Pandadadada 1.14 Final

WECHAT USES AND GRATIFICATIONS FOR HEALTH INFORMATION AMONG
CHINESE ELDERLY USERS

WECHAT USES AND GRATIFICATIONS FOR HEALTH INFORMATION AMONG
CHINESE ELDERLY USERS
Xuanle Zhu
This Independent Study Manuscript Presented to
The Graduate School of Bangkok University
in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Communication Arts
2018
© 2018
Xuanle Zhu
All Rights Reserved

Xuanle, Zhu. Master of Communication Arts, August 2018, Graduate
School, Bangkok University
The Relationships Among Chinese Elderly WeChat Users in Gratification Sought,
Gratification Obtained, Relational Satisfaction toward the Small Group Communication
in WeChat Health Communication. (187 pp.)
Advisor: Asst. Prof. Pacharaporn Kesaprakorn, Ph.D.
ABSTRACT
The study aims to examine the use of WeChat and the gratifications of the
Chinese elderly. Two-hundred Chinese respondents who were current WeChat users and
were current subscribing WeChat health information have participated in this survey. The
participants were being selected using convenience sampling. The mean, standard
deviation, and percentage were being tabulated and analyzed using One-way ANOVA,
Multiple Regression, and Spearman Rank’s Correlation with the significance level of .05.
and 0.10. The findings as following:
1. Chinese elderly who have different frequency of using WeChat health
information and educational background had significant different gratification sought
about health information via WeChat, but those with different gender, age, personal
income per month and stickiness to WeChat health information did not have significant
different gratification sought about health information via WeChat.

2. Chinese elderly who have different age and frequency of using WeChat health
information had significant different gratification obtained about health information via
WeChat, but those who have different gender, personal income per month educational
background and stickiness to WeChat health information had no significant different
gratification obtained about health information via WeChat.
3. Gratification sought and gratification obtained for health information via
WeChat among Chinese elderly were not positively correlated.
4. Gratification sought for WeChat health information are significant predictors of
the relational satisfaction of small group communication in WeChat; however,
gratification obtained for WeChat health information was not significant predictor of
Chinese elderly’s relational satisfaction of small group communication in WeChat.
Keywords: WeChat, Uses and Gratifications, Health Information, Chinese Elderly

vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This research would not be successfully completed without the continuous advises
of my adviser. I would like to express my gratitude to Asst. Prof. Dr. Pacharaporn
Kesaprakorn, my adviser, as a non-Thai student, she provided me suggestions and
advises for the completion of this Independent Study. Thanks to her, my Independent
Study can be completed successfully.
I would like to thank my family, who has provided great understanding and
encouragement to further my Master’s degree study. As well as suggestions and supports
from my friends who helped me a lot in finalizing this project within the limited time
frame, because of them I learned the value of persistence and self-alliance in completing
this research.
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ABSTRACT............................................................................................................. iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT....................................................................................... vi
LIST OF TABLES................................................................................................... xi
LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................. xvii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION........................................................................... 1
1.1 Problem Statement and Rationale......................................................... 1
1.2 Objectives of Study............................................................................... 8
1.3 Scope of Study...................................................................................... 9
1.4 Research Questions............................................................................... 10
1.5 Significance of the Study...................................................................... 11
1.6 Definitions of Terms............................................................................. 12
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................... 16
2.1 Related past studies in Uses and Gratifications in Internet Health
Communication…………………………………………………………... 17
2.2 Concepts of Uses and Gratifications Theory and Related Theory…… 26
2.3 Definition of Health Information…………………………………….. 32

viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)
Page
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW (Continued)
2.4 Internet Health Information………………………………………….. 33
2.5 Concepts of Health Communication…………………………………. 37
2.6 Theories, Research orientations and Approaches of Health
Communication ……………………………………………………… 39
2.7 The Impact of New Media on Health Communication……………... 40
2.8 WeChat and Its Propagation Characteristics……………………….. 41
2.9 The Impact of WeChat on Health Communication…………………. 43
2.10 Concept and assumption of Relational Satisfaction in Small Group
Communication………………………………………………………. 46
2.11 Theoretical Framework……………………………………………. 48
2.12 Research Hypothesis………………………………………………. 49
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY……………………………………………… 53
3.1 Research Design……………………………………………………. 53
3.2 Population and Sampling Method………………………………….. 54

ix
Page
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY (Continued)
3.3 Research Instrument………………………………………………... 56
3.4 Instrument Pretest…………………………………………………... 64
3.5 Data Collection Procedure…………………………………………. 68
3.6 Data Analysis………………………………………………………. 69
3.7 Demographic Data of the Samples………………………………… 74
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS…………………………………………..…………. 85
4.1 Summary of Descriptive Findings…………………………………. 86
4.2 Hypotheses Testing………………………………………………… 107
CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION…………………………………………………... 124
5.1 Summary of Descriptive Findings and Discussion………………… 125
5.2 Summary of Hypothesis Testing and Discussion………………….. 130
5.3 Conclusion of the Research………………………………………... 136
5.4 Recommendations for Future Application……………………….. 139
5.5 Recommendations for Future Research………………………….. 140

x
Page
5.6 Limitations of the Study…………………………………………. 140
BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………….. 142
APPENDIX (English)………………………………………………………… 157
APPENDIX (Chinese)………………………………………………………… 172
BIODATA…………………………………………………………………….. 186
LICENSE AGREEMENT…………………………………………………….. 187

xi
LIST OF TABLES
Page
Table 1: Uses and Gratifications Scale: 5 factors and 15 items……………………... 59
Table 2: Uses and Gratifications Scale: 5 factors and 15 items……………………... 61
Table 3: Relational satisfaction of small group communication: 1 factors and 12 items 63
Table 3.3.1: Interpretation of the Uses and Gratification and Relational
Satisfaction …………………………………………………………... 63
Table 3.2: The reliability of instrument……………………………………………. 65
Table 3.3: The Comparison of Cronbach’s alpha…………………………………. 67
Table 3.7.1: Sum and Percentage of the Sample’s Chinese Elderly WeChat Users
based on the gender…………………………………………………….. 75
based on the Age……………………………………………………….. 76
Table 3.7.3: Sum and percentage of the sample’s Chinese elderly WeChat users
based on the monthly income………………………………………….. 77
based on the Education Background…………………………………... 78

xii
LIST OF TABLES (Continued)
Page
based on the Health Condition…………………………………………. 79
based on the Frequency of Using WeChat Health Information………... 80
based on the Stickiness to WeChat Health Information………………... 81
based on What Kinds of Health-Related WeChat Public Accounts the
respondents often join in the Past One-Year Period………………….. 82
based on How Many WeChat Public Accounts the Respondents Visited
for the Last Time Search/Browse/Use Health Information…………... 83
Table 4.1.1: Data Analysis for gratification sought about health information via
WeChat……………………………………………………………….. 86
Table 4.1.2: Means and standard deviation on the samples’ gratification sought General
xiii
Page
information seeking about health information via WeChat…………... 87
Table 4.1.3: Means and standard deviation on the samples’ gratification sought
Parasocial interaction about health information via WeChat…………. 89
Table 4.1.4: Means and standard deviation on the samples’ gratification sought Decision
utility about health information via WeChat…………………………... 90
Interpersonal utility about health information via WeChat……………. 92
Entertainment about health information via WeChat…………………... 93
about health information via WeChat……………………………… 94
Table 4.1.8: Data Analysis for gratification obtained about health information via
WeChat……………………………………………………………… 95
Table 4.1.9: Means and standard deviation on the samples’ gratification obtained General
xiv
Page
information seeking about health information via WeChat…………. 97
Table 4.1.10: Means and standard deviation on the samples’ gratification obtained
Parasocial interaction about health information via WeChat………. 98
Decision utility about health information via WeChat……………… 100
Interpersonal utility about health information via WeChat…………. 101
Entertainment about health information via WeChat……………….. 102
about health information via WeChat………………………………. 104
Table 4.1.15: Data Analysis for Small group relational satisfaction about health
information via WeChat……………………………………………. 104
Table 4.1.16: Means and standard deviation on the samples’ Small group relational
satisfaction about health information via WeChat…………………. 106

xv
Page
Table 4.2.1: One-way ANOVA Analysis of the relationship between educational
background and gratification sought about health information via
WeChat……………………………………………………………… 109
Table 4.2.2: One-way ANOVA Analysis of the relationship between frequency of using
WeChat health information and gratification sought about health information
via WeChat………………………………………………………….. 110
Table 4.2.3: One-way ANOVA Analysis of the relationship between age and gratification
obtained about health information via WeChat……………………… 112
WeChat health information and gratification obtained about health
information via WeChat……………………………………………… 113
Table 4.2.5: LSD analysis for testing the relationship between gratification sought and
gratification obtained for general information seeking about health
information via WeChat among Chinese elderly…………………….. 116
xvi
Page
gratification obtained for decision utility about health information via
WeChat among Chinese elderly……………………………………… 117
Table 4.2.7: Nonparametric correlations between gratification sought and gratification
Obtained……………………………………………………………… 119
Table 4.2.8: Spearman correlation between gratification sought and gratification
Obtained…………………………………………………………….. 120
Table 4.2.9: Multiple Regression Model on the degree of relational satisfaction toward
the small group in WeChat as perceived by Chinese Elderly about health
communication………………………………………………………. 121
xvii
LIST OF FIGURES
Page
Figure 2.1: Theoretical Framework………………………………………………… 4

