A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Breaking the barriers: The impact of health information and cultural factors on immigrant health in the Nordic countries
Authors: Ahmadinia, Hamed
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
Publishing place: NEW YORK
Publication year: 2023
Journal:Library and Information Science Research
Journal name in sourceLIBRARY & INFORMATION SCIENCE RESEARCH
Journal acronym: LIBR INFORM SCI RES
Article number: 101253
Volume: 45
Issue: 3
Number of pages: 10
ISSN: 0740-8188
eISSN: 1873-1848
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2023.101253
Web address : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0740818823000294
Abstract
Immigrants encounter cultural adaptation challenges impacting their health behaviors and outcomes, with health information and cultural factors influencing their actions. A survey of 340 participants from Finland, Norway, and Sweden was conducted, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modelling. Results show that health beliefs and access to health information, mainly via the Internet, significantly predict immigrants' intentions to engage in health-related actions, while perceived barriers negatively affect their adoption of healthy behavior. The findings underscore the importance of information professionals in providing culturally relevant health information and resources to immigrants and emphasize the need for policymakers to consider cultural factors and information sources in health promotion efforts targeting immigrant populations. This study adds value to the information science literature by highlighting the role of information access and cultural context in shaping health-related actions among immigrants in Nordic countries.
Immigrants encounter cultural adaptation challenges impacting their health behaviors and outcomes, with health information and cultural factors influencing their actions. A survey of 340 participants from Finland, Norway, and Sweden was conducted, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modelling. Results show that health beliefs and access to health information, mainly via the Internet, significantly predict immigrants' intentions to engage in health-related actions, while perceived barriers negatively affect their adoption of healthy behavior. The findings underscore the importance of information professionals in providing culturally relevant health information and resources to immigrants and emphasize the need for policymakers to consider cultural factors and information sources in health promotion efforts targeting immigrant populations. This study adds value to the information science literature by highlighting the role of information access and cultural context in shaping health-related actions among immigrants in Nordic countries.
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