Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the information needs and information seeking behavior of consumers who attempted to quit or maintain the ceasing of smoking and analyze the effects of the health information obtained at different stages. In particular, we examined how consumers use mobile health applications(health apps) as aids to change unhealthy behaviors and how their use of health apps influence health behavior changes. For 7 months from December 2017 to July 2018, the researchers observed changes in smoking behaviors of college students who use smoking-cessation apps and conducted face-to-face interviews. Regarding the effects of smoking-cessation apps, the participants in the action stage reported that they were encouraged to quit smoking by visualized information such as the number of days of smoking cessation, change of health status, and the saving of money due to smoking cessation. The participants in the maintenance stage highlighted that smoking cessation apps were helpful in recognizing the importance and achievement of smoking cessation by sharing experiences and social support with other attempters in the app community. The study provided theoretical implications in the field of information behavior in that it identified the particular types of information needs and information-seeking behavior of the consumers who were using mobile apps in their behavior modification process. In addition, those findings can contribute to designing the contents of the smoking cessation apps that reflect the information needs of those who attempt to cease smoking and further suggest practical insights to health information services that promote effective information intervention strategies in health behavior change.