Table 1.
The operationalization and coding of study variables.
| Variables | Operationalization and coding | References |
| Generation | Digital natives=aged between 18 and 42 years; digital immigrants=aged ≥43 years | Ransdell et al [18], 2011; Roth-Cohen et al [77], 2021 |
| Frequency of OHISa | “How frequently did you search for online health information in the past 12 months?” (“frequent,” “infrequent,” and “never”; 1=frequent; 2=infrequent; respondents who selected “never” were excluded) | Xiong et al [43], 2021 |
| HWISb | The sum of 3 types (sports and fitness, nutrition and diet, and general health knowledge; 1=yes; 0=no) | Neter and Brainin [78], 2012; Xiong et al [43], 2021 |
| HGISc | The sum of 2 types (medication guidance and disease consulting; 1=yes; 0=no) | Neter and Brainin [78], 2012; Xiong et al [43], 2021 |
| HMISd | The sum of 2 types (managing health conditions and participating in an online support group; 1=yes; 0=no) | Neter and Brainin [78], 2012; Xiong et al [43], 2021 |
| PHAe | The sum of 3 items (“After seeking health information and finding the information, did your health behavior change for the better? After seeking health information and finding the information, did you see a doctor? After seeking health information and finding the information, did you monitor your health yourself for any changes?”; 1=yes; 0=no) | Taylor and Humphrey [79], 2022 |
| Gender | 1=male; 2=female | N/Af |
| Marital statusg | 1=married; 2=single | Xiong et al [43], 2021 |
| Employmenth | 1=unemployed; 2=employed | Xiong et al [43], 2021 |
| Education level | 1=high school graduate or lower; 2=high school graduate; 2=some college or associate degree; 4=bachelor’s degree; 5=graduate degree or higher | Gordon and Crouch [80], 2019 |
| Income | 1=<US $25,000; 2=US $25,000-$34,999; 3=US $35,000-$49,999; 4=US $50,000-$64,999; 5=US $65,000-$79,999; 6=US $80,000-$99,999; 7=≥US $100,000 | Gordon and Crouch [80], 2019 |
| Race | 1=White; 2=Black or African American; 3=American Indian or Alaska Native; 4=Asian; 5=Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; 6=some other race | Jensen et al [81], 2021 |
| Ethnicity | 1=Hispanic or Latino; 2=not Hispanic or Latino | Jensen et al [81], 2021 |
| Political affiliation | 1=Democrat; 2=Republican; 3=independent; 4=other | Naeim et al [55], 2021 |
aOHIS: online health information seeking.
bHWIS: health wellness information search.
cHGIS: health guidance information search.
dHMIS: health management information search.
ePHA: preventative health actions.
fN/A: not applicable.
gMarital status was divided into 2 categories: single (unmarried, divorced, or widowed) and married.
hEmployment was recorded as 2 groups: unemployed (unemployed, students, and retired) and employed.