1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Chapter 1 presented an introduction to the study. The introduction of this study is
divided in six parts as follows:
1.1 Rationale and Problem Statement
1.2 Objectives of the Study
1.3 Scope of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Significance of the Study
1.6 Definition of Term
1.1 Rationale and Problem Statement
In recent years, with Internet era coming to our daily life inevitably, many
Internet-related software and apps are emerging, and WeChat is the predominant one.
The main function of Internet is to serve as an infobahn and this function has already
been widely and fully used by the Chinese Internet users. Data from China Internet
Network Information Center (CNNIC) show that Internet is the main information channel
of 80.9% Chinese Internet users, ranking the first place in information sources among the
Chinese Internet users in 2014.

2
The Internet brings the innovation of human culture under the background of
global information—network culture. Network culture is based on the traditional culture
as its derivative, development and conflict, which has various influence on contemporary
people’s ideological values. More importantly, Chinese elderly is a large and non-
negligible group of users in the modern Internet era.
With the rapid development of information technology, owing to the convenience
and interactivity features of its information and data, Internet becomes one of the main
channels for getting health related information between both general public and those
professionals in health care field. Because of its convenience and efficiency, populace
can search for the health-related information and solutions before they are going to make
decisions. According to Amanda, Jones, & Macgill’s research (2008), the number of
Internet users on the purpose of searching for health information through Internet was up
to fifty-eight million, accounted for 53% of the total number of Internet users.
In China, as the information technology develops at a very fast speed, the capacity
of the Internet and the number of Internet users increase sharply. As a result, the number
of Internet users on online searching for health information explodes as well. In
accordance with the report from China Internet Network Information Center (2014), it
showed that at present, 45.0% of Chinese Internet users get access to the Internet with the
purpose of obtaining information (products and services, job information, medical and
health services, government information, and etc.). It means that Internet has become one
of the main approaches of obtaining health information among the Chinese people. Up to
2014, China has the biggest population of Internet users which is approximately six
3
hundred million, but yet, there is not any relevant data demonstrate the details of the use
of Internet health information among the mainland Chinese Internet users. The huge
absolute number of total Chinese Internet users can certify that the absolute number of
the Chinese Internet users of health information should also be a large amount. In recent
time, the amounts of health-related websites in China has increased over the years,
providing diversified and numerous kinds of resources of physical and mental health, diet
and nutrition, prevention and other health care information. It showed in the CNNIC
report (2014 cited in China Internet Network Information Center, 2017) that there are
more than two hundred health-related websites all over China and in order to drive up
click-thru rates, almost all the comprehensive websites in China did set up a section for
health information. Based on the date of iResearch (2016), health-related websites are
already covered forty million Internet users, topped the list of life-support information
service section among Internet websites. On account that health information has a close
relationship with people’s health and even life, when more and more people acquire
health information through Internet, the accuracy of those health information and whether
they can be able to fulfill people's needs become the urgent issues which need further
study. Hence, the researcher of this paper chooses Internet health information as the
research topic.
With the rapid expanding of Internet, people’s life is closely bound up with health
information. To conduct a research on the use of Internet health information is not only
helpful to understand the actual usage or needs of health-related information among the
public, but also an indispensable topic for discussion in the field of medical treatment and
4
health. It is very necessary to conduct a research and analysis on the motives of using
Internet health information, behaviors, and the degree of gratifications for those Chinese
older people who have remarkably concerns on their health. From a quantitative
perspective, this research attempts to describe the current situation of Internet health
information usage among the group of the Chinese elderly.
Generally speaking, WeChat has many basic functions, such as send hold-to-talk
voice messages, text messages, pictures and videos. WeChat supports Wi-Fi and 3G data
network. And it supports mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan and US
phone numbers. WeChat has speakerphone: gently press the button to speak, and the
other party will be able to receive the voice after the button released. WeChat supports
group-chat up to 20 people. What’s more, WeChat has many other attractive functions.
The most attractive function is searching people around you. WeChat can search people
near you who has WeChat base on your own location. This function can make user to
know people around you and then to build a new relationship. WeChat also supports
sending videos. It is quite convenient to shoot a video and send it to the other party
immediately. The compressed video is also suitable for transmission in mobile network.
You can always share the wonderful pieces of life with other people at any time. WeChat
also has “drift bottle” function. By this function, you can share messages to the world
anonymously and make new friends. Besides, WeChat has voice notes function. This
function can not only save your voice memo, but also keep your pictures and texts in a
convenient way. WeChat can help you to catch your messages and keep you always
updated. WeChat has QQ mail notifications which can alert you when new mails come to
5
your QQ mailbox and you can read the mails right away. It supports sending and
receiving messages from Tencent micro blog. Moreover, English language edition is also
available in WeChat. It can clear away the basic obstacle for foreigners to get access to it.
Furthermore, it can help the company to manage the market efficiently outside of China
in a broader sense.
On November 19, 2017, Tencent officially released the latest "2017 WeChat data
report." According to data released by Tencent (2017), WeChat has become the most
popular and influential chat software in China. As of September 2017, WeChat has more
than 900 million registered users per day and 17 percent growth in 2016, among which 50
million are elderly users. In addition to interpersonal communication, information sharing
and communication is also one of the important purposes for people to use WeChat.
WeChat little program is now covers more than 20 categories, industry of fine
classification more than 200, including monthly access to the largest number of industry
categories are transportation, electric business platform, tools, service life and IT
technology. According to a survey conducted by Tencent in 2017, the number of health
information types in the WeChat reading statistics is 210 million, and the number of
readers is second. In the ranking of WeChat public number posts, the top five were
emotional information, health care, political and legal news, disease pathology and
cooking. In its use of the WeChat public number, Tencent found that the public number
of health information has a large number of fans, among which the elderly users are the
main audience. WeChat has gradually become an indispensable part of the daily life of
the elderly in China.

6
Furthermore, the process to send a message is simple. Open audio function and
speak what you want to say to your friend. Then send the audio document to your friends.
Your friends can receive your audio messages. Open it then your friends can hear your
recording. This model can make two people talk with each other in different places and at
different time. What’s more, the Tencent Technology Company updates the current
version every fifteen days, which ensures new functions for each version. Fortunately,
there are many other functions of WeChat that will be created in the future.
The internet and social media provide people with a range of benefits, and
opportunities to empower themselves in a variety of ways. People can maintain social
connections and support networks that otherwise wouldn't be possible and can access
more information than ever before. The communities and social interactions people form
online can be invaluable for bolstering and developing people's self-confidence and social
skills (Al-Menayes, 2015).
With the tentacles of the Internet reaching into every field and every corner,
society has entered the information age. WeChat, which was launched in 2011, has
absorbed a large number of users within a short period of time, and has unconsciously
reshaped social interactions (Xu, 2015). Internet network information center (CNNIC) in
the 39th "China Internet development statistics report" in 2016, over the age of 50
Internet users account for 9.4% of the total number of Internet users, 0.2% increase from
2015. Internet and related application further permeate the life of old people.
7
With the continuous improvement of the quality of life, more and more elderly
people in China actively learn to use WeChat in the process of social development. This
is not only related to their well-being, but also to the future development of relevant
industries. China's research on the Internet use of the elderly began around 1998, and the
research on WeChat began in 2013. Now, there are some media started on this
phenomenon were investigated and reported, but only stay in describing the phenomenon
level, academic circles at present also lack for the elderly to use WeChat exist in the
process of in-depth study. CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) is an
authoritative academic website in China. In CNKI, there are only five research papers on
the Chinese elderly WeChat use behavior. There are seven other papers on how to use
WeChat to provide better services for China's elderly. And there are 2,971 research
papers on the relationship between other social groups and WeChat use behavior. The
theoretical significance of this study is that, from the perspective of communication
studies, the Chinese elderly WeChat use behavior and preferences, motivation and
satisfaction were analyzed, and increase the academic study of elderly group WeChat use.
The real meaning is to reshape the social role of the elderly in the new media
environment. Meanwhile, the market for the elderly in China has not yet been fully
developed. The elderly market is becoming a bigger stage for the development of the
Internet and smart terminal industries. Relevant Chinese enterprises can seize market
opportunities to further develop and provide more convenience for elderly Chinese
Internet users.
8
1.2 Objectives of the Study
Based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory, the focus of this study is to examine
the use of WeChat and the gratifications of the Chinese elderly. For the sake of providing
references to relevant departments so that they can be able to better serve and educate
Chinese elderly on health issues. This research is going to delve into the current situation
of the uses of Internet health information of the research objects and explore their
motives, behavior and gratifications of using Internet health information. To be more
specific, the research purposes and objectives of this study can be listed as follows:
1.2.1 To examine how differences in demographics characteristics and health
conditions influence gratification sought of using Internet health information among the
Chinese elderly via WeChat
1.2.2 To examine how differences in demographics characteristics and health
conditions influence gratification obtained of using Internet health information among the
Chinese elderly via WeChat
1.2.3 To examine the correlation between the gratification sought and gratification
obtained among Chinese elderly via WeChat
1.2.4 To examine whether gratification sought and gratification obtained of using
Internet health information among the Chinese elderly via WeChat are the significant
predictors of their satisfaction toward their health.

