to illness [1].”
BackgroundHealth Literacy, Health Disparities, and Sources of Health Information in U.S. Older Adults
Cutilli, C. C., Simko, L. C., Colbert, A. M., & Bennett, I. M. (2018) · Orthopaedic Nursing · doi:10.1097/nor.0000000000000418 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Health information technology use among older adults in the United States, 2009–2018
Hung, L.-Y., Lyons, J. G., & Wu, C.-H. (2020) · Current Medical Research and Opinion · doi:10.1080/03007995.2020.1734782 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Yi, Y. J., Stvilia, B., & Mon, L. M. (2011) · Library & Information Science Research · doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2011.06.001 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
“According to Lambert and Loiselle (2007), consumer health information-seeking is understood within the contexts of “(a) coping with a health-threatening situation, (b) participation and involvement in medical decision-making, and (c) behavior change and preventive behavior” (p. 1009).”
BackgroundSillence, E., Blythe, J. M., Briggs, P., & Moss, M. (2019) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/11125 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
“Our model confirms that placing trust in health websites is important in helping users to cope with their health issues, and this is in line with previous research indicating that seeking health information is in itself an important coping mechanism in enhancing adjustment to illness and in the promotion of health-rel…”
ResultFareed, N., Swoboda, C. M., Jonnalagadda, P., Walker, D. M., & Huerta, T. R. (2020) · American Journal of Health Promotion · doi:10.1177/0890117120934609 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
“Health information seeking is important for individuals to cope with a health-threatening situation, to participate in medical decision-making, and to enact discretionary preventative behaviors.(1) Evidence suggests that health information exposure enhances people’s awareness and knowledge of health risks, potentially…”
BackgroundHassan, S., & Masoud, O. (2021) · Journal of Public Health · doi:10.1007/s10389-020-01243-w · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Reducing the stigma associated with seeking psychotherapy through self-affirmation.
Lannin, D. G., Guyll, M., Vogel, D. L., & Madon, S. (2013) · Journal of Counseling Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0033789 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Bianchi, C. M., Huneau, J., Goff, G. L., Verger, E. O., Mariotti, F., & Gurviez, P. (2016) · BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth · doi:10.1186/s12884-016-1078-6 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
“The acquisition of information is a crucial step when adopting healthier behaviour [7].”
BackgroundSeeking Health Information on Social Media
Li, Y., & Wang, X. (2017) · Journal of Organizational and End User Computing · doi:10.4018/joeuc.2018010101 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Information Avoidance: Past Perspectives and Future Directions
Foust, J. L., & Taber, J. M. (2023) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/17456916231197668 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
“…established that information seeking helps people to understand a (health) threat and to work through their experiences to manage the stressors (Lambert & Loiselle, 2007), but less is known about how people may strategically use information avoidance as an adaptive means to cope with…”
InfluentialDeLorme, D. E., Huh, J., & Reid, L. N. (2011) · Journal of Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10810730.2011.561914 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Lambert, S., Loiselle, C., & Macdonald, M. (2009) · Cancer Nursing · doi:10.1097/01.ncc.0000343373.01646.91 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
“To guide selective coding, we used the 3-step approach to concept development by Morse(32): (1) identifying the attributes, (2) verifying the attributes, and (3) comparing components to elicit variation in the concept.”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialReadability of websites containing information on dental implants
Jayaratne, Y. S. N., Anderson, N. K., & Zwahlen, R. A. (2013) · Clinical Oral Implants Research · doi:10.1111/clr.12285 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Profiling Characteristics of Internet Medical Information Users
Weaver, J. B., Mays, D. M., Lindner, G., lu, D. E., Fridinger, F., & Bernhardt, J. M. (2009) · Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association · doi:10.1197/jamia.m3150 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
“Past studies suggest that individuals with disabilities or chronic conditions and those with lower perceived health status are more likely to seek health information online.(10,21,29,30,32,34) The results of this study show that respondents who use health care services, whether for themselves or for a household member…”
BackgroundCunningham, C. E., Walker, J. R., Eastwood, J. D., Westra, H. A., Rimas, H. L., Chen, Y., Marcus, M., Swinson, R. P., Bracken, K., & The Mobilizing Minds Research Group (2013) · Journal of Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10810730.2013.811324 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
“Research suggests considerable variation in the depth, complexity, and degree of effort individuals are willing to devote to the acquisition of health (Lambert & Loiselle, 2007) and mental health information (Cunningham et al., 2008).”
