The influences of socio-individual determinants and health information seeking on health-promoting behaviors among migrant women: A cross-sectional study

Aim This study aimed to examine the effects of socio-individual and health information-seeking variables on health-promoting behaviors among migrant women living in Korea. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used. A convenience sample comprising 190 Filipino marriage-migrant women from G City and J province, South Korea, were recruited between November and December 2015. Participants completed self-report surveys examining health-promoting behaviors, health information seeking, and socio-individual determinants. Results The most popular health information sources were healthcare professionals (39.0%), family or friends (31.6%), and the Internet (28.9%). Most respondents (90.5%) possessed smart devices; 55.8% used them to seek health information, while 9.5% used health-related applications. The health information that migrant women searched for online mainly concerned their health, diet/nutrition, and physical activity. Education (beta = .15, p = .008), health status (beta = -.10, p = .038), and smart device possession (beta = .20, p = .032) were factors influencing health-promoting behaviors. Conclusions Considering the high use of smart devices among migrant women in Korea, these findings suggest the need for an accessible, reliable, and easily understandable Internet-based health information source to facilitate their health-promoting behaviors.