9
1.3 Scope of Study
WeChat has become one of the main channels for people to obtain information
related to health because of the rapid development of WeChat in China. Because of its
convenience and interactivity, WeChat gets a lot of older users.
In this paper, under the framework of health communication and in accordance
with Uses and Gratifications theory, the researcher takes WeChat health information as
the context and probes into the relevancy among the three variables of the 200
respondents, which include their uses of WeChat health information, and their
gratifications sought and gratification obtained among the older Chinese WeChat users.
The surveys were used in this research to analyze the WeChat health information
usage and gratifications among the older Chinese WeChat users as well as giving
references to the future studies on health communication in China.
Therefore, the researcher is going to focus on just the former situation in this
study. To sum up, the sample of the survey will be the Chinese WeChat users whose age
55-70 years old. On WeChat official website, WeChat technology product department
released the "2017 WeChat life report." In this report, WeChat users are divided into
three categories: the users born after 1995, typical users and elderly users. Among them,
typical users refer to users who account for 65% of monthly active users and 80% of the
total number of daily messages sent, while the majority of users who meet these two
conditions are the generation after 80s and 90s. As defined in the report, WeChat elderly
users refer to WeChat users aged 55-70 years old.

10
The samples were selected using convenience sampling from different regions of
Shanghai, China. Shanghai first entered the aging society in 1979. By the end of 2010,
the number of registered residents in Shanghai was 14.1232 million, and the registered
elderly population aged 60 years and above had reached 3.3102 million, accounting for
23.4 percent of the total population. They have the ability to independently use WeChat
function and have some understanding and contact with WeChat health information.
1.4 Research Questions
The research examined four variables, which are characteristics of the WeChat
health information users, motives, use behavior, and degree of gratification. According to
the purposes of study and the scope of this study, the following research questions are
formulated:
RQ1: How do Chinese elderly users with different demographic and health
conditions use WeChat to get health information in their daily lives?
RQ2: How do Chinese elderly users with different demographic characteristics
and health conditions exposed to different health information through WeChat?
RQ3: Are there a positive correlation between gratification sought and
gratification obtained for health information via WeChat among Chinese elderly users?
11
RQ4: Are the gratifications sought about health information via WeChat and
gratification obtained about health information via WeChat among Chinese elderly users
significant predictors of their satisfaction toward their health?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study provides significant values to the communication discipline as follows:
1. This study tries to enrich the current studies of WeChat health communication
in China to provide additional insights into Internet health communication researches in
particular. Nowadays, there are few researches on the perspective of WeChat health
communication in China. Therefore, through this study, the researcher attempts to
heighten the research and development of the WeChat health communication in China.
2. Chinese elderly is an essential group of users who are closely attached to the
WeChat. But usually people tend to neglect them and exclude them from the frequent
WeChat users. This research will highlight what motives of Chinese elderly and whether
using WeChat gratify their needs for health internet or not based on the uses and
gratifications.
3. Communication practitioners and media planners can the research findings to
plan the digital communication strategy on health information to reach the Chinese
elderly and other elderly group in various countries.

12
1.6 Definitions of Terms
1.6.1 Health information
Health information refers to the information about medical conditions and health
care, including medical knowledge, health knowledge, healthy living, and other services
that is provided direct to consumers (Elliot & Polkinhorn, 1994). Wolf and Sangel (1996)
defined health information as the knowledge of health promotion and preventive health
behavior which should be systematically popularized, the treatment and services of
chronic and specific diseases, the hardware facilities of medical aid providers and the
relative information of health care and medical data.
1.6.2 Internet Health Information refers to the knowledge, technology,
perceptions, and behavior patterns which are conveyed by health-related websites and
used by people to eliminate their diseases and other health-related uncertain factors
(Lv,1998).
1.6.3 WeChat refers to a free application that Tencent launched on January 21,
2011, to provide instant messaging services for smart terminals. WeChat supports the
rapid delivery of free voice SMS, video, images and text via the network. At the same
time, WeChat can also be used by sharing data streaming media content and location
based social plugins "shake", "message in a bottle", "moments", "subscription" services
such as plug-ins.
1.6.4 WeChat Chinese elderly users are WeChat elderly users in China as 55-
70-year-old WeChat users.

13
1.6.5 Uses and gratifications refers to an audience-centered approach to mass
communication, which holds that understanding why people use media helps explain
media choices and consequences.
1.6.6 Gratification sought (GS) refers to motives for media exposure and are
based on expectations about media content. Palmgreen, Wenner, and Rayburn (1980)
developed two 15-item scales. The items measured five GS dimensions: general
information seeking, decisional utility, entertainment, interpersonal utility, and parasocial
interaction.
1.6.7 Gratification obtained (GO) refers to perceived personal outcomes, which
are media content and feedback to influence content expectations. Palmgreen, Wenner,
and Rayburn (1980) developed two 15-item scales. The items measured five GO
dimensions: general information seeking, decisional utility, entertainment, interpersonal
utility, and parasocial interaction.
1.6.8 Gratification sought of WeChat Chinese elderly users refers to the
expected or sought of the elderly to media start from their physiological and
psychological characteristics. Due to the deterioration of physiological functions of the
elderly, their senses such as vision and hearing have become sluggish, so the elderly's
demand for media is that they hope to communicate with the use of mobile application
software with a concise and clear interface. WeChat has a simple and clear interface
design, which is favored by the elderly in China. In addition, WeChat can set the
brightness of the chat background, and it has the function of voice chat and video chat,
14
which meets the needs of voice input of the Chinese elderly, with simple operation and
easy to learn. The psychological negative emotions of the elderly groups in China can be
alleviated through the help of family members and the daily WeChat interaction between
family members and the elderly groups, which is conducive to the healthy life of the
elderly (Zhao, 2017).
1.6.9 Gratification obtained of WeChat Chinese elderly users: Use and
gratification influence of motivation, preference and social or psychological factors.
Because the elderly fall in learning ability, memory and other natural flaws, make the fast
rhythm of life children hard to teach old people to use WeChat patiently, so some young
people are supposed to be like parents raised by our feedback the elderly, to let them in
later life still can feel the love and care. Now there are still some Chinese old people learn
how to use WeChat actively, most of them are for the residents of the economically
developed areas of China, has a certain level of education and economy foundation, the
pursuit of spiritual comfort, have access to information, to communicate with people's
needs. WeChat's voice and video chat function provide great convenience for the elderly
group to contact their relatives and friends, which is easy to accept and use, and the
elderly group gradually becomes stable users (Ma, 2016).
1.6.10 Satisfaction to health refers to how much people feel about their needs or
expectations for health that have been met. It includes not only the actual health condition,
but also the psychological experience of the actual health condition. It includes physical
satisfaction, psychological satisfaction and social adaptability satisfaction (Wang, Li &
Wang, 2009).
15
1.6.11 Relational satisfaction was defined as “the building and maintaining of
member relationships during communicative processes and practices throughout the life
span of the group” (Anderson, Martin, & Riddle, 2001).
1.6.12 Relational satisfaction in small groups was characterized by feelings of
affection, inclusion, liking, trust, friendship, freedom to communicate, involvement, and
getting to know each other, among others.

