An Examination of the Relationship Between Health Information Use and Health Orientation in Korean Mothers: Focusing on the Type of Health Information

Abstract

The present study explores the relationship between mothers’ health information use and health orientation regarding their children's health. Given that the online mothering community (i.e., parenting websites) is currently an important source of parenting information for mothers of young children, the present study distinguishes between informal online health information provided by mothering communities and formal online health information provided by health-related websites to test for differences. An online survey of 533 Korean mothers of children between the ages of 0 and 3 years revealed that the frequency of health-related website use (i.e., formal information) was associated with mothers’ health consciousness and their health information orientation toward their children's health. The frequency of mothering community use (i.e., informal information) was associated with health information orientation, but not with health consciousness. Mass media use and contact with a health care professional for health information were not related to health consciousness or health information orientation. However, mothers’ education level moderated the relationship between interpersonal communication and health consciousness, and between print media use and health information orientation. Results are discussed with an emphasis on the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.

Notes

¹Previous studies used the term parenting website, but they looked at such websites’ forums or bulletin boards on which mothers provide their own opinions and experiences (e.g., Drentea & Moren-Cross, 2005; Madge & O'Connor, 2006; Pedersen & Smithson, 2010). In this sense, in this study we use the term mothering community.