Table 2 Antecedents, attributes, consequences from literature

Antecedents

Personal factors

Age [13, 17, 29, 31, 33, 34, 41, 44, 46]

Gender [13, 29, 46, 47]

Health literacy level [15, 44]

Prior experience with Internet use [29,30,31, 41, 48]

Frequency of internet use [43]

Prior experience with internet instruction [29, 41]

Lack of computer skills [15, 41]

Difficulties to access the internet [15, 29, 30]

Health status

Vision/Hearing [30, 33, 49, 50]

Individual health status [41, 43]

Cognitive/language impairment [30, 49, 50]

Attitude toward online

Computer anxiety [33, 39, 41, 44, 50]

Computer self-efficacy [31, 39, 41, 50]

Computer confidence [41]

Types of preferred sources [31]

Social-economic factors

Income [29, 30, 44, 46, 47]

Education [17, 29, 30, 34, 41, 46, 47, 51, 52]

Marriage [44, 46]

Social support [29, 53]

Number of e-devise [44]

Need for assistance [30]

Cultural factors

Perceived usefulness and Zon e-health information [15, 23, 29, 30, 40, 43, 48]

Perceived health status [13, 17, 34, 54]

Historical background [29]

Attributes

Active information seeking

Information-seeking needs/recognition the importance of health promotion [23]

Benefit to well-being [55]

Seeking Internet health information [17, 53]

Seeking information in professional website and personal blogs [13]

Two-way interactive communication

Communication with health care providers [13, 56]

Real-time interactive communication/no delay with need for speed [32]

Searching for information to understand what doctors say/information to develop questions without hesitant [33, 39,40,41]

Control over online experience/management of information needs [32]

Bidirectional flow of information and active role in their health care [15, 57]

Information utilization and sharing

Adaption of dynamic nature of the internet [23]

Information utilization/availability of a wealth of information [41]

Acquired familiarity and accessibility [30]

Application of online knowledge to solve health problem [17]

Self-belief in an ability to evaluate online health content [55]

Opportunity to help older adults [44]

Constantly updated and engaged interactively/delivering self-management and health promotion information [47]

Scheduled medical appointment on the internet [56]

Online health information changed continuously and ranged variously [13]

Consequences

Increased health interest

Patient knowledge and expectations regarding health care [29]

Enhanced knowledge [50]

Medical equality and inequality [43]

Bolstered confidence [31, 41, 50]

Expansion of health interest and expectancy level of health information [17]

Health behavior promotion

Coping with the stressful situation [58]

Promoted patient self-management [15]

Medication usage/physical condition [46]

Lifestyle changes [33]

Chronic disease management [31]

Capacity to engage in health protective behavior [50]

Prevention diseases/Health maintenance/Health promotion/Improvement of health care quality and outcome [56]

Overall quality of life [46, 50]

Active decision making

Understanding/monitoring/complement to health providers’ decisions to choose [58]

Enhanced communication with health professionals/decisions making of one’s health and self-diagnosis [15]

Demanding alternative treatments/active participation [41]

Active decision-making behavior in doctor visit and communication [17]