Health Information-Seeking Behavior in Older Adults with Vision Impairment Among Different Stages of Eye Care: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study.

Background/Objectives: Visual impairment (VI) represents a significant health challenge among older adults, particularly due to their limited understanding of health information. This study aimed to investigate and compare the health information-seeking behavior (HISB) of older adults with VI across different stages of eye care. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in 248 older adults with VI in various stages of eye care, including the pre-visit stage (n = 84), treatment stage (n = 83), and follow-up stage (n = 81) at the Shenzhen Eye Hospital from July to October 2024. Participants completed an HISB questionnaire encompassing four dimensions: attitude, needs, sources, and barriers. Results: The overall mean score of HISB varied significantly among the different eye care stages. The treatment stage had the highest scores (3.70 ± 0.32), particularly in attitudes toward health information and information needs. Poor self-reported overall health facilitated HISB in each stage. In the pre-visit stage, higher income was associated with increased HISB, while a lack of internet access reduced it. In the treatment stage, higher education was associated with higher HISB, whereas moderate-to-severe VI and certain income levels were associated with negative effects. In the follow-up stage, rural residence and spousal or child caregiving emerged as key facilitators of HISB. Conclusions: The treatment stage is a critical period for HISB engagement in older adults with VI. Healthcare providers should consider stage-specific factors of HISB to optimize health information delivery.