16
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
Chapter 2 summarizes past studies related to Uses and Gratification of Internet
Health Information, the definition of health information and internet health information,
and assumption of Uses and Gratification Theory. The topics will be summarized as
follows:
Communication
2.2 Concepts of Uses and Gratifications Theory and Related Theory
2.3 Definition of Health Information
2.4 Internet Health Information
2.5 Concepts of Health Communication
2.6 Theories, Research orientations and Approaches of Health Communication
2.7 The Impact of New Media on Health Communication
2.8 WeChat and Its Propagation Characteristics
2.9 The Impact of WeChat on Health Communication

17
2.10 Concept and assumption of Relational Satisfaction in Small Group
Communication
2.11 Theoretical Framework
2.12 Research Hypothesis
Communication
During the 1970s, traditional media such as the television, newspaper and others
sources were examined for their relationship of usage with consumers’ satisfaction. The
uses and gratifications theory (UGT), originated by Katz in 1970 (cited in Katz, Blumler,
& Gurevitch, 1974), stated that people seek out the specific content from each media
outlet in order to satisfy a particular need. In this theoretical perspective, Katz, Blumler
and Gurevitch (1974) employed UGT to determine whether audiences are active and
energetic, and whether they seek out media to support their personal needs. This theory
has since been used widely within both qualitative and quantitative questionnaires to
observe individual characteristics of media users. Previous research has examined
relationships between demographics, media usage, and the levels of individual need,
motivation, and gratification. The components of the uses and gratifications model are
these four specific areas: 1) audience activity; 2) needs gratification; 3) choice of media;
and, 4) value judgments (Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch, 1974). This theory helps to
examine how the use of media sources has changed with advanced and sophisticated
18
technological developments. The Uses and Gratifications Theory invites one to ask,
“What motives do working people who use social media have which are similar to - or
different from - their motives to use other traditional media - such as the television,
printed materials, and others sources?”
Blumer and Katz’s theory seeks to reach an understanding of what the audience
does for the media, not what the media does for the audience. Their theory also explained
that audiences generally tend to dictate on how they will benefit through what they are
purchasing, and whether consumption will fulfill their needs. This approach suggests that
people use the media to fulfill specific gratifications.
Uses and Gratifications Theory is an extension of the Needs and Motivation
Theory developed by Maslow (1998). Maslow argued that people actively seek to satisfy
a hierarchy of needs. Once the goals of one level of hierarchy are achieved, people will
progress onto the next level. For example, when a person’s primary survival needs of
food, water, and shelter are met, they then seek to achieve the next level of need for
security and property. The audience is active and its use of media is goal-oriented in a
similar way. UGT defines the media usage motives of people in both positive and
negative ways (Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch, 1974).
In response to some unflattering depictions of typical audience members as being
lazy and controlled by the media, Katz, Blumler, and Gurevitch (1974) presented a
systematic and comprehensive articulation of audience members’ roles within mass
communication processes. Uses and Gratifications Theory argues that people actively
19
seek out specific media and specific content to obtain specific gratifications or results.
This theory views people as being active because they are able to examine and evaluate
various types of media when seeking to accomplish specific communication goals.
Instead of asking, “What does the media do to people?” Uses and Gratification
researchers ask, “What do people do with the media itself?”
In previous studies that have examined the use of different media and the
gratifications sought from the media, there are eight widely applied assumptions that
have become accepted, based on previous research results (McQuail, Blumler, & Brown ,
1972; Rosengren & Windahl, 1972; Katz, Gurvitch, & Hass, 1973):
1. The audience is active;
2. The media sources used can be conceived of as being goal directed;
3. Each medium competes with other sources of need satisfaction;
4. Major audiences link their needs to a media choice;
5. Media consumption can fulfill gratifications;
6. Media content cannot be used to predict patterns of gratification accurately;
7. Each medium can be gratified in different time frames;
8. Gratifications obtained can have their origins in exposure to media content, in
and of itself.
20
People are often found to possess enough self-awareness of their own media use,
interests, and motives, which allows them to be able to provide researchers with an
accurate picture of what media they use, and why they use it (West & Turner, 2010).
Many researchers (Leung & Wei, 2000; Lucas & Sherry, 2004; Sherry, Lucas,
Greenberg, & Lachlan, 2006) have argued that the future will determine and change the
way people watch television, and use media resources in general. Researchers have
applied UGT to a variety of new media. Leung and Wei (2000) examined the use and
gratifications of the cellular phone. They found that young women who had less
education tended to talk longer on their cellular phones. Sherry, Lucas, Greenberg, and
Lachlan (2006) examined the use and gratifications of video games. The research results
found that such games satisfied several motivations for their respondents including these
aspects: challenge, arousal, diversion, fantasy, competition, and social interaction. The
social interaction finding is particularly noteworthy, given the regular belief, assumption
and perception that these media applications tend to isolate individuals who live in
solitude, when their only perception of the ‘reality’ of friends is who they meet as an
Avatar on the game playing websites.
Social media is the center of everything for many people. It is not a passive media
outlet, as the TV or a newspaper is. It can spread out the news or build social interaction
in society. Social media is very different from traditional media (Alejandro, 2010). Social
media was found to be a far more useful tool than the traditional media in a political
election. It can deliver the mainstream news as quickly as the traditional media system,
such as newspapers did, but at a far more instant and immediate strike, rather waiting for
21
the newspaper to be printed overnight and then sold the next morning (Alejandro, 2010;
Sauter, 2013)
Kaye and Johnson (2004) argue that the growth of the internet has created a
resurgence of interest in uses and gratifications, as researchers look at why people use
this popular new medium resource. In their own research, Dimmick, Chen, and Li (2004)
found that, although the Internet is indeed a new medium, it does, in fact, overlap the
more traditional media forms in terms of uses and gratifications. For example, Sherry and
Lucas (2004) found that assessing the uses and gratifications enabled researchers to
understand the differences between young adult men and women on how and why they
used video games. The research results found that men were more likely to be key game
players, generally enthusiastic about game playing, and playing for longer hours; whereas
women played far fewer games, for a much lesser time scale (Lucas & Sherry, 2004).
Papacharissi and Rubin (2000) found that people who felt valued often used the Internet
for information gathering, while those who felt less secure tended to use the Internet
primarily for social motives.
Applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to social media use is necessary in
mass communications research. Some research has been performed in relation to the uses
and gratifications of Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Twitter. The factors of the model
in relation to social media use were confirmed by research undertaken by Eastin (2002),
Park, Kee and Valenzuela (2009). Park et al. (2009) found that the major uses and
gratification factors of social media users were based on socializing, entertainment, self-
22
status seeking, and obtaining information. LaRose and Eastin (2004) found similar
factors, such as a need for information, seeking entertainment, and reaching social needs.
Johnson and Yang (2009) found that the major gratifications sought and obtained
by Twitter users were based on social and informational motives. Social motives include
having fun, being entertained, relaxing, seeing what others people are doing, passing time,
freely expressing one’s self, keeping in touch with friends and family, ease of
communication, and the convenience offered by simultaneously communicating with
many people. Information motives include obtaining and sharing information (facts, links,
news, knowledge, and ideas), giving or receiving advice, learning interesting things, and
meeting new people. These factors can be used to construct a theoretical framework for
social media usage on Twitter, which is primarily used as an information source; it is a
means to share information. Active Twitter users seem to use technology to gratify
information needs, to the same extent as they would use, or have used, the traditional
mass media (Johnson & Yang, 2009).
Uses and gratifications theory is suited for the study of Internet and specific kind
of Internet information in particular. Therefore, it is also suitable for analyzing Internet
health information. According to the research topic of this paper, the researcher is going
to discuss the relevant studies on Internet health information and uses and gratifications
theory in order to summarize the experience of previous studies and develop his own
research.
23
Studies of uses and gratifications on Internet health information from abroad are
mainly empirical studies which covered all groups of ages including teenagers, middle-
aged people, and elderly people. Those studies discussed the types of Internet health
information, the frequency of use, the means of searching health information, the impact
of behavior, and so on. Additionally, content analysis has also been used to analyze the
users of Internet health information and the health-related topics. In accordance with the
author’s retrieval, several studies have been found as below:
Victoria Rideout (2001) did a survey on the use of Internet health information
among the teenagers aged between 15 to 24 years old. The result shows that sixty-eight
percent of teenagers have been used Internet for searching health information and thirty-
nine percent of them responded that their behaviors changed due to the health
information they got from the Internet. The health information they have searched
includes cancer, diabetes, pregnancy, contraception, HIV and other venereal diseases,
lose weight, mental health, drugs, violence, and so on.
A search called Online Health Search conducted by Susannah (2006)
demonstrated that women, middle aged people, and college-educated people would like
to use Internet for searching health information and their most concerns are diet and Rx
drugs information. Research result also stated that most of the Internet health information
users search health information via search engines or health-related websites by
themselves.
24
Bernhardt (2002) carried out an exploratory study which includes fifteen focus
groups and depth interview on African American and European American on Internet-
based health communication on human genetics. The result shows that the respondents
think that Internet has great power on delivering health information, however many of
them worried about the accuracy and reliability of the online information, so they have
strong concerns on their privacy and lack of trust for many websites.
Amanda (2000) found that in America, there are 52 million adults (account for
fifty-five percent of total Internet users in America) have used Internet for searching
health information. These people searched health information for themselves and the
people they care through Internet and help them understand many health issues.
Consequently, the result showed that ninety-one percent of the respondents searched for
disease information, twenty-six percent of them searched mental health information,
thirteen percent of them searched nutrition information, and eleven percent of them
searched medical care knowledge. The results pointed out that most of the Internet health
information users were one-way communication oriented, which means they lack of
interaction with medical personnel. Only ten percent of the Internet health information
users would like to communicate with doctors as well as buy drugs and vitamins.
Dorothy (2007) conducted a research on the behaviors and process of women who
seeks for health information via Internet and found that the Internet health information
have great impact on decision making when those women Internet health information
users is going to have medical treatments and those women Internet health information
users were more willing to communicate with medical professionals on Internet.

