and Seniors Everyday Life Information Seeking
Julia Gray Melinda Snarr Michelle Vallance Stephanie Zero LIS 510 A, Group 9 Assignment #2 November 17, 2005
Literature Review A common focus of the information behavior literature is on how professionals seek and use information to perform job tasks and achieve work-related goals. Another burgeoning research area focuses on non-work information seeking, a concept defined by Savolainen (1995) as Everyday Life Information Seeking (ELIS). Our study focused on the ELIS behavior of seniors, whom we chose because they typically lack the work structures that define many groups lives. They cannot easily be understood with any one information behavior model. Although we identified several articles on the topic of seniors information seeking, the majority were from outside the Information Science literature. For example, we consulted articles in Heart and Lung, Journal of Medical Internet Research and Educational Gerontology. We did not focus closely on these studies because they do not approach information seeking from an information perspective. However, the frequency of this topic in a range of health sciences journals highlights the importance of health as an information need for seniors. The health information seeking behavior of the elderly is obviously of concern to medical professionals and increasingly so to librarians and information professionals who design information systems and services for them. Studies in the Information Science journals were rarely based on populations in the United States. The leading research studies on seniors information behaviors were Australian, British, and Canadian. We found few studies focused specifically on American seniors, whose government benefits and health care structures differ from those of seniors in other countries. We were sensitive to these cultural and political differences that frame seniors lives when using these studies. Nevertheless, we drew extensively from these sources. Three articles from the Information Science literature were particularly useful in conceptualizing research, framing questions and building a theoretical foundation. Savolainens (1995) ELIS model borrows heavily from Bourdieus habitus, defined as a system of socially and culturally determined characteristics that organize an individuals life. Source preferences and problem-solving methods are considered at once individual and socially conditioned. Coupled with habitus, Savolainens concept of way of life (the structure of time budget, models of consumption of goods and services, and nature of hobbies) offers a solid framework for analyzing everyday information seeking behavior of different populations. Concerned with non-work information seeking, Savolainen contrasted the behavior of teachers and blue collar
1
workers to develop the ELIS model. We pushed his questions further to consider how seniors develop everyday life structures, time budgets, and seek information in the absence of imposed work structures. We were guided by Savolainens observations that ELIS often concerns health and hobbies and his remarks about how individuals manage leisure time activities. In a study focused explicitly on older adults information seeking, Williamson (1997) emphasizes the individuals particular physical and social context, as does Savolainen. She constructs an ecological model of the information-seeking behavior of older adults. Williamsons model is useful in considering how an individuals particular context and life structures shape her information behavior. She finds that family and friends are the most important source of information for this population. Their contact was primarily mediated through the telephone. Her summary of older adults primary information needs health, income and finance, government pension, recreation, and volunteerismguided our study and anticipated our results. Williamsons model built upon Savolainens core concepts and provided theoretical foundation. Wicks (2004) study of older adults information seeking provides theoretical models and concrete findings, methods, and questions that guided our work. Wicks theory is heavily derived from Savolainens way of life, hence his sensitivity to the influence of roles and settings on individuals information behavior. His interview instrument and observations about the flow of information within senior accommodations as well as the role of institutional sources of information guided the development of our study. As with Williamson and Savolainen, Wicks emphasizes an ecological or contextual approach to understanding everyday life information seeking behaviors. We drew heavily from each of these studies in conducting our own. Method Residents in an urban community of the Seattle Housing Authoritys Senior Housing Program (SSHP) participated in the study. The sample consisted of 15 residents aged 58 to 83 or older. To qualify to live in Seattle Senior Housing, a resident must have an income below $40,600 and be at least 62 or disabled (Seattle Housing Authority, 2005). Despite these basic similarities, our participants were diverse according to ethnicity, age, state of health, and activity level. Residents are independent individuals living in a community which caters to their needs. We chose two methods for the research. To collect qualitative data, we conducted two group interviews with seven participants in each group. The interviewers worked in pairs; one conduct a semi-structured group interview using a prepared instrument (Appendix B) while the
