From seeking to learning: Understanding contextual factors associated with users’ self-regulated learning on medical Q&A platforms

Based on the expectancy-value theory, contextual factors related to users’ self-regulated learning (SRL) on medial Q&A platforms were investigated. A theoretical model was developed and validated through an online survey involving 483 participants with experience in health information-seeking on medical Q&A platforms. The empirical analysis yielded three main findings. First, a significant positive relationship existed between searching for health answers and SRL. Second, perceived usefulness of health answers was also positively related to SRL. Third, user satisfaction with the medical Q&A platform partially mediated the relationship between searching for health answers and SRL, as well as the relationship between perceived usefulness of health answers and SRL. This study bridges the gap between the field of self-regulated learning and medical Q&A research, providing valuable insights for improving the well-being of online health information consumers and advancing the information science community.