Type of Document	Dissertation
Author	White, Livingston Andrew
URN	etd-07102009-133414
Title	HIV-Related Information Seeking Among Residential University Students In Three Caribbean Countries
Degree	Doctor of Philosophy
Department	Communication, Department of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Gary R. Heald Committee Chair Jay Rayburn Committee Member John K. Mayo Committee Member Betsy J. Becker Outside Committee Member
Keywords	Caribbean Residential University Students Health Communication HIV Information Seeking Mixed Method Research
Date of Defense	2009-07-01
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract This dissertation explored HIV-related information seeking among residential university students in three Caribbean countries. The study was one of the first to investigate this phenomenon in the English-speaking Caribbean within the context of the HIV epidemic. The main purpose of the study was to determine predictors of HIV-related information seeking among university students living in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad. The study tested hypotheses regarding the relationship between university students’ direct experience with HIV, health consciousness, perceived HIV risk and self-efficacy and their seeking of information on HIV. A mixed method approach using a quantitative online survey followed by individual interviews guided the data collection. A stratified sample of 628 students was involved in the study. Structural equation modeling using maximum likelihood robust estimation was used to analyze the quantitative data, which revealed that health consciousness and direct experience were significant predictors of HIV information seeking. Self-efficacy and risk perception were not found to be related to HIV information seeking. Qualitative data gleaned from follow-up interviews with 24 students provided support for the quantitative findings. During interviews students noted that while direct experience and health consciousness contributed to their seeking HIV information, low risk perception and high self-efficacy beliefs meant that they did not have a need to seek HIV information. Students felt that HIV information was easily available so they did not need to actively seek it. The study led to a number of recommendations for planning HIV interventions for university students. These include finding creative ways to present up-to-date information on HIV and employing seropositives as messengers in campaigns. Future research on health information seeking should consider using mixed method approaches and longitudinal research designs to better understand the complex phenomenon of not only HIV information seeking but also health information seeking in general.
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