Explaining Behavioral Manifestations of Online Health Information Seeking by Psycho-Motivational Predictors: Combining User-Centric Tracking and Survey Data

For an increasing share of individuals, the Internet is a primary source for health information seeking. While prior research has largely depended on self-reports or aggregated search data, both approaches face limitations in accuracy and granularity. Building on recent advances in user-centric tracking, this study examines behavioral manifestations of online health information-seeking behaviors (HISB) using 3 months of tracking data from 728 German Internet users. We contribute to the evidence on the prevalence of online HISB and test whether psycho-motivational predictors from the Planned Risk Information Seeking Model (PRISM) are transferable to actual online behavior. Results indicate a limited explanatory power of PRISM variables. Specifically, the model's predictive relevance appears tied to user interest and engagement with health information rather than subsequent behavioral manifestations. These findings suggest boundary conditions of existing HISB models and emphasize the need to integrate observable behavior and downstream outcomes for a more comprehensive understanding of online health information seeking.