Investigation of the Influential Factors in Leading People to Seek Mobile Information for the Promotion of Health-Related Behaviors

Kyung Han You (Ryu) and Jaehee Cho
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Kyung Han You (Ryu): Department of Media and Communication Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
Jaehee Cho: Department of Media and Entertainment, School of Communication, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Korea

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 24, 1-15

Abstract: This study explored the cognitive structures that influence mobile information seekers’ intentions of promoting health behaviors. Using a nationwide self-reported survey ( n = 1010) conducted by a national research institute in Korea, the present study conducted multiple regression analyses and moderated mediation tests for its analysis. The results showed that two of the three social cognitive components—i.e., health information orientation (HIO) and e-health literacy (EHL)—had a positive effect on users’ mobile health information seeking behaviors (MHIS), whereas informational social support (ISS) did not. Furthermore, the effects of the social cognition factors varied based on the type of health-promoting behaviors, and the types of health-related behavior predicted by the three factors also differed. Moreover, HIO was a factor that affected only nutritional intake among all of the health promotion behaviors, while ISS was a critical factor that predicted most health-related behaviors, except for the participants’ regular exercise (REX). The findings also indicated that the respondents’ levels of health efficacy and the extent of their health-related information seeking on mobile devices partially mediated the associations between the independent variables and their health-related behavioral outcomes. Among the mediated moderation effects of the three factors in social cognition theory (SCT), only the mediated effects of EHL were found to be significant. Based on these findings, the present study highlighted that the predictors of health-promoting behaviors may vary according to the features of the information seekers. The further implications of the study are also discussed.

Keywords: social cognitive theory; health information orientation (HIO), e-health literacy (EHL); informational social support (ISS); mobile health information seeking (MHIS); health-related self-efficacy (HSE); health-promoting behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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