| Chapter 1: | Study One: Introduction / Overview of Study Goals |
Chapter One
Study One: Introduction / Overview of Study Goals
Bandura (2002a) has suggested a strong link between health communication and technology by pointing out the active role patients can take in pursuing their health concerns. He indicated that the conception of health has shifted recently from a disease model to a health model, placing more emphasis on goals to stay healthy than means for curing diseases. In response, new technologies can be helpful tools for management of health choices and behaviors. For instance, research has indicated that HIV positive individuals turned to Internet resources to acquire information about their disease (Kalichman, et al., 2003) and used the information during meetings with their health care providers (Kalichman, et al., 2002).
Cassell, Jackson, and Cheuvront (1998) pointed out the hybrid nature of the Internet in the area of health communication. They suggested that the Internet shares characteristics of both mass and interpersonal communication channels.