2
other took notes. Participants were asked to discuss a recent information need, the sources they use, and their frequency of use. A survey was given to participants immediately after the group interview. The survey covered demographics, information types, sources, and frequency of use (Appendix A). We pre-tested the survey questions on a 60-year professional, and used MS Excel to analyze the quantitative data. We coordinated the study with the Community Builder at SSHP. She reviewed and critiqued our survey and instrument, and offered information on the SSHP and its residents that helped us form appropriate research questions. She facilitated access to the community and helped us gain the residents trust, which is essential to procuring rich data. Our willingness to do a follow up program may have also provided an incentive for their participation in our study. The group interviews were conducted in the buildings community room. We got a sense of the communitys common spaces and shared information sources during a tour of the housing lobby, where community bulletin boards are located. One resident explained that urgent information is posted in the elevator, general information is posted on the community bulletin board, and there is an entire table dedicated to magazines, catalogs and newspapers. Findings Of the 15 survey respondents 9 (or 60%) were women. We looked at age ranges based on Griebels age wave (Wicks, 2004) and found that the majority (8 or 53.33%) fell into the 68-82 age range. At the time of interview nearly half of the respondents (7 or 46.67%) reported that they were neither working nor seeking any paid or volunteer positions. Over half (8 or 53.33%) of the resident respondents had worked in careers involving manufacturing, production, service or maintenance prior to retirement. Some professions included registered nurse, nurses aid, engineer, teacher, secretary, prison program administrator, Boeing industrial worker, freight transporter and homemaker. No significant relationships emerged between profession and current information seeking behavior. Surveys showed that 9 (60%) residents felt that health was a primary topic of interest. Other interests were current events, travel and hobbies. Signing up for social security benefits and Medicare was a topic of concern affecting all residents. Everyone had received paperwork in the mail, yet many residents felt confused about the process and doing it wrong. This example is consistent with other studies and demonstrates that government information is a source of frustration and anxiety.
3
Another typical information need, which came out in the focus group, was for travel related information. This need included basic transportation for everyday mobility as well as travel to distant places. Seven out of fifty-seven total residents drive a vehicle. Others ride the bus, take cabs and those with less mobility rely on a public transportation service called ACCESS, which caters to seniors and people with disabilities. Because of this reliance on public transportation there is tremendous need for information regarding transit within the community. The primary preferred source for information regarding health was a nurse or physician (9 or 60% of respondents). Regarding hobbies, the primary preferred source for information was newspaper or magazine (6 or 40% of respondents). In both cases, residents felt accuracy was most important when selecting an information source. One aspect that our survey fails to address is that an overwhelming majority of residents indicated a preference for the telephone when seeking information regarding health, hobbies, and other activities (i.e. travel). The phone is the best way to get information, but one of the problems is that 80% are automated systems with no human, said one participant. Only one participant out of 14 claimed to consult the internet when faced with a health related question saying the internet is a tremendous source of information and its up to date, but you can scare yourself or misdiagnose. Both statements demonstrate typical frustrations with technology-mediated information-seeking. Another major source for information was word of mouth. The SSHP community provides a network channel for residents. One resident explained networking is important: you can find out anything to overcome a difficulty if you ask around and know people. The survey reflects the use of word of mouth as an information source: 11 residents (73%) indicated at least one interpersonal source used in the last week. The trust placed on friends and family in regards to information seeking further contributes to Granovetters (2005) Strength of Weak Ties theory, which shows that people will often seek advice from their strong ties (i.e. friends and family) before acting on information. Both our interview questions and surveys asked specific questions regarding the use of a physical library and, more specifically, the Seattle Public Librarys Bookmobile. Survey results show that approximately one quarter of the residents (4 or 26.67%) regularly visit the public library. On the other hand approximately two-thirds (10 or 66.67%) of the residents indicated that they utilize the Bookmobile. The use of the Bookmobile has a lot to do with the decreased mobility of the residents who find it easier to utilize this service every other month
4
