Health information seeking and confidence to manage health among those with a chronic condition

Background: Chronic conditions are a major public health problem. Racial ethnic minority populations have elevated rates of chronic disease mortality, disability, and morbidity in comparison to Whites. Health information seeking is associated with patient empowerment, positive health management, patient follow up, and patient treatment decision making. This study aimed to examine the association between health information seeking and confidence to manage health for those with chronic conditions.

Methodology: Study data were drawn from the 2007 Health Tracking Household Survey, a nationally representative, telephone-administered survey of civilian, non-institutionalized individuals. Descriptive and multiple binary logistic regression analyses were performed using STATA 12.The analytical sample included 6587 men and women ages > 18 with a chronic condition.

Results: Compared to those sought health information, those who did not seek health information were less likely to agree to be confident to tell a doctor concerns when not asked (OR .75) and to know when to seek medical care (OR .67).  Compared to Whites, Blacks and Hispanics were less likely to agree to be confident to know when to seek health care (OR .66 and .47).  Blacks were less likely to agree to be confident to take actions to prevent problems with their health (OR .68) compared to Whites. 

CONCLUSIONS:  Health information seeking and race were predictors of confidence to manage health with those with a chronic condition. Future research should examine how to direct health information seeking with racial and ethnic minority patients with a chronic condition.