Relationship Between the Online Health Information Search and Vaccination Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objectives: During the COVID-19 pandemic, online health information search has been shown to influence the public's health beliefs, risk attitudes, and vaccination behavior. This study constructs a conditional process model to explore how online health information search impacts public vaccination behavior, considering critical factors like healthcare system satisfaction, vaccine risk perception, and the perceived usefulness of information.

Methods: Data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (N = 2,547) were analysed. The study utilized logistic regression, path analysis, and the Bootstrap method to test the conditional process model.

Results: Increased online health information search promotes vaccination behavior, while increased vaccine risk perception hinders vaccination behavior. Higher satisfaction with the healthcare system encourages vaccination behavior, but online health information search reduces healthcare system satisfaction. Satisfaction with the healthcare system and vaccine risk perception play a chain mediating role between online health information search and vaccination behavior. Additionally, the perceived usefulness of information has a negative moderating effect on online health information search and healthcare system satisfaction.

Conclusion: The research findings provide new insights for health information dissemination and vaccination interventions.

Keywords: online health information search; perceived usefulness of information; satisfaction with the healthcare system; vaccination behavior; vaccine risk perception.