BackgroundInfluentialDeterminants of Health Information-Seeking Behavior: Implications for Post-Treatment Cancer Patients
Jung, M. (2014) · Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention · doi:10.7314/apjcp.2014.15.16.6499 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
“Third, as age increases, HISB generally decreases (Duggan and Bates, 2008; Rutten et al., 2006; Lambert and Loiselle, 2007).”
BackgroundSaab, M. M., Reidy, M., Hegarty, J. M., O’Mahony, M., Murphy, M. F., von Wagner, C., & Drummond, F. J. (2017) · Psycho-Oncology · doi:10.1002/pon.4506 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
“1008).(9) Health‐seeking can be under-”
Lee, H. O., & Kim, S. Y. (2014) · Journal of Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10810730.2014.927035 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
“The simplified linear representation of information-seeking processes without feedback loops has often been criticized (Lambert & Loiselle, 2007).”
BackgroundMollen, S., Engelen, S., Kessels, L. T. E., & van den Putte, B. (2016) · Journal of Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10810730.2016.1247484 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
“In addition, information-seeking behavior was assessed, as this is a known determinant of preventive behaviors (for a review, see Lambert & Loiselle, 2007).”
BackgroundHubner, A. Y., & Hovick, S. R. A. (2020) · Risk Analysis · doi:10.1111/risa.13456 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
“Individuals who are uncertain about a health risk may initiate an information search to help cope with a potential threat (Lambert & Loiselle, 2007).”
BackgroundYang, Q., Chen, Y., & Muhamad, J. W. (2016) · Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10410236.2016.1214220 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
“Trust in health information sources has been identified as one of the most important antecedents of HISBs (Lambert & Loiselle, 2007).”
BackgroundGhweeba, M., Lindenmeyer, A., Shishi, S., Kofi, M. A., Waheed, A., & Amer, S. A. A. M. (2017) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/jmir.6855 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
“Online health information (OHI) seekers are defined as “Internet users who search online for information on health topics, whether they are acting as consumers, caregivers or patients aiming to take more control of their health” [7].”
Impact of Smartphones on Quality of Life: A Health Information Behavior Perspective
Ghahramani, F., & Wang, J. (2019) · Information Systems Frontiers · doi:10.1007/s10796-019-09931-z · Cited by 67 · see citing works
Predictors of Health Information–Seeking Behavior: Systematic Literature Review and Network Analysis
Mirzaei, A., Aslani, P., Luca, E., & Schneider, C. R. (2021) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/21680 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
“Health information seeking has been defined as “the ways in which individuals obtain information, including information about their health, health promotion activities, risks to one’s health, and illness” [1].”
InfluentialAldoory, L. (2016) · Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10410236.2015.1114065 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
“Health information–seeking behavior (HISB) has a longstanding history in health communication and has become a well-documented factor in coping with health-threatening situations and participating in medical decision-making, both outcomes of health literacy (Lambert & Loiselle, 2007).”
BackgroundBasnyat, I., Nekmat, E., Jiang, S., & Lin, J. (2018) · Journal of Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10810730.2018.1493058 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
“Health information seeking is the purposeful acquisition of information from selected information carriers to fill a gap in specific health information needs (Lambert & Loiselle, 2007).”
BackgroundMethodJiao, W., Chang, A., Ho, M. K. W., Lu, Q., Liu, M. T., & Schulz, P. J. (2023) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/47595 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
“HISB is the term used to describe looking for information about health, dangers to it, illnesses, and ways to safeguard it [16,17].”
Exploring Online Health Information–Seeking Behavior Among Young Adults: Scoping Review
Stifjell, K., Sandanger, T. M., & Wien, C. N. (2025) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/70379 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
“Health information seeking [7] outlines the methods and underlying motivations to actively obtain and use health-related information from various sources [8,9].”
Information Needs, Seeking Behaviors, and Support Among Low-Income Expectant Women
Song, H., Cramer, E., McRoy, S., & May, A. R. (2013) · Women & Health · doi:10.1080/03630242.2013.831019 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Bell, A. V. (2014) · Qualitative Health Research · doi:10.1177/1049732314524637 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
“…encompasses many sources of information: formal sources (e.g., health care providers), informal sources (e.g., friends and family), and commercial and media sources (e.g., Internet and television; Kakai, Maskarinec, Shumay, Tatsumura, & Tasaki, 2003; Lambert & Loiselle, 2007; Worsley, 1989).”
