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Table 3 Characteristics of health information seekers choosing doctor or healthcare provider first (n = 937) compared to other sources (Total N = 4,370)

From: The National Cancer Institute’s Health Information National Trends Survey [HINTS]: a national cross-sectional analysis of talking to your doctor and other healthcare providers for health information

 

Doctor or healthcare provider first N (weighted %)

Other sources N (weighted %)

Unadjusted OR (95% CI), p-value

Adjusted OR (95% CI), p-value

Gender

    

Male

385 (14.94)

1,592 (85.06)

1.00 --

1.00 --

Female

531 (15.93)

2,695 (84.07)

0.93 (0.75 – 1.15), p = .47

1.00 (0.71 – 1.39), p = .98

Age

    

18–45

150 (9.41)

1,541 (90.59)

1.00 --

1.00--

46–64

347 (15.52)

1,880 (84.48)

1.77 (1.30-2.41), p < .0001

1.74 (1.28-2.36), p = .18

65–75

241 (29.23)

601 (70.77)

3.98 (3.01-5.25), p < .0001

3.05 (2.13-4.35), p = .0001

76-99

179 (40.76)

262 (59.24)

6.63 (4.72-9.31), p < .0001

2.88 (1.89-4.38), p = .006

Rurality

    

No

916 (15.55)

4,301 (84.45)

1.00 --

1.00--

Yes

21 (22.38)

69 (77.62)

1.57 (0.86-2.86), p = .15

1.20 (0.46-3.13), p = .71

Cancer history

    

No

746 (14.72)

3,816 (85.28)

1.00 --

1.00--

Yes

186 (25.98)

535 (74.02)

2.03 (1.63-2.53), p < .0001

1.21 (0.91-1.62), p = .19

General health

    

Excellent

71 (11.59)

558 (88.41)

1.00 --

1.00--

Very good

302 (12.85)

1,630 (87.15)

1.13 (0.72-1.75), p < .0001

0.95 (0.59-1.54), p = .08

Good

347 (15.78)

1,526 (84.22)

1.43 (0.94-2.18), p = .02

0.88 (0.53-1.47), p = .03

Fair

141 (21.69)

497 (78.31)

2.11 (1.33-3.36), p = .26

0.98 (0.55-1.73), p = .24

Poor

52 (43.23)

90 (56.77)

5.81 (2.31-14.64), p = .0002

3.99 (0.80-20.02), p = .05

Income

    

Less than $20,000

234 (22.57)

692 (77.43)

1.00 --

1.00 --

$20,000 to $49,999

258 (16.33)

1,149 (83.67)

0.67 (0.47 – 0.96), p = .95

0.89 (0.59 – 1.33), p = .73

$50,000 and above

311 (11.41)

2,116 (88.59)

0.44 (0.33 – 0.60), p < .0001

0.87 (0.55 – 1.36), p = .63

Race

    

Non-Hispanic White

532 (13.93)

2,812 (86.07)

1.00 --

1.00 --

Non-Hispanic Black

143 (15.04)

581 (84.96)

1.09 (0.81 – 1.48), p = .53

1.11 (0.75 – 1.64), p = .69

Hispanic

111 (21.27)

461 (78.73)

1.67 (1.12 – 2.48), p = .04

1.25 (0.79 – 1.97), p = .81

Other

63 (15.35)

271 (84.65)

1.12 (0.65 – 1.93), p = .75

1.45 (0.70-3.02), p = .48

Education

    

Less than High School

118 (37.56)

218 (62.44)

1.00 --

1.00 --

High School Graduate

240 (19.92)

689 (80.08)

0.41 (0.25 – 0.68), p = .29

0.63 (0.33-1.23), p = .51

Some College

292 (13.99)

1,318 (86.01)

0.27 (0.17 – 0.44), p = .002

0.52 (0.26-1.05), p = .35

College Grad. or More

266 (9.11)

2,071 (90.89)

0.17 (0.11 – 0.26), p < .0001

0.35 (0.17-0.75), p = .0009

Health insurance

    

No

69 (12.01)

563 (87.99)

1.00 --

1.00 --

Yes

853 (16.34)

3,767 (83.66)

1.43 (0.96 – 2.13), p = .07

1.72 (1.03-2.88), p = .04

Veteran status

    

Non-Veteran

735 (14.43)

3,780 (85.57)

1.00 --

1.00 --

Veteran

139 (19.48)

459 (80.52)

1.44 (1.06 – 1.94), p = .02

1.04 (0.72-1.49), p = .84

Internet use

    

No

386 (42.35)

547 (57.65)

1.00 --

1.00 --

Yes

550 (11.27)

3,823 (88.73)

0.17 (0.14 – 0.22), p < .0001

0.40 (0.29-0.56), p < .0001

  1. Note: Significant relationships are bolded.
  2. OR = Odds ratio; 95% CI = Confidence Interval.