 |
| Research article summary (published 27 Feb 2009): |
Practicing what they preach: health behaviors of those who provide health advice to extensive social networks.
Full Abstract
As a way of identifying a conduit to disseminate health information, this study aims to explore health behaviors and attitudes of a unique group of extensively socially-networked individuals who regularly are asked for their health advice. Respondents from a population-based consumer opinion panel (n = 2,639) were categorized as "extensively socially-networked" (75+ friends and acquaintances, and almost daily giving friends advice on general issues) vs. "non-networked." The networked respondents were further divided into "health-networked" (regularly asked for health advice) versus "only-socially-networked" groups (asked for general advice, not health). Chi-square analyses, ANOVA tests, and multivariate regressions controlling for sociodemographic variables compared health behaviors and attitudes between groups. Results indicated that health-networked individuals reported more positive health behaviors (e.g., fruit and vegetable consumption) and attitudes than only-socially-networked and non-networked individuals. Future research is warranted to elucidate how providing health advice to a large network contributes to the positive health of health-networked individuals. Exploratory analyses revealed that doctors and health/fitness magazines were main sources of health and nutrition information for health-networked respondents. Through their advice and word-of-mouth, health-networked individuals have the potential to influence the health information of large groups of people and, therefore, may serve as valuable change agents to disseminate health and nutrition information.
Author information
Author/s: Colon-Ramos, Uriyoan (U); Atienza, Audie A (AA); Weber, Deanne (D); Taylor, Melissa (M); Uy, Christina (C); Yaroch, Amy (A);
Affiliation: National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7335, USA.
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Journal Article
Journal: Journal of health communication (J Health Commun), published in England. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2009-Mar; vol 14 (issue 2) : pp 119-30
Dates: Created 2009/03/13; Completed 2009/06/23;
PMID: 19283537, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 6/23/2009, IMS Date: 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):
Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.
This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.
MeSH headings (categories)
This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.
Related articles
This article has not been indexed for related articles as yet, however you can still use the live related article search links below.
See a large map of 100+ related articles.