According to a 2010 MARS Online Behavior Study, it appears that the worldwide web impacts online user behavior and that behavior is determined by the degree of seriousness of the medical condition. Dedicated websites hold a certain comfort level when there is a recent diagnosis or the user has a chronic condition. In this case, access to health care professionals provides a greater degree of trust over search engine researching. This is indicative of an online user who is more focused, serious and looking for comfort and ease from a trusted source. On the other hand, users afflicted with diabetes or less serious conditions not necessarily life-threatening, may use websites’ useful tools such as meal planning to influence a lifestyle change or they may use online community support. These users were more likely to be repeat users. Therefore, the severity of a health condition determines online behavior and reveals unique patterns.
The MARS study, however, does not address cultural differences surrounding online behavior. It is evident that what is true for the mainstream culture cannot hold true if you have a different view on health or behave differently as a result of a health threat due to a diagnosis. Different cultures view information differently and thus require different types of health information. And many cultures react differently to how medical information is presented. Other cultures take varying approaches in how they respond to an illness. Knowing how other cultures respond to online medical information could prove to be an enormous benefit to the entire health care community - allowing them to reach more people. Many questions come into play. Are other cultures using the Internet to help them alter their lifestyle, make a life decision or obtain support? If so, are there patterns of how health information sites help? What impact do these sites have? Considering cultural diverse societies, this does matter, does it not?
(MUR)
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