Abstract-Increasing number of online users are accessing health-related websites on the Internet, and rely on it to get answers for their health questions. Health care providers try to develop websites that focus on the users' needs. One of the key factors, to develop users' driven health-related websites, is the focus on users' engagement.This study proposes a research model to investigate what factors are critical to users' engagement in health-related websites. Accordingly, three factors were identified; website usability, website interactivity, and users' perceived quality of health information. Little research has previously explored such a thorough list of factors that affect users' engagement in health-related websites.240 respondents have participated in an online survey, to test the research model. Results show that the influence of the engagement antecedents, identified by the study, is significant. These factors explain a great percentage of the variance for the engagement. The study is finally concluded by implications for theory and practice.Keywords-website usability, website interactivity, engagement, health information quality, human computer interaction
IntroductionResearch found that online users frequently access health-related websites to search for online health information [1]. Questions posted online, by these users, are considered as beneficial and engaging dialogues. Interactive communication that provide quick and recent responses may also contribute to a sense of online social presence, which may also be perceived as beneficial by online users.Interactivity has been defined as responsiveness, control, and reciprocity between a website and their users. Interactivity is a type of two-way communication between a user and the website [2]. Significance of website interactivity is well established in IS literature. However, Liu & Shrum (2002) found that the effect of interactivity on online users' behavior requires more investigations, to generate specific design guidelines for online websites to be more interactive [2].When online users choose to explore a web environment, they are also choosing to interact with it [3]. Therefore, websites' designers are required to support this interaciJIM