A rapid review of consumer health information needs and preferences

Imogen Ramsey; Nadia Corsini; Micah D.J. Peters; Marion Eckert

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2017.04.005

A rapid review of consumer health information needs and preferences

Imogen Ramsey, Nadia Corsini, Micah D.J. Peters, Marion Eckert

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

56 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective

This rapid review summarizes best available evidence on consumers’ needs and preferences for information about healthcare, with a focus on the Australian context. Three questions are addressed: 1) Where do consumers find and what platform do they use to access information about healthcare? 2) How do consumers use the healthcare information that they find? 3) About which topics or subjects do consumers need healthcare information?

Methods

A hierarchical approach was adopted with evidence first sought from reviews then high quality studies using Medline (via PubMed), CINAHL, Embase, the JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, the Campbell Collaboration Library of Systematic Reviews, EPPI-Centre, and Epistemonikos.

Results

Twenty-eight articles were included; four systematic reviews, three literature reviews, thirteen quantitative studies, six qualitative studies, and two mixed methods studies.

Conclusion

Consumers seek health information at varying times along the healthcare journey and through various modes of delivery. Complacency with historical health information modes is no longer appropriate and flexibility is essential to suit growing consumer demands.

Practice implications

Health information should be readily available in different formats and not exclusive to any single medium.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1634-1642
Number of pages	9
Journal	Patient Education and Counseling
Volume	100
Issue number	9
Early online date	10 Apr 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2017.04.005
Publication status	Published - Sept 2017
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Consumer health information
Information seeking behavior
Patient education

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10.1016/j.pec.2017.04.005Licence: In Copyright

Cite this

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title = "A rapid review of consumer health information needs and preferences",

abstract = "Objective This rapid review summarizes best available evidence on consumers{\textquoteright} needs and preferences for information about healthcare, with a focus on the Australian context. Three questions are addressed: 1) Where do consumers find and what platform do they use to access information about healthcare? 2) How do consumers use the healthcare information that they find? 3) About which topics or subjects do consumers need healthcare information?Methods A hierarchical approach was adopted with evidence first sought from reviews then high quality studies using Medline (via PubMed), CINAHL, Embase, the JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, the Campbell Collaboration Library of Systematic Reviews, EPPI-Centre, and Epistemonikos. Results Twenty-eight articles were included; four systematic reviews, three literature reviews, thirteen quantitative studies, six qualitative studies, and two mixed methods studies. Conclusion Consumers seek health information at varying times along the healthcare journey and through various modes of delivery. Complacency with historical health information modes is no longer appropriate and flexibility is essential to suit growing consumer demands. Practice implications Health information should be readily available in different formats and not exclusive to any single medium.",

keywords = "Consumer health information, Information seeking behavior, Patient education",

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AU - Corsini, Nadia

AU - Peters, Micah D.J.

AU - Eckert, Marion

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N2 - Objective This rapid review summarizes best available evidence on consumers’ needs and preferences for information about healthcare, with a focus on the Australian context. Three questions are addressed: 1) Where do consumers find and what platform do they use to access information about healthcare? 2) How do consumers use the healthcare information that they find? 3) About which topics or subjects do consumers need healthcare information?Methods A hierarchical approach was adopted with evidence first sought from reviews then high quality studies using Medline (via PubMed), CINAHL, Embase, the JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, the Campbell Collaboration Library of Systematic Reviews, EPPI-Centre, and Epistemonikos. Results Twenty-eight articles were included; four systematic reviews, three literature reviews, thirteen quantitative studies, six qualitative studies, and two mixed methods studies. Conclusion Consumers seek health information at varying times along the healthcare journey and through various modes of delivery. Complacency with historical health information modes is no longer appropriate and flexibility is essential to suit growing consumer demands. Practice implications Health information should be readily available in different formats and not exclusive to any single medium.

AB - Objective This rapid review summarizes best available evidence on consumers’ needs and preferences for information about healthcare, with a focus on the Australian context. Three questions are addressed: 1) Where do consumers find and what platform do they use to access information about healthcare? 2) How do consumers use the healthcare information that they find? 3) About which topics or subjects do consumers need healthcare information?Methods A hierarchical approach was adopted with evidence first sought from reviews then high quality studies using Medline (via PubMed), CINAHL, Embase, the JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, the Campbell Collaboration Library of Systematic Reviews, EPPI-Centre, and Epistemonikos. Results Twenty-eight articles were included; four systematic reviews, three literature reviews, thirteen quantitative studies, six qualitative studies, and two mixed methods studies. Conclusion Consumers seek health information at varying times along the healthcare journey and through various modes of delivery. Complacency with historical health information modes is no longer appropriate and flexibility is essential to suit growing consumer demands. Practice implications Health information should be readily available in different formats and not exclusive to any single medium.

KW - Consumer health information

KW - Information seeking behavior

KW - Patient education

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A rapid review of consumer health information needs and preferences

Abstract

Keywords

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