rather than going down the hill. One resident reported being turned away at the library and told just to use the Bookmobile. Many residents seem to rely on the Bookmobile and the library to read up on topics of interest, which are not necessarily as time-sensitive or urgent as health issues. Some research interests include geographical studies and technology advancements as well as family and world history. These results further Savolainens (1995) structure of time budget, which takes into account an individuals available time as part of the search process. Krikelas (Henefer and Fulton 2005) model of information seeking, which highlights differences in response to immediate and deferred information needs, is also supported by these results. Another focus of our research was the use of computers and the internet in the residents everyday life information seeking. Six of the fifty-seven residents (or 10.5%) own a computer. Currently the Seattle Housing Authority has not installed a computer terminal in the common area. When asked whether this was something they were interested in most responses were negative. Some said they would rather read a book than use a computer or that they simply had no idea how to use a computer and would need tutoring. According to survey results, only 3 of the residents (or 20%) indicated that they use the internet on a regular basis. Some residents indicated that they do not go to the computer directly, but often receive information from the internet indirectly through friends or family. One major instance of this phenomenon was talked about in relation to the purchase of airline tickets. Residents indicated that they asked friends or family with internet access and computer skills to purchase online airline tickets for them. Others shared that they would often buy airline tickets from a travel agency, to avoid frustration with the internet, even though these transactions would ultimately result in higher costs. Participants in the focus group briefly mentioned other often used sources of information. Approximately twenty newspaper subscriptions arrived at the building daily. According to our survey 9 (or 60%) of respondents used newspapers and magazines as information sources within the last week. Many residents mentioned subscriptions to mail order catalogs, shopping perhaps another result of decreased mobility. Another frequently used source for information was the television; 8 (or 53.33%) respondents reported watching the television in the last week. In the focus groups we found that many residents enjoy watching PBS programs and sports. The use of sources like newspapers, television, magazines and catalogs might be referred to as infotainment. These sources may not be used intentionally for information seeking purposes, yet there is a certain level of serendipity in their employment. This corresponds with
5
Williamsons (1997) conclusions about the high frequency of incidental information acquisition among seniors as opposed to purposeful information seeking. Conclusion A primary interest in our research was testing Savolainens (1995) ELIS model with a group whose lives were not primarily defined by work or school. In the absence of imposed work structures we considered how seniors develop everyday life structures and time budgets and seek information. We found that seniors create their own structures and routines based on hobbies, exercise, volunteering, church activities, and family. While Savolainens model suggests that career influences ELIS behaviors and preferences, we found that participants past careers do not significantly affect their information preferences and orientations. Consistent with Williamsons (1997) ecological model, we found that current context, regardless of past work experience, most profoundly determines everyday information behavior. Although we anticipated a correlation between age and internet use, no clear patterns emerged. Those who used the internet fell into three separate age categories, and residents of all age groups indicated that they never accessed the internet. Wicks (2004) suggests that age is inversely related to computer experience, and that the gap between younger and older seniors will narrow over time. Given that we found internet adoption by older seniors and internet avoidance by younger seniors, future research should look at other contextual factors (e.g., language barriers, physical disability) that help or hinder online access among seniors. As expected, the primary information needs of the seniors revolved around health and leisure activities, but government benefits and transportation information needs were also highlighted. Preferred sources varied by topic, but interpersonal sources were significant, particularly for urgent needs. The community setting of our population facilitated access to these interpersonal information sources and future research should examine how seniors might retain these sources in more isolated living situations. Moreover, research might examine the potential for introducing technology to seniors through interpersonal channels (e.g., advocacy by community leaders, workshops for seniors and their younger family members, etc.). Chatman (1991) suggests that mass media use among seniors becomes increasingly significant with age as it mediates their access to the larger world. In this light, understanding the information behavior of aging adults becomes an important tool for assisting potentially information-impoverished populations.