25
You (2001) applied health communication theory as well as uses and gratification
theory along with other Internet researches and come up with a theoretical framework in
order to analyze the uses and gratifications of Internet health information. The results of
her research show that there are three main motives or needs for the use of Internet health
information, which are personal mental motives (absorb information and prevention),
social-related motives, and Internet characteristics motives (interactivity, database
functionality, and instantaneity). In terms of gratifications, the gratifications experience is
mostly come from Internet characteristics and just a little come from the content. Yang
(2004) proposed in his thesis that there is a significant correlation between the frequency
of use on checking health reports on Internet and the frequency of physical examinations
and the degree of concerns on users’ health conditions. In addition, there is a significant
correlation between the degree of gratifications on using websites and the degree of
richness in information, user experience (speed in particular), promotions, and places of
using Internet.
Unfortunately, in mainland China, there are fewer researches on the uses and
gratification of WeChat health information among Chinese elderly. Up to now, in the
major domestic databases Wan fang, no related papers can be found when searching with
the key words “WeChat health information, Chinese elderly and uses and gratifications.”
CNKI (national knowledge infrastructure in China) is an authoritative academic website
in China. At present, in CNKI, there are only 5 research papers on WeChat using
behavior of Chinese elderly people. There are only a dozen research papers on the
common theme "WeChat" and "health information". There are also seven papers on how
26
to use WeChat to provide better service for the Chinese elderly. In addition to this, there
are 2,971 papers that research the use of WeChat for other social groups in China. We
can conclude from the above researches from home and abroad about the uses and
gratifications of WeChat health information that there are very few empirical studies
concentrating on the group of Chinese elderly in relevant fields. Hence, this paper is
going to forge ahead a theoretical analysis framework in accordance with the above
researches for the WeChat uses and gratifications for health information among Chinese
elderly.
2.2 Concepts of Uses and Gratifications Theory and Related Theory
Uses and Gratifications Theory is a popular approach to understanding mass
communication. The theory places more focus on the consumer, or audience, instead of
the actual message itself by asking “what people do with media” rather than “what media
does to people” (Katz, 1959). It assumes members of the audience are not passive but
take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. The theory
also holds audiences responsible for choosing media to meet its needs. The approach
suggests that people use the media to fulfill specific gratifications. This theory would
then imply that the media compete against other information sources for the viewer’s
gratification. (Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch, 1974).
There are three main paradigms in media effects: hypodermic needle (i.e., direct,
or strong effects), limited effects, and the powerful to limited effects. "Uses and
27
Gratifications" falls under the second paradigm which reached its apex around 1940-1960,
when studies helped realize that the first paradigm was inaccurate.
The Uses and Gratifications Theory follows a basic model. It is an audience-
centered approach. When an audience actively seeks out media, they are typically seeking
it in order to gratify a need. For example, in social situations, people may feel more
confident and knowledgeable when they have specific facts and stories from media to add
to conversation. By seeking out media, a person fulfills a need to be informed.
Social situations and psychological characteristics motivate the need for media,
which motivates certain expectations of that media. This expectation leads one to be
exposed to media that would seemingly fit expectations, leading to an ultimate
gratification. The media dependency theory has also been explored as an extension to the
uses and gratifications approach to media, though there is a subtle difference between the
two theories. People's dependency on media proves audience goals to be the origin of the
dependency while the uses and gratifications approach focuses more on audience needs
(Grant, 1998). Still, both theories agree that media use can lead to media dependency
(Rubin, 1982).
The media dependency theory states that the more dependent an individual is on
the media for to fulfill needs, the more significant the media becomes to that person.
DeFleur and Ball-Rokeach (1976, cited in Littlejohn, 1978) illustrated dependency as the
relationship between media content, the nature of society, and the behavior of audiences.
Littlejohn (1978) also explained that people will become more dependent on media that
28
meet a number of their needs than on media that touch only a few ones. Dependency on a
certain medium is influenced by the number sources open to an individual. Individuals
are usually more dependent on available media if their access to media alternatives is
limited. The more alternatives there are for an individual, the lesser is the dependency on
and influence of a specific medium.
The hypodermic needle model claims that consumers are strongly affected by
media and have no say in how the media influences them. The main idea of the Uses and
Gratifications model is that people are not helpless victims of all-powerful media, but use
media to fulfill their various needs. These needs serve as motivations for using media.
Beginning in the 1940s, researchers began seeing patterns under the perspective
of the uses and gratifications theory in radio listeners. Early research was concerned with
topics such as children's use of comics and the absence of newspapers during a
newspaper strike (Infante, Rancer, & Womack, 1993). An interest in more psychological
interpretations also emerged during this time. In 1974, Katz, Blumler and Gurevitch
realized that most Uses and Gratification studies were most concerned with the following
issues:
“The social and psychological origins of needs which generate expectations of
mass media or other sources, which lead to differential patterns of media exposure (or
engagement in other activities), resulting in need gratifications and other consequences,
perhaps mostly unintended ones” (Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch, 1974)

29
It has not been done for these reasons. The notion of active audience has conflated
an extraordinary range of meanings, including utility, intentionality, selectivity and
imperviousness to influence as follows:
(1) Utility—Mass communication has uses to people.
(2) Intentionality—Media consumption is directed by prior motivation.
(3) Selectivity—Media behavior reflects prior interests and preferences.
(4) Imperviousness—The lessened ability of media to influence an obstinate
audience.
Lasswell (1948, cited in Blumler, 1979) introduced a four-functional
interpretation of the media on a macro-sociological level. Media served the functions of
surveillance, correlation, entertainment and cultural transmission for both society and
individuals.
In 1972, Blumler and Brown (cited in Blumler, 1979) extended Lasswell's (1948,
cited in Blumler, 1979) four groups 25 years later. The four primary factors for usinf the
media included:
(1) Diversion—Escape from routine and problems; an emotional release.
(2) Personal Relationships—Social utility of information in conversation;
substitution of media for companionship.
(3) Personal Identity or Individual Psychology—Value reinforcement or
reassurance; self-understanding, reality exploration.

