Who uses self-care books, advice nurses, and computers for health information?

Objectives: While evaluating the effect of a community-wide informational i ntervention, this study explored access, health, and demographic factors re lated to the use of medical reference books, telephone advice nurses, and c omputers for health information. Methods: A random sample of households in the intervention city (Boise, Ida ho) and two control cities were surveyed about their use of health informat ion in 1996. Shortly thereafter, the Healthwise Communities Project (HCP) d istributed health information to all Boise residents. A follow-up survey wa s conducted in 1998. Overall, 5,909 surveys were completed for a 54% respon se rate. Results: The HCP intervention was associated with statistically significant increases in the use of medical reference books and telephone advice nurse s. The increased use of computers for health information was marginally sig nificant. Few access, health, or demographic factors were consistently asso ciated with using the different resources, except that people with depressi on used more of all three information resources, and income was not a signi ficant predictor. Conclusion: Providing free health information led to an increase in use, bu t access, health, and demographic factors were also important determinants. In particular, poor health status and presence of a chronic illness were a ssociated with health information use. These results suggest that healthy c onsumers are less interested in health information, and it may take other i ncentives to motivate them to learn about prevention and healthy behaviors.