The Association between Online Health Information-seeking Behavior and Social Support in Social Networks among Korean Americans

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine Korean Americans' (KAs) access to online health information and social support from personal social networks. Method: A cross-sectional online survey of KAs (N = 202) aged 18-49 was conducted. Results: KAs in large social networks had high access to social support from personal social networks. KA women had higher perceived social support than men and were more likely to seek health information online. Conclusion: This study illustrates high use of personal social networks and online channels as important sources of health information and support among KAs, suggesting the utility of employing these channels for health information dissemination with this at-risk population.