Health Information Seeking among Second Generation Chinese American Emerging Adults: Perceived Needs, Preferred Sources, and Their Recommendations to Improve Access and Availability

Theoretical Background and research questions/hypothesis:

According to the 2010 Census, approximately 4 million or 23.2% of Asian Americans trace their roots to China. Understanding the health information seeking behaviors and experiences of this population would offer a glimpse into their unique needs. Currently, there is limited data available via national surveys and through existing scientific literature for Chinese American emerging adults ages 18 to 29 years old. A study conducted on Chinese emerging adults in Vancouver, Canada suggests that the combined effect of having an immigrant backdrop and navigating emerging adulthood might result in increased risk of unmet health needs. Canadian Chinese emerging adults were only likely to access health care for episodic health care needs and not for preventative services. Currently, there is limited data available via national surveys and through existing scientific literature for health information seeking behaviors of Chinese American emerging adults ages 18 to 29 years old. To bridge this gap within existing literature, a qualitative study was conducted to answer the following research questions:

RQ 1. What are the health information needs of Chinese American young adults?

RQ 2. What are the prevalent sources of health information for Chinese American young adults and why?

RQ 3. What are the recommendations from Chinese American young adults to improve access and availability for health information needed by them?

Methods:

We employed a phenomenological approach and conducted sixteen semi-structured in-depth interviews with Chinese American emerging adults residing in different regions of the United States between March 2017 to September 2018. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify, analyze and report patterns or themes within the data.

Results:

Family, friends, health care professionals, teachers, and the internet were preferred sources for non-sensitive health information. A culture of silent escapism was found to be the prevailing norm when confronted with sensitive health topics. Normative cultural factors inhibit health information seeking for sexual, reproductive, and mental health according to participants. Various forms of mental “escapes” were described as coping mechanisms employed to face sexual, reproductive or mental health crises.

Conclusions:

Culturally responsive, digitally accessible, private, and normatively influential multi-level public health solutions were recommendations made for making health information more accessible and salient in the Chinese American community.

Implications for research and/or practice:

Future studies should focus on how to mitigate the normative effect of engaging in silent escapism in response to sensitive health crises. Participant recommendations can inform the design and rationale for future public health solutions to improve accessibility and availability of health information.