Health information need and seeking behavior of patients in developing countries' context; an Iranian experience

Abstract

Background and objective: Consumer Health Information (CHI) and Information Therapy (Ix) services for patients are increasingly becoming important priorities in healthcare policies around the globe. To establish, encourage and support a successful Information Therapy service in a developing country, it is essential to identify the preferences of patients, their information needs and attitudes toward CHI and Ix. This study aims to discover the attitudes of patients receiving health information in general and information prescription in particular in Iran as a developing nation. It answers the following questions: What are the patients' most essential information needs? Which channels do they choose to receive information prescription or health information from? Where do they seek health information from? How do they prefer to receive their information prescription? Methodology: An exploratory survey with an open interview and structured questionnaire was employed to gather data from patients of educational hospitals and clinics in Tabriz, Iran. Tabriz's facilities were selected for research because they admit patients from neighborhood provinces, due to the city's central location. Also, Tabriz's example of diverse dialects and literacy levels mimics a developing nation. This ensures that study findings would be transferable to other developing countries, especially one similar to Iran. Result: Receiving reliable health information and information prescription is remarkably demanded by the majority of the surveyed patients. Patients' information need is generally related to basic issues of health. The level of literacy impacts neither the demand for health information nor the patients' preferred channel to receive CHI and information prescription (P600.001). Conclusion: A localized approach, considering the socioeconomic and cultural aspects of a developing country like Iran and its limitation in using applications of information and communication technology, would make the Information Therapy and Consumer Health Information Services successful. Also, a localized approach would support the improvement in healthcare outcomes as well as health literacy. é 2010 ACM.