30
(4) Surveillance—Information about factors which might affect one or will help
one do or accomplish something (Severin & Tankard, 1997).
In 1973 study, Katz, Gurevitch and Haas (cited in Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch,
1974) saw the mass media as a means by which individuals connect or disconnect
themselves with others. They developed 35 needs taken from the largely speculative
literature on the social and psychological functions of the mass media and put them into
five categories:
(1) Cognitive needs—Acquiring information, knowledge and understanding.
(2) Affective needs—Emotion, pleasure, feelings.
(3) Personal integrative needs—Credibility, stability, status.
(4) Social integrative needs—Family and friends.
(5) Tension release needs—Escape and diversion.
Many people have criticized this theory as they believe the public has no control
over the media and what it produces. It can also be said to be too kind to the media, as
they are being 'let off the hook' and do not need to take responsibility for what they
produce. "The nature of the theory underlying Uses and Gratifications research is not
totally clear" (Blumler, 1979). This makes the line between gratification and satisfaction
blurred calling into question if we only seek what we desire or actually enjoy it
(Palmgreen, & Rayburn, 1985b). "Practitioners of Uses and Gratifications research have
been criticized for a formidable array of shortcomings in their outlook -- they are taxed
31
for being crassly atheoretical, perversely eclectic, ensnared in the pitfalls of functionalism
and for flirting with the positions at odds with their functionalist origins" (Blumler, 1979).
Uses and gratifications (U&G) is an audience-centered approach to mass
communication, which holds that understanding why people use media helps explain
media choices and consequences. According to this approach, gratifications sought (GS)
represent motives for media exposure and are based on expectations about media content.
Gratifications obtained (GO), on the other hand, are perceived personal outcomes, they
are, therefore, sensitive to media content and feedback to influence content expectations
(Palmgreen, Wenner, & Rayburn, 1980). Palmgreen et al. (1980) developed two 15-item
scales to measure the GS and GO. The items measured five GS and GO dimensions:
General Information Seeking, Decisional Utility, Entertainment, Interpersonal Utility,
and Parasocial Interaction.
The researcher used Palmgreen’s uses and gratifications scale (1980, cited in
Rubin, Palmgreen & Sypher, 1994) to measure the gratification sought and gratification
obtained. These GS-GO scales have been used (a) to test the relationship between GS
from TV news and the corresponding GO item for most-watched and least-watched news
programs (Palmgreen et al., 1980), (b) to create GS and GO discrepancy scores that
distinguish viewers of different news programs (Palmgreen, Wenner, & Rayburn, 1981),
and (c) to test specific components of the expectancy-value model (Palmgreen &
Rayburn, 1982). Researchers have used the scale items to measure GO from most
watched TV news programs (Palmgreen et al., 1980) and have adapted them to measure
beliefs, evaluations, and importance of TV news features (Babrow & Swanson, 1988;
32
Palmgreen & Rayburn, 1982). Some have used several items to assess GO from videotex
(Atwater, Heeter, & Brown, 1985) and from morning news programs (Rayburn,
Palmgreen, & Acker, 1984), Some studies have not used Item 2 because it does not load
cleanly on a single factor (as cited in Rubin, Palmgreen, & Sypher, 1994).
2.3 Definition of Health Information
As one of the components of various information resources sharing in human
society, health Information comes from researches and practices in the field of life
science along with the features of objectivity, scientificity, convertibility, identifiability,
and sharability (Mi & Wang, 1996).
Health information refers to the information about medical conditions and health
care, including medical knowledge, health knowledge, healthy living, and other services
that is provided direct to consumers (Elliot & Polkinhorn, 1994).
Wolf and Sangel (1996) defined health information as the knowledge of health
promotion and preventive health behavior which should be systematically popularized,
the treatment and services of chronic and specific diseases, the hardware facilities of
medical aid providers and the relative information of health care and medical data.
A Chinese scholar defined health information as all the knowledge, skills,
opinions, behavior patterns that related to human health, or the content coded, shared and
33
delivered through health communication processes between the sources and the audiences
(Lv, 1998).
Chen (2001), a Chinese scholar classified health information into fourteen
categories which are general health care, health news, major illnesses, aged health care,
women’s healthcare, men’s healthcare, infant health care, gender relations, cosmetology
maintenance, weight control, mental health, food nutrition, alternative medicine, and
medical works.
Different researchers managed to determine the definitions of health information
from many different angles and aspects, covered medical treatment, hygiene, nutrition,
health protection, diseases, diet, cosmetology, technology, medical facilities, and so on.
Based on the above definitions on health information, in this paper therefore, the author
defines health information as the knowledge, skills, perceptions, and behaviors that
people use to eliminate their uncertain factors on themselves diseases and other health
conditions through various channels and means. Due to the globalization feature of
Internet space, people can easily search and get access to whatever the health information
they want to have. The advantages are the autonomy, convenience, and promptness
features of Internet information search. While there are also some disadvantages hinder
people from getting health information by means of the Internet such as, the digital gap,
insufficiency of Internet accessibility and the lack of computer apparatus (Che, 2001).
2.4 Internet Health Information

34
As the China's steady economic growth and the gradually optimized life style of
Chinese people, along with the encouragement of health promotion in the world context,
more people become aware of diseases prevention and have urgent need for health
information. Particularly in the year of 2003, the spread of the SARS virus and other
highly contagious viruses stimulated the public to pay more attention on the health issues.
And the Internet, with its interactive, convenient, hypertext-based, multi-media, and
many other features, is now becoming the most frequently used channel for providing and
delivering information. Therefore, a variety of health-related websites have been
developed rapidly.
Now there are a lot of health websites containing various kinds of health topics on
the Internet, including the health pages under the comprehensive websites and those
specialized health websites. Numerous of these websites covered all types of topics such
as health knowledge, disease prevention, mental health, oral health, AIDS-related
knowledge and so on.
According to different standards, health websites can be classified into many
types. Gao (2001), a Chinese scholar from Fudan University, classified the health
websites on the basis of their different content and service objects as follows:
1. The first category takes professionals in the field of medical treatment and
public health as service objects, mainly to provide various medical information, literature
retrieval services at home and abroad, academic exchange platform, medical personnel
qualification examination related services, E-medical education, and the promotion and
35
introduction of new technology and pharmaceutical products. Main websites:
haoyisheng.com, 360doc.com, and so on. Most of these websites have got high visibility
among medical and health care field and they focus on E-medical education as well as
doctor service.
2. The second category takes general population in the whole society as service
objects, mainly to disseminate and popularize health and hygienic knowledge as well as
to provide medical treatment guidelines and so on. A few of these websites provide
online shopping service for health products. Some of these websites cooperate with
hospitals and provide online appointment, E-consultation and other services.
Representative websites such as 39.net, jk123.com, and so on. Due to the particularity of
the medical industry, the state has very strict laws and regulations on all medical-related
activities. Therefore, such websites offer a limited variety of services, basically can only
provide some knowledge of medical science. The most attractive point of these websites
is the E-consultation service, but it’s hard to carry out widely due to the limitation of
technology, capital and legal condition, particularity of diagnosis and treatment process,
and so on.
3. The third category, mainly focus on to provide a B2B e-commerce platform for
a variety of business activities such as electronic trading, bidding and purchasing in the
medical field. Such websites mainly provide a variety of business activities information
for hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. Its main representatives are: emedchina.cn,
hyey.com, and so on. An obstacle in the development of these websites is the perception
of people still remains to be updated and its technology also needs further improvement.
36
4. The fourth category is those websites owned by medical and health institutions,
pharmaceutical enterprises, medical agencies, medical colleges and hospitals. These
websites are the publicity windows and information release channels of their own
organizations. The typical website such as: the website of State Drug Administration
(www.sda.gov.cn) and so on. Although this kind of websites not as good as those
commercial websites in terms of operation, they still own a lot of attentions owe to their
resource advantages.
From the broader perspective, health website can be defined as the World Wide
Web websites that open for all the Internet users established by medical institutions,
organizations, public interest groups, commercial organizations, individuals or other
institutions for the purposes of providing health information and health-related services
(Zeng & Zhang, 1997). Health website will provide internet health information to gratify
the needs of the public. According to different organizers, the health websites can be
classified into five categories: government websites, medical teaching and medical
scientific research websites, commercial websites, hospital and health-related social
organizations, and personal websites (Gao, 2001).
By combining with the characteristics of Internet media and Lv(1998) definition
on health information, this research defines Internet health information as the knowledge,
technology, perceptions, and behavior patterns which are conveyed by health-related
websites and used by people to eliminate their diseases and other health-related uncertain
factors.
37
Under the framework of health communication, this research will probe into the
motives and use behaviors of Internet health information on the basis of Uses and
Gratification theory.
2.5 Concepts of Health Communication
Before the term “Health Communication” has been formally put forward, there
was another concept called “Therapeutic Communication” which was more accepted by
the Western communication field and this concept was deeply associated with medical
science. It was irreplaceable until a broader concept named “Health Communication”
appeared during the mid-1970s.
In terms of the concept “Health Communication”, various scholars have their
definitions respectively. Everett Rogers, an American scholar has given three definitions
of this term. He elaborated it from a communication perspective by saying that health
communication has four layers which are intrapersonal health communication,
interpersonal health communication, organizational health communication, and mass
health communication. From interpersonal communication perspective, Burgoon (2002)
defined health communication as “health communication is the dynamic interactions
between the medical providers and patients and innumerable interpersonal
communication activities in the consulting room.” From mass communication perspective,
Jackson (1992) defined health communication as “health communication is the
transmission of health information through mass media channels in order to prevent

38
diseases and promote health. Effective health communication has a great impact on
peoples’ attitudes towards health knowledge and behavior change so that it can
effectively enhance the citizens’ life quality and promotes health standards.”
Mainland China started late on the researches of health communication. As
matters stand presently, several influential projects have been conducted; there were the
schistosomiasis prevention and control of movement before liberation, family planning
policy started in the 1970s, mass polio vaccination campaigns in time of the 1980s, the
movement of AIDS prevention and control during the 1990s, SARS prevention and
control of movement in 2003 and so on and so forth.
In Chinese mainland, instead of communication field, health education field
firstly introduced the concept of health communication. And for a long time, the
academic research papers related with health communication in mainland China are
mostly published on those specialized journals like Chinese Journal of Health Education
under the country’s health system. For communication field, in turn, the researches and
publications covered health communication issues are nearly blank.
Due to the public health crisis and mass panic caused by SARS and AIDS in 2013,
studies about health communication have been developed. In the same year, the Chinese
Health Education and Mass Communication Forum has been hold at China hall of
science and technology in Beijing. It was considered as the direct dialogue between
medical science and mass communication field in China and it was the largest nationwide
workshop since the foundation of the state, it was also the first health-communication-
39
themed academic seminar in China. Since then, the health communication studies have
been gradually developed in mainland China.
2.6 Theories, Research orientations and Approaches of Health Communication
In American, health communication field has two main subfields: one is health
care delivery; the other one is health promotion. Health care delivery is more focused on
interpersonal health communication and doctor-patient relationship. By acquiring the
communication skills between the health care providers and their consumers, it will be
easier to communication, receive health information, make treatment choices and etc.
Health promotion is more focused on medium and mass health communication.
Practitioners can readily exert influence on consumers’ perceptions, attitudes and
behaviors by persuasion means (Kreps, Bonaguro, & Query, 1998). Historically, these
two subfields never stopped competing against each other for a long time until recent
years they start to merge together.
Health communication has a wide range of research topics, not only focus on
disease prevention (HIV, heart diseases, diabetes, and so on), but also including drug
abuse prevention, doctor-patient relationship research, birth control, accidental pregnancy
prevention, the early detection of cancer, smoking cessation, and so on. Zhang (2005),
one of the Chinese health communication scholars, claimed that health communication is
a multi-dimensional and multi-layered complex system. As an academic crossroad, the
establishment of health communication research is on the basis of a variety of many other

