Research trends in mothers' health information seeking behaviors: A review of the literature

Abstract

This study aims to identify and examine research trends relating to mothers' health information seeking behaviors from 1994 to August 2015. Eighty-seven articles from multiple disciplines were selected systematically and reviewed in diverse aspects: characteristics of the articles, use of theories, information sources, and seeking strategies. This research topic has been given numerous attention since 1994. In particular, the number of publications skyrocketed since 2013. Twenty-two different theories and models have been utilized in examining mothers' health information seeking behaviors. Furthermore, four seeking strategies of mothers were recognized as asking questions, utilizing multiple sources, borrowing medical literature from libraries, and sharing experiences with friends. Implications for future research in this topic are discussed.