The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between dementia caregivers' communication behaviors (information seeking and forwarding) and their outcomes (coping outcomes: e.g., dealing better with negative feelings or improved medical outcomes). A survey data set of dementia patients' caregivers substantiates the effects of communication behaviors about dementia illness on coping outcomes, as well as the mediating role of emotion-focused and problem-focused coping processes. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), this study found positive effects of communication behaviors on outcomes through coping processes. Further, the results indicate that communication behaviors in cyberspace are crucial for caregivers to cope with dementia, both affectively (improvement of caregivers' emotional control) and physically (health improvement of patients). The implications for the improvement of public health through online health communication behaviors are discussed.

No abstract

No abstract

As television medical talk shows have become an increasingly popular source of health information, it is important to understand the processes by which people come to accept, at times unconditionally, the information presented by these shows. Based on the heuristic-systematic model (HSM), this study explores the way by which individuals process health information from television medical talk shows. Specifically, this study examines the relationship between information exposure, information appraisals (e.g., appropriateness and incoherence), information behaviors (e.g., information seeking and sharing), and unconditional acceptance of health information. Results from a survey of 588 women in South Korean indicate that an individual's appraisal of information as being appropriate or incoherent influences unconditional acceptance of health information. Both types of information appraisals are positively associated with information seeking, which is negatively associated with unconditional acceptance of information. In contrast, neither of these appraisals have an impact on unconditional acceptance via information sharing. Notably, when information appraisals are not considered, information exposure is positively associated with information sharing, which is then positively associated with unconditional acceptance. Implications for health information consumers and practitioners are discussed.

No abstract