Acceptance of new health and communication technology by older adults

The study focuses on the health information behaviour of people at the age of 60 years and older, with an emphasis on the adoption of information and communication technology, and differences by their socio-demographic background. A survey was used to collect the data from a random sample of 300 people aged 60 years and older. The response rate was 42%.Analysis. Participants were divided up in two groups, people aged 60 to 67 years old, and people aged 68 years or older. Differences across sex and education were examined for each age group and Tuckey test used to examine if differences were significant. Although the majority in both age groups were interested in health information, including information in digital form, they had not yet adopted new health information and communication technology. People in the younger group considered it difficult to take new technology in use and both age groups found it difficult to get help using technology. It is not sufficient to make new information and communication technology available. For older adults to be ready to accept new technology and take it into use, they must be offered training at using it and technical support as needed.Peer Reviewe

Information encountering re-encountered: A conceptual re-examination of serendipity in the context of information acquisition

Purpose In order to understand the totality, diversity and richness of human information behavior, increasing research attention has been paid to examining serendipity in the context of information acquisition. However, several issues have arisen as this research subfield has tried to find its feet; we have used different, inconsistent terminology to define this phenomenon (e.g. information encountering, accidental information discovery, incidental information acquisition), the scope of the phenomenon has not been clearly defined and its nature was not fully understood or fleshed-out. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, information encountering (IE) was proposed as the preferred term for serendipity in the context of information acquisition. Findings A reconceptualized definition and scope of IE was presented, a temporal model of IE and a refined model of IE that integrates the IE process with contextual factors and extends previous models of IE to include additional information acquisition activities pre- and postencounter. Originality/value By providing a more precise definition, clearer scope and richer theoretical description of the nature of IE, there was hope to make the phenomenon of serendipity in the context of information acquisition more accessible, encouraging future research consistency and thereby promoting deeper, more unified theoretical development

Scholarly Research on Serendipitous Retrieval of Information (Information Encountering): A Bibliometric Analysis of Literature Indexed in Scopus

The purpose of this paper was to map literature on accidental discovery (information encountering), and present its quantitative analysis. To achieve the purpose of the study, data from Scopus database was used. Productivity and quality of top authors, institutions and countries was investigated. Additionally, top journals and their selection by top authors was also investigated. Findings of the study indicated that the term, theory, and model of information encountering originated from the USA, and was later spilled across the world. The USA remained the most cited and most impactful country. American scholar Erdelez, who was affiliated with the University of Missouri, remained the most prolific author. Journal of Documentation is the top publication that accommodates studies related to the concept of information encountering. The study has implications for researchers, research organizations, and the countries interested in exploring the field of information encountering

Promoting Transformative Encounters in Libraries and Archives

Purpose In several existing studies of Information Encountering (IE), a recurring sub-phenomenon of serendipity arises that indicates the potential for certain unexpected encounters with information to be transformative. The author labels this sub-phenomenon Transformative Information Encountering (TIE), deriving its definition from an application of Transformative Education (TE) theory to existing understandings of IE. This paper aims to discuss the potential for librarians and archivists to promote TIE through everyday practices. Design/methodology/approach After defining and identifying TIE in existing studies of IE, this article will put models of IE in conversation with theories of TE and propose ways in which TIE may arise in the everyday work of librarians and archivists. Findings In TE theory, there are three phases of the process of critical premise reflection that may be especially relevant to the work of libraries and archives. These are a disorienting dilemma (phase 1); recognition that the process of transformation is shared (phase 4); and acquiring knowledge and skills (phase 7). Each of these aligns with aspects of IE models. Practical implications Understanding how TIE might inform everyday Library and Information Science (LIS) work may increase the positive impact cultural institutions have on the communities they serve. Originality/value While several IE studies have suggested the existence of TIE as a sub-phenomenon, none thus far have attempted to define it or apply an understanding of it to LIS work