6
Bibliography Agosto, D.E. and Hughes-Hassell, S. (2005). People, places, and questions: an investigation of the everyday life information-seeking behavior of urban young adults. Library & Information Science Research, 27, 141-163. Campbell, R.J. (2005). Teaching elderly adults to use the internet to access health care information: before-after study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 7(2), article e19. Cawthra, L. (1999). Older peoples health information needs. Health Libraries Review, 16, 97-105. Chatman, E. (1991). Channels to a larger social world: Older women staying in contact with the great society. Library and Information Science Research, 13(3), 281-300. Fulton, C. (2005). Chatmans life in the round. In K. Fisher, S. Erdelez, and L. McKechnie (Ed.), Theories of information behavior, ASIST Monograph Series, (pp. 79-82). Medford, NJ: Information Today. Goodman, R.I. (1992). The selection of communication channels by the elderly to obtain information. Educational Gerontology, 18, 701-714. Granovetter, C.M. (2005). Strength of Weak Ties. In K. Fisher, S. Erdelez, and L. McKechnie (Ed.), Theories of information behavior, ASIST Monograph Series, (pp. 143-148). Medford, NJ: Information Today. Henefer, J. and Fulton, C. (2005). Krikelass Model of Information Seeking. In K. Fisher, S. Erdelez, and L. McKechnie (Ed.), Theories of information behavior, ASIST Monograph Series, (pp. 225-229). Medford, NJ: Information Today. Meischke, H., Eisenberg, M., Rowe, S., and Cagle, A. (2005). Do older adults use the internet for information on heart attacks? Results from a survey of seniors in King County, Washington. Heart & Lung, 34(1), 3-12. Pettigrew, K.E. (2000). Lay information provision in community settings: How community health nurses disseminate human services information to the elderly. Library Quarterly, 70(1), 47-85. Savolainen, R. (2005). Everyday life information seeking. In K. Fisher, S. Erdelez, and L. McKechnie (Ed.), Theories of information behavior, ASIST Monograph Series, (pp. 143148). Medford, NJ: Information Today. Savolainen, R. (1995). Everyday life information seeking: approaching information seeking in the context of way of life. Library & Information Science Research, 17, 259-294.
7
Seattle Housing Authority. (2005). Seattle Senior Housing Program: Do you qualify?. Retrieved November 2, 2005, from Seattle Housing Authority Web site: http://seattlehousing.org/Housing/programs/sshp/sshpqualify2.html Todd, H. (1984). The information needs of newly retired people. Health Libraries Review, 1, 2935. Wicks, D.A. (2004). Older adults and their information seeking. Behavioral & Social Sciences Librarian, 22(2), 1-26. Williamson, K. (1997). The Information needs and information-seeking behavior of older adults: an Australian study. In P. Vakkari, R. Savolainen and B. Dervin (Ed.), Information seeking in context: proceedings of the International Conference on Research in Information Needs, Seeking and Use in Different Contexts, 14-16 August 1996, Tampere, Finland (pp. 337-350). London: Taylor Graham. Williamson, K. (1999). The role of research in professional practice: with reference to the assessment of the information and library needs of older people. Australasian Public Libraries and Information Services, 12(4), 145-153.
8
Appendix A: Quantitative Survey 1. What is your age range? (check one) 51 - 57 58-67 68 - 82 83 or older
2. What is your gender? Male Female
2. What is the highest level of education that youve completed? (check one) Grammar School High School or GED Some College Associate or Technical Degree Undergraduate (4-year) Degree Graduate/Professional/Doctoral Degree
3. What best describes your current work situation? (check one) I work in a paid or volunteer position. I am not currently working, but I am interested in a paid or volunteer position. I am not currently working, and I am not interested in a position. 4. How would you describe your current or previous career? If youve had more than one career, choose the one that you feel best describes you. (check one) Management/Business/Finance Science/Engineering Healthcare Professional Legal Professional Educational Professional Other Professional Manufacturing and Production Service and Maintenance Law Enforcement/Criminology Administrative Support Sales Homemaking
5. Which of the following types of information are you typically interested in? (check all that apply) Current Events/News Weather Personal Finance Consumer Information Travel Appendix A Hobbies Transportation Nutrition and Exercise General Health Local Events 1 Job/Volunteer Information Personal Improvement Religion and Spirituality Other
6. How many hobbies do you participate in? (check one) 0 1-2 ...