The Challenges of Internet-based Interactive Health Communication(IHC)Applications - A Discussion Based on American Experience

Abstract

網路互動式健康傳播概念問世並實際運用後，美國人民當下得以不受時間限制，在網路上以匿名及互動方式接近及使用健康訊息、徵詢醫師的建議、尋求情感的支持、維持健康行為及下與健康有關的決定。然而，互動式健康傳播在美國實際運用後也產生頗受注意的問題，如網路接近使用；網站設計對使用者的適用性；健康訊息的可讀性、正確性、可信度及個人隱私等問題。透過對美國經驗探討，本文章建議，選擇以網路作為通道來傳遞健康訊息的訊息提供者，未來應致力於消弭資訊落差；設計使用者適用性強的網站；並提供具可讀性、正確性、可信度的健康訊息；及確保網路健康訊息尋求者的個人隱私。一旦健康訊息提供者開創一個可欲的網路互動式健康傳播新未來，健康資訊尋求者也懂得評估對是否有益的互動式健康傳播相關運用，互動式健康傳播將能為眾人的健康許一個美好未來。

With the emergence of the Internet-based interactive health communication(IHC), people in the U.S. now can anonymously and electronically gain access to information, solicit physicians’ suggestions, find emotional support, maintain health behavior, and make health-related decisions. However, the applications of IHC also raise concerns regarding the lack of accessibility, user-friendliness, readability, accuracy, credibility, and privacy. Based on these experiences, this paper suggests that information providers should make efforts to reduce information divide, create user-friendly Web sites, provide readable materials, supply accurate and credible content, and ensure health-related information seekers’ privacy. On the other hand, health-related information seekers should know how to evaluate the IHC applications to choose those, which are most likely to be useful and beneficial to them. Only when health-related information providers provide a preferred future of Internet-based IHC and health-related information seekers know how to evaluate and to benefit from the applications of IHC, will IHC lead to desired health outcomes.