An ageist perspective on age and older adults in information behaviour research

This study aims to answer the question what kind of research exists on aging and older adults in information behaviour and information seeking. A systematic literature review was conducted in two databases, LISA and Scopus. The results were refined and tagged thematically and clustered into main research topics. (Online) health information behaviour is the largest research topic in relation to aging and older adults. Underrepresented topics are information needs and behaviour outside of the health care sector. An ageist perspective is strongly present in information behaviour studies. Existing research on (online) health information behaviour primarily addresses a negative aspect of old age, frailty and illness, which may amplify the stereotypical image of older people and aging. This paper suggests that the research field should turn to topics that are more diverse and use the demographic variable of age more carefully in order to mitigate ageism.Peer Reviewe

A Review of Research Methodologies Employed in Serendipity Studies in the Context of Information Research

Background: The concept of serendipity has become increasingly interesting for those undertaking serendipity research in recent years. However, serendipitous encounters are subjective and rare in a real-world context, making this an extremely challenging subject to study. Methods: Various methods have been proposed to enable researchers to understand and measure serendipity, but there is no broad consensus on which methods to use in different experimental settings. A comprehensive literature review was first conducted, which summarizes the research methods being employed to study serendipity. It was followed by a series of interviews with experts that specified the relative strengths and weaknesses of each method identified in the literature review, in addition to the challenges usually confronted in serendipity research. Results: The findings suggest using mixed research methods to produce a more complete picture of serendipity and contribute to the verification of any research findings. Several challenges and implications relating to empirical studies in the investigation of serendipity have been derived from this study. Conclusions: This paper investigated research methods employed to study serendipity by synthesizing finding from a literature review and the interviews with experts. It provides a methodological contribution to serendipity studies by systematically summarizing the methods employed in the studies of serendipity and identifying the strengths and weakness of each method. It also suggests the novel approach of using mixed research methods to study serendipity. This study has potential limitations related to a small number of experts involved in the expert interview. However, it should be noted that the nature of the topic is a relatively focused area, and it was observed after interviewing the experts that new data seems to not contribute to the findings owing to its repetition of comment

Study on the Influencing Factors of Health Information Sharing Behavior of the Elderly under the Background of Normalization of Pandemic Situation

This study aims to solve the problem of unwise judgment, decisions, and correspondingly dangerous behaviors caused by error health information to the elderly. Based on the MOA model and self-determination theory, this paper constructs a health information sharing model for the elderly and analyzes it with Amos\u27s structural equation model. The study finds that media richness, health information literacy, perceived benefits, and negative emotions of the coronavirus epidemic positively influence health information sharing behavior. In contrast, perceived risks have a significant negative impact on health information sharing behavior. At the same time, media richness positively affects health information literacy, perceived benefits, and negative emotions of the coronavirus epidemic but has no significant impact on perceived risks. Health literacy positively affects perceived benefits but does not significantly affect the perceived risks and negative emotions of the coronavirus epidemic. This study aims to assist government and online social platforms in taking relevant measures under the background of normalization of the pandemic situation, controlling the spread of error health information among the elderly, and guiding the elderly to share health information better

Children of a One-Eyed God: Impairment in the Myth and Memory of Medieval Scandinavia

Using the lives of impaired individuals catalogued in the Íslendingasögur as a narrative framework, this study examines medieval Scandinavian social views regarding impairment from the ninth to the thirteenth century. Beginning with the myths and legends of the eddic poetry and prose of Iceland, it investigates impairment in Norse pre-Christian belief; demonstrating how myth and memory informed medieval conceptualizations of the body. This thesis counters scholarly assumptions that the impaired were universally marginalized across medieval Europe. It argues that bodily difference, in the Norse world, was only viewed as a limitation when it prevented an individual from fulfilling roles that contributed to their community. As Christianity’s influence spread and northern European powers became more focused on state-building aims, Scandinavian societies also slowly began to transform. Less importance was placed on the community in favor of the individual and policies regarding bodily difference likewise changed; becoming less inclusive toward the impaired

Studies on Inequalities in Information Society. Proceedings of the Conference, Well-Being in the Information Society

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