BackgroundWu, T., Deng, Z., Zhang, D. “., Buchanan, P. R., Zha, D., & Wang, R. (2018) · International Journal of Medical Informatics · doi:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2018.04.009 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Kennedy, E., & Thibeault, S. L. (2020) · American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology · doi:10.1044/2020_ajslp-19-00188 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Influencing Factors of Online Health Information Seeking in Selected European Countries
Link, E., Baumann, E., Linn, A. J., Fahr, A., Schulz, P. J., & Paier-Abuzahra, M. (2021) · European Journal of Health Communication · doi:10.47368/ejhc.2021.002 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
“…et al., 1999) or the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking (CMIS; Johnson & Meischke, 1993) as well as concept analysis and overview articles (Lambert & Loiselle, 2007; Wang et al., 2020; Zimmerman & Shaw, 2020), sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors are often considered influences on…”
BackgroundMethodLink, E., Baumann, E., & Klimmt, C. (2021) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/25963 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
“It is also suitable to seek sensitive information in contexts where anonymity is of high relevance [33].”
InfluentialLink, E., & Baumann, E. (2020) · Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz · doi:10.1007/s00103-020-03144-5 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Leas, E. C., Nobles, A. L., Caputi, T. L., Dredze, M. H., Zhu, S., Cohen, J. E., & Ayers, J. W. (2020) · Tobacco Control · doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-055755 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Human information behavior during the Covid-19 health crisis. A literature review
Montesi, M. (2021) · Library & Information Science Research · doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2021.101122 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Understanding the sustained use of online health communities from a self‐determination perspective
Zhang, Y. (2015) · Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology · doi:10.1002/asi.23560 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
“…the extent of people’s information-seeking efforts, such as the sources utilized, the frequency of searching, the types of information sought, the formats preferred, and the amount of information accessed (Anker, Reinhart, & Feeley, 2011; Johnson & Case, 2012; Lambert & Loiselle, 2007; Lenz, 1984).”
BackgroundOu, M., & Ho, S. S. (2021) · Communication Research · doi:10.1177/00936502211043024 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
“Though the definition varies across study purposes and contexts, HIS is generally defined as purposefully searching for or asking pre-planned questions regarding health, using either online or offline sources (e.g., Lambert & Loiselle, 2007; Warner & Procaccino, 2004).”
BackgroundNovi, C. D., Kovačič, M., & Orso, C. E. (2024) · Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization · doi:10.1016/j.jebo.2024.02.032 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Loiselle, C. G., Edgar, L., Batist, G., Lu, J., & Lauzier, S. (2009) · Patient Education and Counseling · doi:10.1016/j.pec.2009.09.026 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
McKinley, C. J., & Ruppel, E. K. (2014) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.01.038 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
“…seeking are abundant, including opportunities for interaction, social support, and tailored search options, while simultaneously maintaining one’s relative personal anonymity (Barker, 2008; Berger et al., 2005; Cline & Haynes, 2001; Drentea & Moren-Cross, 2005; Lambert & Loiselle, 2007).”
BackgroundHovick, S. R. A. (2013) · Journal of Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10810730.2013.778369 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
“Although information seeking is often viewed as a coping mechanism to reduce negative reactions to uncertainty (Lambert & Loiselle, 2007), receiving health information may also increase worry or concern (e.g., previously unknown patterns of disease or individual diagnoses within the family).”
Background
- Authors
- Lambert, S. D., & Loiselle, C. G.
- Affiliations
- McGill University (CA)
- Venue
- Qualitative Health Research
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2007-10
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1006-1019
- ISSN
- 1049-7323 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7557
- OpenAlex
- W2161788636
- Cited by
- 894
- References
- 113
- Citations by year
- 2026: 53 · 2025: 60 · 2024: 67 · 2023: 83 · 2022: 77 · 2021: 86 · 2020: 76 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 75 · 2015: 34 · 2014: 35 · 2013: 39 · 2012: 34
- FWCI
- 26.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Qualitative Health Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Literacy and Information Accessibility
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health and Wellbeing Research
- Keywords
- health information seeking, conceptual analysis, health information, coping strategies, psychosocial adjustment to illness, health promotion, information interventions
- MeSH terms
- Books, Humans, Information Services, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Periodicals as Topic, United States, Bibliometrics, Consumer Health Information
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