Patients' Computer-Mediated Communication Media Uses and Gratifications in Healthcare

摘要

The proliferation of the Internet and the number of devices connected to it has resulted in widespread use of Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) media in healthcare. According to a 2011 Pew Internet Study, more than 59 percent of adults have searched online for health information (Fox, 2011). What is not clear in literature is why patients seek health information online and why patients share health information online. This study informs the academic and practitioner community on the motivations and barriers for seeking and/or sharing health information online by providing a rich explanation of such behavior through an interpretive exploration involving patients who engage in such behavior.