Can two established information models explain the information behaviour of visually impaired people seeking health and social care information?

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which two existing models of information behaviour could explain the information behaviour of visually impaired people seeking health and social care information.Design methodology approach - The research was conducted within a constr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of documentation 2007-01, Vol.63 (1), p.9-32
Main Authors:	Beverley, C.A, Bath, P.A, Barber, R
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Behavior Blind and partially sighted Blindness Braille Diabetic retinopathy Disability Disabled people Handicapped accessibility Health and medicine Health care Information literacy Information media Information Seeking Information seeking behavior Information seeking behaviour Information sources Information work Interdisciplinary Approach Interviews Medicine People with disabilities Qualitative research Social work Sociology User surveys Users Visual impairment Visual Impairments
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Summary:	Purpose - The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which two existing models of information behaviour could explain the information behaviour of visually impaired people seeking health and social care information.Design methodology approach - The research was conducted within a constructivist paradigm. A total of 28 semi-structured interviews (face-to-face or telephone) with 31 visually impaired people were conducted. Framework analysis was used to analyse the results.Findings - This study identified several factors that may affect a visually impaired person's information behaviour. These related to the presence of other health conditions or disabilities, participants' understanding of the word "information", their interactions with information providers, their degree of independence, the support they received from friends and family, their acceptance of their own visual impairment, as well as their awareness of other visual impairments, their registration status and their willingness and ability to pay for aids, adaptations and equipment.Originality value - This study provides a new and valuable insight into the information behaviour of visually impaired people, as well as testing the applicability of a specific and generic information model to the information behaviour of visually impaired people seeking health and social care information.
ISSN:	0022-0418 1758-7379