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Teenagers And The Use Of New Technologies (Ict) For Health Information

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  • Alina Duduciuc

Abstract

The spread of health messages through ICTs has raised the issues of source reliability more than ever before. There are many channels for adolescents where they can find information about health, and sometimes these messages are contradictory. In this research I employed a qualitative approach to investigate how adolescents seek information about health through ICTs, what kind of health related topics they search on Internet, whether they rely on their peers, teachers or primary group when they are aware of being in risk, and how they assess a source as trustworthy in covering health information. Additionally, the current study surveys what it means for teenagers to be in a good physical condition, including their habits regarding self-medication, nutrition, physical activity, weight maintenance, and how they communicate with respect to the above-mentioned health-issues through ICTs. On this purpose, I conducted two focus group interviewed with 22 Romanian adolescents, aged between 12 and 17 years, who have Facebook accounts and own smartphones connected to the Internet. The main findings suggest that teenagers search the Internet to some extent as a response to factors that threaten the health condition, such as the presence of physical symptoms that are overwhelming or stressful. The emotional adjustment is rather targeted to social support offline sources (friends, parents and doctors) than online ones.

Suggested Citation

  • Alina Duduciuc, 2014. "Teenagers And The Use Of New Technologies (Ict) For Health Information," Studies and Scientific Researches. Economics Edition, "Vasile Alecsandri" University of Bacau, Faculty of Economic Sciences, issue 20.
    • Handle: RePEc:bac:fsecub:14-20-24
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Ólafsson, Kjartan & Livingstone, Sonia & Haddon, Leslie, 2013. "Children’s use of online technologies in Europe: a review of the European evidence base," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 50228, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Emmanuel Kuntsche & Bruce Simons-Morton & Tom Bogt & Inmaculada Queija & Victoria Tinoco & Margarida Gaspar de Matos & Massimo Santinello & Michela Lenzi, 2009. "Electronic media communication with friends from 2002 to 2006 and links to face-to-face contacts in adolescence: an HBSC study in 31 European and North American countries and regions," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 54(2), pages 243-250, September.
    5. Teija Nuutinen & Eva Roos & Carola Ray & Jari Villberg & Raili Välimaa & Mette Rasmussen & Bjørn Holstein & Emmanuelle Godeau & Francois Beck & Damien Léger & Jorma Tynjälä, 2014. "Computer use, sleep duration and health symptoms: a cross-sectional study of 15-year olds in three countries," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 59(4), pages 619-628, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alina Duduciuc, 2015. "Online Health Information Seeking During Adolescence: A Quantitative Study Regarding Romanian Teenagers," Studies and Scientific Researches. Economics Edition, "Vasile Alecsandri" University of Bacau, Faculty of Economic Sciences, issue 22.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    health; ICTs; adolescents; risks; Internet;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I19 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Other

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