40
researches such as mass communication, sociology, anthropology, psychology, linguistics,
medical science, pedagogy, management science, and so on. He also divided health
communication research into nine directions: the research on the media and effect of
public health communication, organizational health communication studies, interpersonal
health communication, health education and health promotion research, the research on
the external environment of health communication, health communication and culture
studies, specific research topics such as AIDS, euthanasia, homosexuality, organ
transplantation and etc., the history of health communication studies, public health
emergencies issues studies (public health crisis).
Theories have been applied in health communication research present a multiplex
tendency, including Social learning theory, Persuasion, Agenda-setting theory, Diffusion
of innovation theory, Social marketing, Exchange theory, Public relations, Behavioral
intention, Health belief model, Uses and gratifications theory, and so on. The researcher
will examine the uses and gratification in WeChat about health information of elderly
Chinese and its effect on their small group relational satisfaction. Among them, Social
marketing, diffusion of innovation theory, and Social learning theory are the most
significant theories in health communication (Rogers, 1994).
2.7 The Impact of New Media on Health Communication
New media are forms of media that are native to computers, computational and
relying on computers for distribution. Some examples of new media are websites, mobile
41
apps, virtual worlds, multimedia, computer games, human-computer interface, computer
animation and interactive computer installations (Lev, 2001).
The health communication on the new media platform combines the advantages
of mass communication and interpersonal communication, and the innovation of
communication mechanism makes it a powerful tool for the communication of health
information. Wang (2016) found that compared with traditional media, new media can
cause the fission spread of information, the information which is under the traditional
media delayed feedback into instantaneous feedback, one-way communication into two-
way interactive communication, public services tend to be more personalized. These
advantages make it easier for new media to become a tool to promote health information,
thus changing people's unhealthy habits. Wu (2017) pointed out in the survey that the
rapid development of new media provides a new way of thinking and means for the
construction of people's health service system. Zhou (2014) studies the relationship
between new media and traditional media and points out that new media is not opposed
to traditional media. New media is the inheritance and development of traditional media.
The integration of new media and traditional media is an inevitable trend of media
development.
2.8 WeChat and Its Propagation Characteristics
WeChat refers to a free application that Tencent launched on January 21, 2011, to
provide instant messaging services for smart terminals. WeChat supports the rapid
42
delivery of free voice SMS, video, images and text via the network. At the same time,
WeChat can also be used by sharing data streaming media content and location based
social plugins "shake", "message in a bottle", "moments," "subscription" services such as
plug-ins (Li, 2014).
WeChat has been favored by a large number of users in a very short period of
time, and people from all walks of life are happy to use WeChat, because it has
unparalleled propagation advantages. WeChat is a free app launched by Tencent on
January 21, 2011. It provides instant messaging services for smart phones, and allows
instant messaging, video, images and text via the Internet. It also provides multi-group
chat. On August 23, 2012, WeChat public platform was officially launched, and any
individual or organization could apply for WeChat public account for free. Since then,
WeChat is no longer limited to chatting in small circles of friends, but actually has the
function of publishing information to the outside world, becoming a veritable self-media.
First, WeChat spreads information directly, quickly, and makes the information
feel emotional. Any smart phone with WeChat, users can use WeChat anytime and
anywhere. Users can use WeChat to describe their life, personal feelings or interesting
things. WeChat disseminates information to the outside world through words, sounds,
video, pictures, emoticons and other means. Users' friends and family can instantly
receive information from users, know what the user is doing, what happened, and even
understand the user's mood. WeChat users can give quick feedback on the information.
Thumb up, text comments, voice messages and different emojis all make WeChat
information temperature and emotion. At the same time, the immediate interaction
43
between the two sides, like the information broadcast, makes the time and space
disappear. WeChat has interactive communication and participation, which not only
enables the two sides to know each other's state instantly, but also brings their feelings
closer together.
Second, WeChat can continuously expand the users' social scope. In the early
days of WeChat users, both parties were known friends. In the circle of precision,
WeChat is spread by relatives, friends and colleagues. Because of the special relationship
between the sender and the audience, WeChat information is also more private. WeChat
can add strangers through shake. By reading common information, accepting each other's
message and giving each other's moment thumb up, both parties can quickly become
familiar with each other and become friends quickly. The use of WeChat function has
been gradually extended from the acquaintance group to the stranger group. Thus, the
expansion of the circle of friends from unfamiliar to familiar, from single to group, makes
the information spread rapidly like the virus, and the coverage becomes larger and larger,
affecting the population more and more (Li, 2014).
2.9 The Impact of WeChat on Health Communication
Currently, there are many researches on "WeChat" or "health communication" in
the academic circles in China, but there are not many research papers that combine
"WeChat" and "health communication" together. In CNKI, there are only a dozen articles
on the common theme "WeChat" and "health communication" (Lu, 2017).

44
At present, people's demand for health information is very urgent. Both traditional
media and new media play their respective roles in the field of health communication.
WeChat is a typical example of new media, showing its unique advantages in health
communication. According to statistics, WeChat users account for a large proportion of
the reading amount of health information. The health communication in WeChat can be
divided into several categories according to its content (Li, 2014):
1. Publish health knowledge and information
WeChat publishes health knowledge and information mainly through the form of
spontaneity, forwarding and linking. In the self-created and forwarded health information,
the content is numerous. Some health information is a summary of life experience. For
example, some WeChat users will share their knowledge of life and health to their friends.
More health information is the result of research by medical professionals. The health
knowledge and information from professional medical personnel is more scientific, and it
is easy to obtain a large number of thumb up and forwarding, which has a strong
preservation value. In addition to health knowledge sharing, there is a lot of sharing of
medical information. For example, the emergency room of a hospital is moved, and the
people who come to the hospital need to make plans in advance, or what health lectures
are available in the near future, and which health books are published and so on.
2. Engage in healthy conversation and social activities.
WeChat, as a social platform, is used more for chat functions. In the process of
chatting with others, users share their own practices and experiences on a healthy topic,
45
and the two sides of the chat complement each other's health knowledge. These health
topics are not only about prevention and cure, but also about healthy eating, such as how
to make vegetables more nutritious, which foods are healthier and so on. The experience
of life and health information, through WeChat users interact, after filtering, supplement
and correction of people, can make some fragmentary knowledge get complement, also
can make some practice more scientific. At the same time, it will also transfer more
scientific and practical knowledge to more people.
3. WeChat online medical consultation.
WeChat public platform opened by professional medical institutions has played
the function of medical consultation. WeChat public platform provided by professional
medical institutions provides people with a lot of health information, so that people can
access local medical information, health knowledge and health lecture information at any
time. At present, many hospitals give full play to the function of WeChat public platform
of the hospital. Users can quickly obtain relevant information about the hospital by
scanning the qr code of the hospital.
4. WeChat medical registration service.
The difficulty of seeing a doctor is a controversial social topic. In particular, high
grade hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai and other places have more than 10,000 patients a
day. It is very difficult to make an appointment with a medical specialist, and even
completing an ordinary medical registration requires waiting in line for several hours. To
solve this problem, many hospitals in China have launched WeChat medical registration
46
service. For example, Shanghai children's hospital launched WeChat registration service
on April 8 this year. Less than half a month later, the hospital's WeChat public account
was tracked by 25,000 WeChat users. The WeChat medical register now accounts for
about 10% of the hospital's total medical registration.
2.10 Concept and Assumption of Relational Satisfaction in Small Group
Communication
Anderson, Martin, and Riddle (2001) developed the Small Group Relational
Satisfaction Scale (RSS) to measure members’ satisfaction with relationships and
relational communication in their group. Relational satisfaction was defined as “the
building and maintaining of member relationships during communicative processes and
practices throughout the life span of the group”.
Relational satisfaction in small groups was characterized by feelings of affection,
inclusion, liking, trust, friendship, freedom to communicate, involvement, and getting to
know each other, among others (Anderson, Martin, & Riddle, 2001). Together with
concepts from other, related measures as well as theoretical literature on the “relational
side” of groups (Keyton, 1999, 2000), the author used findings from the content analysis
to formulate 12 items designed to measure the relational satisfaction construct. Each is
assessed on a five-point scale ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5).
Anderson, et al. (2001) found that relational satisfaction was positively correlated with
47
respondents’ attitudes about group work, assertiveness, responsiveness, and perceptions
of feedback in small groups.
Researchers interested in the relational side of groups, not simply group
performance processes and outcomes, may find the small group RSS useful. The RSS has
not yet been used widely, perhaps owing to its recent publication. However, it has been
shown to be reliable when utilized (Anderson, Martin, & Riddle, 2001).

