Social media use for food recall information and antecedent factors: Application of the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking

초록

This study examines social media use in food recall information seeking and sharing, and its antecedent factors. Using the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking (CMIS), we examine the role of individual health-related factors and information carrier factors in predicting social media use for food recalls. Data were collected through an online survey with social media users, part of the Knowledge Network’s representative panel (N = 1,026). About 26 percent of respondents reported using social media either to seek or share food recall information in the past 12 months. For both information seeking and sharing, positive predictors included marital status and perceived risk of getting foodborne diseases; negative predictors were White and trust in health professionals. Trust in Internet was a positive predictor of information seeking. Education and foodborne disease history were positively associated with information sharing, while income was negatively associated with sharing. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed. The study advances research on information seeking behaviors, social media use, and food recall communication.