Searching for health information on the internet : the experiences of Western Australian adolescents

Adolescents readily engage in online entertainment pursuits, however, it is their online social activities and health information searches that encourage psychosocial development and influence identity formation and autonomy. Considerable research has been completed on various aspects of adolescents’ encounters with online health information (for example, see Percheski & Hargittai, 2011), yet minimal research has been conducted using Australian adolescents. This study extends existing research utilising Western Australian adolescents who have used the Internet to obtain health information. The areas explored include how Western Australian adolescents search for online health information, by means of which devices, and their experiences of using the Internet as a health resource. A phenomenological qualitative design incorporating narrative enquiry was used. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 participants aged 13-17 years old. Thematic analysis based on an interpretive approach was used to analyse the data. Three themes emerged, and most participants relayed positive experiences of looking for online health information. The themes were: “My life kind of revolves around it”, “Google it”, and “Judging websites by their cover”. Western Australian adolescents do search for health information online; however it must be purposeful. They feel encouraged to continue to use the Internet to assist with health related questions. As previously suggested by Goold, Ward, and Carlin (2003), this study recommends the involvement of adolescents in the development of health pages and websites to improve the sites’ chances of successfully reaching their target adolescent audience

Examining Social Network Site Usage by Older Adults: A Phenomenological Approach

The Internet has infiltrated our daily lives in many ways. Social networking on the Internet is a great example of how the Internet has expanded interpersonal communication. Many individuals have made social networking sites, like FaceBook and Twitter, an essential part of their lives and use these platforms to communicate daily. Until recently, young people have been the primary participants in this fast-growing phenomenon, and older adults\u27 participation in the Internet, specifically social networking sites, has lagged far behind. However, in recent years, there has been a noteworthy increase in the number of older adult participants. The increase in older adult participation in social networking sites is important because it seems to signify a decrease in the Internet usage gap called the digital divide , and because there is strong evidence older adults may greatly benefit from social networking activity. The aging of the Baby Boomers has resulted in significant growth in the senior age group, reinforcing the timely importance of considering the older adults\u27 digital divide . This study uses a phenomenological approach to explore the experience of older adult users of social networking sites to determine the reasons why more older adults are now making social networking sites part of their lives. The study revealed both negative and positive influences on this choice that include: early negative personal experiences with technology, positive family influences, an increasing prevalence of technology, and technology\u27s transition from complexity of use to ease of use. Although some resulting attitudes of older adults are negative, such as a need to control the role of social media in their life, online social networking plays a positive role in their lives. The probing, detailed nature of this phenomenological study clarifies influences and offers new perspectives, implying that research could benefit from a broader and deeper inspection. Research should consider, as related to the use of technology by older adults, a closer look at the effectiveness of training, potential gender differences in the choice to use technology, and the consequences of negative technological experiences