Table 1.
Sociodemographic characteristics and health care– and health information–seeking behavior of the survey respondents.
| Sociodemographic characteristics and health information–seeking behavior | All respondents (N=415) | Yes-SGa (N=307) | No-SGb (N=108) | P value | |
| Sex (female), Qc3, n (%) | 300 (72.3) | 225 (73.3) | 75 (69.4) | .44 | |
| Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia coded (Q3), n (%) | .62 | ||||
|
|
Major city | 252 (61.0) | 184 (60.3) | 68 (63.0) |
|
|
|
Inner regional | 110 (26.6) | 88 (28.9) | 22 (20.4) |
|
|
|
Outer regional | 42 (10.2) | 30 (9.8) | 12 (11.1) |
|
|
|
Remote | 9 (2.2) | 3 (1.0) | 6 (5.6) |
|
| State of residence (Q3), n (%) | .02 | ||||
|
|
Australian Capital Territory | 19 (4.6) | 16 (5.2) | 3 (2.8) |
|
|
|
New South Wales | 289 (69.6) | 214 (69.7) | 75 (69.4) |
|
|
|
Queensland | 28 (6.7) | 22 (7.2) | 6 (5.6) |
|
|
|
South Australia | 6 (1.4) | 3 (1.0) | 3 (2.8) |
|
|
|
Tasmania | 9 (2.2) | 6 (2.0) | 3 (2.8) |
|
|
|
Victoria | 54 (13.0) | 40 (13.0) | 14 (13.0) |
|
|
|
Western Australia | 10 (2.4) | 6 (2.0) | 4 (3.7) |
|
| Employment (Q5), n (%) | .09 | ||||
|
|
Retired | 189 (45.8) | 145 (47.5) | 44 (40.7) |
|
|
|
Working | 165 (40.0) | 115 (37.7) | 50 (46.3) |
|
|
|
Pension | 31 (7.5) | 27 (8.9) | 4 (3.7) |
|
|
|
Not working (eg, unemployed or caring for another person) | 28 (6.8) | 18 (5.9) | 10 (9.3) |
|
| Financial status (Q6), n (%) | .65 | ||||
|
|
Careful | 179 (43.1) | 132 (43.0) | 47 (43.5) |
|
|
|
Able to manage | 32 (7.7) | 21 (6.8) | 11 (10.2) |
|
|
|
Straining | 133 (32.0) | 99 (32.2) | 34 (31.5) |
|
|
|
Comfortable | 71 (17.1) | 55 (17.9) | 16 (14.8) |
|
| Education (Q7), n (%) | .90 | ||||
|
|
Year 11 or below | 67 (16.2) | 46 (15.0) | 21 (19.4) |
|
|
|
Year 12 | 28 (6.8) | 22 (7.2) | 6 (5.6) |
|
|
|
Certificate 3 or 4 | 57 (13.8) | 41 (13.4) | 16 (14.8) |
|
|
|
Diploma/advanced diploma | 92 (22.2) | 69 (22.5) | 23 (21.3) |
|
|
|
Undergraduate | 79 (19.1) | 60 (19.6) | 19 (17.6) |
|
|
|
Postgraduate | 91 (22.0) | 68 (22.2) | 23 (21.3) |
|
| Limitation of daily activities (0-100), Q8, median (IQR) | 52 (31-66) | 52 (31-66) | 51 (32.5-65) | .92 | |
| Seeking professional health care (Q9), n (%) | .57 | ||||
|
|
I do not currently | 100 (24.1) | 75 (24.4) | 25 (23.1) |
|
|
|
Once a year | 36 (8.7) | 23 (7.5) | 13 (12.0) |
|
|
|
Once every 6 months | 50 (12.0) | 39 (12.7) | 11 (10.2) |
|
|
|
Once every 3 months | 85 (20.5) | 63 (20.5) | 22 (20.4) |
|
|
|
Once monthly | 108 (26.0) | 83 (27.0) | 25 (23.1) |
|
|
|
Once weekly | 36 (8.7) | 24 (7.8) | 12 (11.1) |
|
| Use of technology for health information seeking (Q11), n (%) | .38 | ||||
|
|
Yes | 367 (88.4) | 274 (89.3) | 93 (86.1) |
|
|
|
No | 48 (11.6) | 33 (10.7) | 15 (13.9) |
|
| Types of technology used (ranked in top 3 for Q12), n (%) | —e | ||||
|
|
Website endorsed by advocacy group | 228 (62.1) | 177 (64.6) | 51 (54.8) |
|
|
|
Google or internet search | 172 (46.9) | 132 (48.2) | 40 (43.0) |
|
|
|
Health app | 143 (39.0) | 111 (40.5) | 32 (34.4) |
|
|
|
Wikipedia | 117 (31.9) | 97 (35.4) | 20 (21.5) |
|
|
|
Newspaper/magazine | 87 (23.7) | 58 (21.2) | 29 (31.2) |
|
|
|
Free flyers | 81 (22.1) | 50 (18.3) | 31 (33.3) |
|
|
|
Internet forums | 70 (19.1) | 49 (17.9) | 21 (22.6) |
|
|
|
Podcasts | 69 (18.8) | 50 (18.3) | 19 (20.4) |
|
|
|
Television/radio | 68 (18.5) | 48 (17.5) | 20 (21.5) |
|
|
|
Social media | 66 (18.0) | 50 (18.3) | 16 (17.2) |
|
aUsing or wishing to join a support group.
bNot using and not interested in joining or using a support group.
cQ: question.
dAustralian International Standard Recording Code national agency.
eNot applicable.