Cosmetic medical tourists’ use of online and offline experiential and procedural information resources in decision-making: Implications for digital health literacy and neoliberalism

Background: When deciding to undergo aesthetic health procedures overseas, cosmetic medical tourists access various information resources to make informed decisions about locations, facilities, health providers and procedure(s). Aim: Existing research has investigated the different resources cosmetic tourists access in their decision-making process, however, there has yet to be an in-depth analysis of the significance of each information resource in this process. Methods: Interviews with Australian cosmetic tourists regarding how and why they decided to use specific information resources. Results: We found that cosmetic medical tourists simultaneously and repeatedly used four main information resources in their decision making – websites, existing social networks, online support communities and surgeon consultations. Discussion: We characterise these resources as offering both experiential and procedural information, both generalised (non-specific and available to everyone) and personalised (originating in individual experience or tailored to the individual) information and being located both online (internet-based) and offline (in-person). Successful accomplishment of the cosmetic medical tourist journey relies on engagement with most of these resources, highlighting the role of digital health literacy and the complexity of this decision-making process. Conclusions: This process has implications for understanding the practice of digital health literacy and identifiably positions cosmetic medical tourists as neoliberal individuals.