Factors influencing healthcare consumers' search for healthcare associated infection information on the World Wide Web

Purpose - This paper seeks to provide a narrative review of some of the factors that influence healthcare consumers' information seeking involving healthcare associated infections (HAI) on the internet.Design methodology approach - The paper takes the form of a narrative review arising from the authors' presentation and subsequent discussions that took place during the Universities Council Symposium held in Vancouver, Canada in May 2011.Findings - There are a number of important factors that affect healthcare consumers' desire to seek information online about HAI, including the search engine used, the type of technology used, web site usability, information availability, consumers' learning style, consumers' personality traits, and finally, consumers' situational, emotional, and psychological contexts. These factors may affect healthcare consumers' decision making about where they will obtain healthcare (i.e. in their selection of a clinic, hospital, regional health authority and or health care system).Research limitations implications - HAI reporting via web sites is being done by health care organizations across North America. There is a need to more fully understand the factors that affect consumer use of these web sites.Practical implications - Fundamental questions have been raised about the impact of providing HAI information over the WWW. There is a need to consider the varying factors that influence consumers' information seeking involving the WWW (i.e. technology-driven and consumer-driven factors) especially when searching for HAI-related information about health care organizations.Originality value - Historically, HAI information was the purview of those who had a background to interpret such data (e.g. infection control and public health practitioners). The literature focusing on what consumers want to know regarding HAIs over the WWW is only beginning to emerge. More research is needed to better understand what health care consumers need to support their decision making involving HAIs.