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Abstract
Low health literacy remains an extremely common and problematic issue, given that individuals with lower health literacy are more likely to experience health challenges and negative health outcomes. In this study, we use the first three stages of the innovation-decision process found in the theory of diffusion of innovations (Rogers, 2003). We incorporate health literacy into a model explaining how perceived health knowledge, information sharing, attitudes, and behavior are related. Results show that health information sharing explains 33% of the variance in behavioral intentions, indicating that the communicative practice of sharing information can positively impact health outcomes. Further, individuals with high health literacy tend to share less information about heart health than those with lower health literacy. Findings also reveal that perceived heart-health knowledge operates differently than health literacy to predict health outcomes.
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Notes on contributors
Brittani Crook
Keri K. Stephens, Ph.D., is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. Michael Mackert, Ph.D., Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. Erin E. Donovan, Ph.D., is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin.
Keri K. Stephens
Keri K. Stephens, Ph.D., is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. Michael Mackert, Ph.D., Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. Erin E. Donovan, Ph.D., is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin.
Angie E. Pastorek
Keri K. Stephens, Ph.D., is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. Michael Mackert, Ph.D., Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. Erin E. Donovan, Ph.D., is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin.
Michael Mackert
Keri K. Stephens, Ph.D., is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. Michael Mackert, Ph.D., Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. Erin E. Donovan, Ph.D., is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin.
Erin E. Donovan
Keri K. Stephens, Ph.D., is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. Michael Mackert, Ph.D., Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. Erin E. Donovan, Ph.D., is Affiliated Faculty with the Center for Health Communication in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin.