Page 157 - Petelin, Ana, ur. 2021. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo / Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 157
tors of online health information search among the elderly tehnološke in ostale ikt rešitve | technological an ict solutions
and the rest of the population
Maja Krajnc
Secondary School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Maribor, Slovenia
Introduction and purpose. The use of information and communication technolo-
gy (ICT), including the use of the Internet and applications, is becoming an im-
portant health information source. At the same time, research shows that var-
ious sociodemographic determinants predict online health information. The
frequency of searching for health-related information online or in applications
varies, among other things, according to age (older generations use ICT less of-
ten, including seeking health information), gender, and partner status.
Content presentation. In our research, we examined the frequency of searching
for health-related information online or with applications according to three
sociodemographic variables: age, gender, and partner status. We analysed a
representative sample of the population of Slovenia within the Slovenian Public
Opinion survey 2018. Data were collected between 14 March 2018 and 12 June
2018. The sample included individuals over the age of 18 living in private house-
holds, regardless of their nationality, citizenship, language or legal status in Slo-
venia. We performed bivariate analyses with chi-square tests. Conclusions We
found that in Slovenia, three out of five people search for health information
online or via applications at least monthly, while just under 15% never search-
er for information. The proportion of those who never use the Internet/ap-
plications to search for health information increases with age. While this share
is the lowest in the youth category (9.4%), it increases to 13.6% in the middle
age category and reaches the highest proportion in the oldest category, where
there are more than twice as many non-users as there are among young peo-
ple (22.2%). Interestingly, the category of the most frequent information seek-
ers is also the largest in the oldest age category. ICT is more often searched for
by women than men, while there are no statistically significant differences ac-
cording to partner status.
Conclusions. Based on our results, we conclude that in Slovenia, we need to
raise awareness among decision-makers, health professionals and the public
about the importance of access to and search for health information. There is
also a need to focus on sociodemographic factors and barriers that contribute
to inequalities in ICT use for health purposes.
Keywords: elderly, ICT use, search for health information, sociodemographic
determinants
155
and the rest of the population
Maja Krajnc
Secondary School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Maribor, Slovenia
Introduction and purpose. The use of information and communication technolo-
gy (ICT), including the use of the Internet and applications, is becoming an im-
portant health information source. At the same time, research shows that var-
ious sociodemographic determinants predict online health information. The
frequency of searching for health-related information online or in applications
varies, among other things, according to age (older generations use ICT less of-
ten, including seeking health information), gender, and partner status.
Content presentation. In our research, we examined the frequency of searching
for health-related information online or with applications according to three
sociodemographic variables: age, gender, and partner status. We analysed a
representative sample of the population of Slovenia within the Slovenian Public
Opinion survey 2018. Data were collected between 14 March 2018 and 12 June
2018. The sample included individuals over the age of 18 living in private house-
holds, regardless of their nationality, citizenship, language or legal status in Slo-
venia. We performed bivariate analyses with chi-square tests. Conclusions We
found that in Slovenia, three out of five people search for health information
online or via applications at least monthly, while just under 15% never search-
er for information. The proportion of those who never use the Internet/ap-
plications to search for health information increases with age. While this share
is the lowest in the youth category (9.4%), it increases to 13.6% in the middle
age category and reaches the highest proportion in the oldest category, where
there are more than twice as many non-users as there are among young peo-
ple (22.2%). Interestingly, the category of the most frequent information seek-
ers is also the largest in the oldest age category. ICT is more often searched for
by women than men, while there are no statistically significant differences ac-
cording to partner status.
Conclusions. Based on our results, we conclude that in Slovenia, we need to
raise awareness among decision-makers, health professionals and the public
about the importance of access to and search for health information. There is
also a need to focus on sociodemographic factors and barriers that contribute
to inequalities in ICT use for health purposes.
Keywords: elderly, ICT use, search for health information, sociodemographic
determinants
155
