吳寂絹

本研究透過言語行為理論論證健康資訊消費者於社會性問答服務網站中提問的行為，為健康資訊消費者的一種資訊尋求行為，提問的內容則視為消費者的健康資訊需求。因此，為了探索健康資訊消費者於社會性問答服務中，健康資訊尋求行為之特徵，本研究蒐集Yahoo!奇摩知識+「醫療保健」類別中1,150則健康資訊尋求階段與健康資訊類別的問題文本進行分析，經由前導研究後確認分析構面分為五部分，分別為提問策略、行動、認知及情感之資訊尋求行為特徵；問題本身的清楚性、急迫性、篇幅長度之語意表達及結構性特徵；身分揭露、問題類型的提問需求特徵；八個健康資訊尋求階段，以及十五個健康資訊類別。為顧及研究的周延性與連貫性，研究設計分為二大面向，每一面向以二個階段進行。第一階段採取質化研究取向，依循紮根理論的精神及步驟建構編碼類目，建構的同時並以紮根理論的方式發掘分析框架以外的構面，第二階段以內容分析法賦予每則問題範疇化意義後再進行量化統計分析。

研究結果顯示，無論是八個健康資訊尋求階段或十五個健康資訊類別，在語意表達及結構性特徵、提問需求與資訊尋求行為特徵上，分別具有時間敏感性及健康資訊類別差異性之特性。消費者健康資訊尋求行為具有多元化的特性，當面臨一種健康資訊需求時，所採取的行動並非僅是提出疑問，尚包含描述症狀、宣洩情緒或表達問題情境等多元化行為，由此亦可反映搜尋引擎無法滿足健康資訊消費者的需求，進而促使社會性問答服務盛行的緣故。在提問需求上，健康資訊消費者對於「疾病」與「醫療處置」具大量需求，最常被提問的問題類型為關於疾病治療的問題，其次為醫療處置的問題，而醫療處置的問題中最常詢問的是手術治療相關的問題。此外，社會性問答服務問題表徵之消費者健康資訊需求具清楚性、少急迫性且自我提問之特徵，此意謂著社會性問答服務中，多數健康資訊消費者當面臨健康資訊需求時，了解清楚表達問題所在的重要性，且因無法確保網友回應的時效，故需要立即性回應的問題較少透過社會性問答服務提問；而匿名性的特性則可提供提問者隱私的基本保障，即使攸關自身相當私密的問題，亦勇於線上提問以尋求網友協助。

本研究除了建構社會性問答服務消費者健康資訊尋求行為之分析架構外，亦發現社會性問答提問消費者之健康資訊尋求行為確實具有階段性及類別差異特徵，研究結果除提供社會性問答服務健康資訊消費者之提問建議外，亦可作為社會性問答服務系統介面修改、政府單位衛教宣導及醫療從業人員醫療諮詢之參考。

Questioning behavior of health information consumers is a kind of information seeking behavior with the theoretical insights of Speech Act Theory. Each question was seen as an information seeking activity, and content of the query was considered health information needs. In order to explore the characteristics of health information seeking behavior on Social Q&A, a total of 1,150 health-related questions solicited from Yahoo! Answers Taiwan were first pre-identified and pre-categorized into eight stages of health information seeking and randomly selected from 15 categories in Health. With confirmation by pilot study, this study was to content analyze questions in information seeking behavior dimension (questioning strategy, action, cognition, and emotion), semantic expression and structural dimension (the nature of clarity, urgency, and length of information needs articulation), and questioning needs dimension (self-disclosure and question types). To take account of comprehensiveness and coherence, study design was separated into two phases and each had two stages. The first stage was to take qualitative research orientation with the procedures of Grounded Theory to construct coding categories and create new dimensions. The second stage was to assign codes of each question with the coding typologies and quantify the significance of the statistical analysis.

The results indicated that either eight health information seeking stages or fifteen health information types have the characteristics of time-sensitive or categories differences. It also presented that behaviors of seeking health information encompass numerous characteristics. In cases when health information is needed, users not only raise question, but also describe their symptoms, feelings, and background information. This reflects that current Internet search engines cannot meet the needs of consumers for health information, which therefore increased the popularity of social Q&A services where consumers can freely express themselves to obtain information. The results demonstrated that health information consumers have a large amount of information needs about disease and medical treatment. The highest ratio of question types was the treatment of diseases, followed by surgical treatment. Besides, it also presented that question expressions on Social Q&A were clearly, less urgency, and self-questioning. The result explained that most health information consumers realize the importance of clarity of expression and immediate questions can’t get response soon due to inability of timeliness. The anonymity that allows the obtaining answers from embarrassing medical situations urges health information consumers to speak freely on social Q&A site.

In conclusion, in addition to construct analytical framework for health information seeking behavior of Social Q&A consumers, this study discovered the characteristics of health information seeking stages and health information types. It offers suggestions for health information consumers and makes implications in designing an interactive consumer health information system and improving physician-patient relationship.