Table 3.

Finding, understanding, and using online consumer health information (OCHI).

Theme and subtheme		Example quote
1. Motivation for searching for health information online
	1.1 Searching for information for themselves	“When it is something that I cannot explain, like I have multiple symptoms and I don’t know if all these symptoms are related, unrelated...” [Alan]
	1.2 Hypochondria	“I’m a little hypochondriac, I mean literally last night I was feeling nauseous, so I started to Google, so anytime I’m feeling an odd symptom...anytime I feel something is abnormal and I’ll look up those symptoms to see if I have anything, from nausea and headaches to weird circulatory feelings.” [Rita]
	1.3 Searching for information for someone else	“Last time I looked up stuff online was for my grandfather. He suffered from Parkinson’s...and we were looking for alternatives.” [Nathan]
2. Strategies for searching for information online
	2.1 Using a search engine (Google)	“I usually Google either my symptoms if I don’t know what it is, or if I have an idea of what it might be then I'll Google that.” [Betty]
	2.2 Using a renowned medical website	“I just Google but the ones I usually end up in are WebMD or mayo clinic, I think if you Google something those are the first ones that show up anyway.” [Rita]
	2.3 Using websites or forums with patient experiences	“...there are a lot of useful forums where experienced marathoners have training advice, stuff like that. When to do icing or heat, which one is better than the other.” [Ella]
	2.4 Strategies for evaluating OCHI websites	“I usually avoid sites that are trying to sell you stuff or that anyone can edit.” [Tamara]
3. Making sense of the information
	3.1 Understanding the information found	“I understand it, I might have to do further research for specific terms, but overall I understand what they’re saying.” [Alan]
	3.2 Gaining general knowledge without answering a specific question	“Sometimes you don’t know what is wrong or right and each case is different as well, so you have an idea globally, but you don’t really have the answer I guess.” [Mariah]
	3.3 Not finding the answer to a specific health question	“No. I would have a symptom and it would usually end with me convincing myself that I had some sort of terminal illness.” [Cara]
	3.4 How health literacy influences understanding	“No, I can usually understand it. I feel like I may be more science and health literate than a lot of people since I have a Bachelor’s degree in Science.” [Betty]
4. Decision making after finding relevant OCHI
	4.1. Deciding whether or not to book a medical appointment	“I wouldn’t say immediately but when I have a recurring kind of problem, so I'll look at it probably before calling the doctor and making an appointment.” [Isabel]
	4.2 Postponing a medical appointment because of limited access	“It’s not even that, it’s that you have to wait so long now to get an appointment that if I can home remedy it that’s how I sort of look at it.” [Isabel]
	4.3 Making a health care decision	“Usually if it’s something like I can change what I’m eating, I follow if it doesn’t seem to extreme or too hard to do. If it’s something that seems a bit ridiculous then...” [Tamara]
	4.4 Stopping a medication	“I’ve looked up stuff like side effects of birth control pills if I’m worried or more emotional, I’ll see if that is one. I’ve actually gone off [pills] because of that.” [Jenny]
	4.5 Discussion in a physician encounter	“Some things I’ll bring up when seeing my physician and get their advice on it.” [Dina]
	4.6 To confirm a physician’s diagnosis	“Yes, I have symptoms and look them up and if I find what I think it is I go to the doctor and I’ll let the doctor suggest on their own but I’ll kind of suggest that this what I think it could be, could you confirm that for me or not?” [Sarah]