Although many people cope with illness by seeking information, a considerable proportion of the population prefers to avoid information, aiming to maintain or increase their uncertainty in order to control their anxiety and/or maintain hope. Drawing on a large (n = 3,677), nationally representative survey dataset (the U.S. National Cancer Institute's 2014 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS)), this paper investigates the prevalence of information avoidance (defined here as agreement with the statement, “I'd rather not know my chance of getting cancer”) among the U.S. adult population and identifies associations between information avoidance and other types of demographic, information‐seeking, cognitive/perceptual and social factors. The overarching aim of this research is to explore whether and how the concepts of information avoidance, health literacy and health justice are interrelated. Based on a literature review and a secondary analysis of the HINTS data set, information avoidance, limited health literacy and a lack of health justice appear to be intricately interwoven. In conclusion, suggestions are made as to how we might use these findings to interrupt the usual progression from low health literacy to poor health outcomes, thereby helping to decrease health disparities and address the lack of health justice in this country.

Although many information behavior studies have investigated the wide array of sources people turn to when they have a health-related information need, very few have looked at the roles played by the body in these processes. Drawing on a mixed-method exploration of the information behaviors of people with type 2 diabetes, this study identifies the important roles played by an individual's own body (i.e., informant, motivator, demotivator, and barrier) and by the bodies of other people with diabetes (i.e., comrades/mentors, role models, galvanizers, inhibitors, inspirations, and potential mentees). One of the most significant findings is that a person's own body and the bodies of others with diabetes can fuel incognizance (an enduring unawareness that one has a particular information need), information avoidance, and information nonuse; however, they also can interrupt incognizance, illuminating information needs and motivating information seeking and use. We propose a novel model of body-related information behavior and discuss the possibility that body-related information behaviors may not only affect an individual's health trajectory but also reinforce health disparities within disadvantaged communities. In conclusion, we recommend strategies for ensuring everyone has optimal opportunities to benefit from body-related information behaviors and to live a long and healthy life.

Drawing on an exploratory study involving 15 semi-structured in-depth interviews with individuals who have chronic health conditions, this study investigates their experiences searching for information on local resources to manage their health more effectively. The findings revealed important benefits and challenges of the various strategies these individuals use to find local resources, which include word of mouth communication through informal social networks, online exploratory searches, and social media use. This study also assesses the potential uptake, design, and implementation of an online health information system that would allow these individuals to crowdsource information on local resources in their communities.

Introductory Article

Individuals who have chronic health conditions often have difficulty finding useful local resources (e.g., senior centers, support groups, fitness classes) online. A crowdsourced health information system (CHIS) that would allow individuals to easily share and access detailed, credible information on a wide array of local resources is a potential solution. An online, closed card-sorting study was carried out with 31 participants who have chronic health conditions to assess their perceptions about the usefulness of a range of hypothesized types of information on local resources (e.g., reviews, ratings) and system functions and features (e.g., keyword search, filters)for the proposed CHIS. The results of the study indicated participants are interested in using the proposed CHIS if the local resources are easily discoverable (through the use of many different types of system functions and features), with highly detailed information available for each local resource, so they can quickly determine its value for them in managing their health. If designed appropriately, the proposed system could be a useful tool to help people take advantage of local resources to manage their health. K E Y W O R D Schronic condition, chronic health, chronic illness, community resources, crowdsourced health information system, crowdsourcing, health information system, health resources, local resources, provider reviews