Frustration in Seeking Information about Health Conditions and Health Insurance: Methodological Presentation of a Mind Genomics Cartography

Abstract

The paper uses the emerging science of Mind Genomics to understand emotional responses (frustration) and prevention of decisions experienced when the respondent reads test vignettes describing websites which provide medical information (health) and/or medical insurance information (healthrelated finances). Respondents read and evaluated combinations of 2-4 messages (answers to questions), with the messages combined according to an experimental design. The ratings on a five-point scale provided an assessment of both estimated 'frustration' and estimated 'difficulty to make a decision.' The analysis related the presence/absence of the messages to both frustration and to inability to make a decision. Three mind-sets emerged, suggesting that the estimated frustration encountered in difficult web searches for healthcare information is not unidimensional. The three emergent mind-sets are: MS1 (moderate latent frustration), MS2 (little latent frustration but easily & strongly frustrated) and MS3 (a great deal of latent frustration, doing best with a very simple, direct search process). The paper concludes with the presentation of the PVI, personal viewpoint identifier, which allows the healthcare provider to understand the sensitivities of the prospect, in terms of what problems increase frustration for that prospect. The objective of the PVI is to improve the user experience by understanding the mind of the user.