Exploring older adults' health information seeking behaviors

Objective: To explore older adults' (55-70 years) health information-seeking behaviors.

Methods: Using a qualitative methodology, based on grounded theory, data were collected using in-depth interviews. Participants were community-living, older adults in Toronto, Canada who independently seek nutrition and health information. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a qualitative thematic coding framework.

Results: Twenty participants were interviewed, at which point theoretical saturation of data was achieved. Three themes describing older adults' health information-seeking behaviors emerged. This article will focus on one theme: the enabling and disabling experience of seeking nutrition and health information to support an understanding of successful aging in this population.

Conclusions and implications: These findings are framed within the context of supporting older adults' information-seeking behaviors to contribute to their health and well-being. This is a relevant issue to public health professionals given the global emphasis on successful aging strategies.