COMUNICACIONES

SYMPOSIUM EXERNET. Investigación en Ejercicio y Salud: Presente y Futuro en España.
Granada, 7-8 de Noviembre de 2014

Analyzing Health Information Sources and Physical Activity Behavior among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: a Comparative Study Conducted in three Socio-demographic Areas from Seville Province

J.T. Pozo-Cruz

Department of Journalism II, University of Seville, Seville, Spain

Key words: Mass Media. Interpersonal channels. Physical Activity. Primary Care. Type 2 Diabetes.

Objectives. The current study aimed to identify and compare the different sources of health information that adults with type 2 diabetes use to get informed about their disease and to compare their current levels of Physical Activity among the sample population.
Method. Two hundred adults with type 2 diabetes with three different socio-demographic and economic backgrounds (i.e. rural, depressed and urban areas) were included and compared in the current study.
Results. Results suggest that people with Type 2 Diabetes who are from urban areas are more likely to use Mass media and other interpersonal communication channels to get informed about their disease as compare with individuals from rural and depressed geographical emplacements. Participants from urban areas also reported to have a higher level of Physical Activity than their peers from the other socioeconomic contexts.
Conclusions. These findings emphasize the key role that the different health information sources might have in order to enhance the levels of Physical Activity of people with type 2 diabetes. This study also suggests that socio-demographic characteristics (i.e. age, gender, educational level) and other social characteristics (i.e. culture, ethnicity or socioeconomic status) could be determinants of health and could influence the type 2 diabetes management process in terms of lifestyle.