48
2.11 Theoretical Framework
Gratification Sought about

health information via
WeChat
-General information
seeking
H1 -Decision utility
Personal data of Chinese -Entertainment
Elderly in relations to
gender, age, personal -Interpersonal utility H4
income per month,
-Parasocial interaction Degree of relational
educational background,
satisfaction toward the
frequency of using WeChat
small group in WeChat as
health information,
perceived by Chinese
stickiness to WeChat health
H2 H3 Elderly about health
information
communication
Gratification Obtained -High, medium, and low

about health information
via WeChat
-General information
seeking
-Decision utility
-Entertainment
-Interpersonal utility
-Parasocial interaction
Figure 2.1 Theoretical Framework

49
The researcher used Uses and gratifications Theory (UG) as a theoretical
framework for this study. Uses and Gratification (UGT) is an audience-centered approach
to mass communication, which posited that the reasons why people use media helps
explain their media choices and consequences. According to this approach, gratifications
sought (GS) represent motives for media exposure and are based on expectations about
media content. Gratifications obtained (GO), on the other hand, are perceived personal
outcomes, they are, therefore, sensitive to media content and feedback to influence
content expectations (Palmgreen, Wenner, & Rayburn, 1980). Thus, if their individual
expectations were met, their satisfaction will be obtained. Palmgreen, et al. (1980)
developed two 15-item scales to measure the GS and GO. The items measured five GS
and GO dimensions, including general Information seeking, decisional Utility,
entertainment, interpersonal Utility, and parasocial interaction.
2.12 Research Hypothesis
In accordance with the literature review in the second chapter and the research
purposes, depending on the current situation of the development of WeChat health
information, the researcher developed five research hypotheses to explore the relationship
between the five variables which are demographic characteristic and health condition of
users, gratification sought, use behavior, gratification obtained and degree of satisfaction:
Hypothesis 1: Chinese elderly who have different personal data (gender, age, personal
income per month, educational background, frequency of using WeChat health

50
information, stickiness to WeChat health information) will have significantly different
gratification sought about health information via WeChat.
Hypothesis 1.1: Chinese elderly who have different gender will have
significantly different gratification sought about health information via WeChat.
Hypothesis 1.2: Chinese elderly who have different age will have significantly
Hypothesis 1.3: Chinese elderly who have different personal income per month
will have significantly different gratification sought about health information via WeChat.
Hypothesis 1.4: Chinese elderly who have different educational background will
have significantly different gratification sought about health information via WeChat.
Hypothesis 1.5: Chinese elderly who have different frequency of using WeChat
health information will have significantly different gratification sought about health
information via WeChat.
Hypothesis 1.6: Chinese elderly who have different stickiness to WeChat health
information will have significantly different gratification sought about health information
via WeChat.

51
significantly different gratification obtained about health information via WeChat.
different gratification obtained about health information via WeChat.
will have significantly different gratification obtained about health information via
WeChat.
have significantly different gratification obtained about health information via WeChat.
health information will have significantly different gratification obtained about health
information will significant different gratification obtained about health information via
WeChat.
Hypothesis 3: Gratification sought and gratification obtained for health information via
WeChat among Chinese elderly were positively correlated.
Hypothesis 4: Gratification sought about health information via WeChat and
gratification obtained about health information via WeChat among Chinese elderly are
52
significant predictors of their relational satisfaction toward the small group
communication in WeChat health communication.

53
CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
This chapter summarized the research methodology and the sampling method to
examine the relationships among the four variables which are demographic characteristic
of WeChat users, gratification sought about health information via WeChat, gratification
obtained about health information via WeChat, and their satisfaction toward the small
group in WeChat. This chapter is composed of the following sections:
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population and Sampling Method
3.3 Research Instrument
3.4 Instrument Pretest
3.5 Data Collection Procedure
3.6 Data Analysis
3.7 Demographic Data of the Samples
3.1 Research Design

54
Quantitative research methodologies have always been used in the studies on the
audiences of uses and gratifications theory. The purpose of this study is to examine the
relationships among the four variables which are demographic characteristic of WeChat
users, gratification sought about health information via WeChat, gratification obtained
about health information via WeChat, and their satisfaction toward the small group in
WeChat.
This research would be applied with the quantitative research approach by using
the survey as a specific method to gather the data information in order to see the
correlation between demographic characteristic of WeChat users, gratification sought
about health information via WeChat, gratification obtained about health information via
WeChat and degree of satisfaction toward the small group in WeChat.
3.2 Population and Sampling Method
With the soaring economy and per capital disposable income of Chinese urban
and rural residents, living standards are improving. And on the basis of the natural cycles
of life, the much more likelihood of various diseases and syndromes may occur on health
of Chinese elderly. Thus, health is one of the most concerns among the Chinese elderly.
Furthermore, Chinese WeChat users aged over 55 years old are increasing sharply. As
more and more Chinese elderly joined in using WeChat, it has become one of people's
main ways of getting health information. For this reason, the population of the study was
55
the Chinese elderly aged over 55 years old and were WeChat users in the past two years
old.
There are two kinds of situations of WeChat health information uses; one is the
WeChat users directly get health information from the Internet, the other is the non-
Internet users indirectly get health information from Internet while they do not use
WeChat themselves. The sample of this research are the Chinese WeChat users aged over
55 years old.
The sample of the survey will be the Chinese WeChat users whose age over 55
years old. On WeChat official website, WeChat technology product department released
the "2017 WeChat life report". In this report, WeChat users are divided into three
categories: the users born after 1995, typical users and elderly users. Among them,
typical users refer to users who account for 65% of monthly active users and 80% of the
total number of daily messages sent, while the majority of users who meet these two
conditions are the generation after 80s and 90s. As defined in the report, WeChat elderly
users refer to WeChat users aged 55-70. The samples are selected using convenience
sampling from different regions of Shanghai, China. Shanghai first entered the aging
society in 1979. By the end of 2010, the number of registered residents in Shanghai was
14.1232 million, and the registered elderly population aged 60 years and above had
reached 3,3102 million, accounting for 23.4 percent of the total population. They have
the ability to independently use WeChat function and have some understanding and
contact with WeChat health information. Due to the available WeChat report, the
researcher used Chinese Elderly WeChat users who are currently using WeChat health
56
information in the past two years period from July 2016 to July 2018, because the
percentage of Elderly Chinese WeChat uses are increasing rapidly. Hence, WeChat
health information would like to reach this specific group believing that elderly people
will be the highest WeChat users in the next few years.
To test the reliability of the questionnaire, 30 respondents were selected to do of
pre-test and use non-probability sampling method to launch the survey. The survey was
distributed to Chinese elderly aged between 55 years old to 70 years old or higher who
are currently living in Shanghai, China. The sample will be selected using convenience
sampling who are currently using WeChat in the past 2 years period. The survey was
distributed via online by using convenience sampling. Two hundred respondents will
participate in the survey.
3.3 Research Instrument
Quantitative research methods have always been used in the studies on the
audiences of uses and gratifications theory. In this research, questionnaire survey has
been used to get the data form the samples. The researcher develops the questionnaire on
the basis of the traits of WeChat health information as well as the previous studies abroad
and at home.
The questionnaire in this research has been designed as close-ended form and it is
consisted of four sections. Section A which is the first section is the demographic
characteristic and health condition of the respondents; Section B is about respondents’

57
gratification sought about health information via WeChat; section C is about respondents’
gratification obtained about health information via WeChat; section D is about small
group relational satisfaction. Details are elaborated as follow:
A. Demographic characteristic and health condition
There were 9 questions in this section. This section was composed of the basic
demographic data questions that included respondents’ gender, age, education
background, monthly income and health condition. Besides, frequency, duration of usage,
connectivity and stickiness are added to better understand the use behavior of elder
Chinese who use WeChat health information. Frequency refers to how often do you use
WeChat for health information in a daily life. Duration of usage refers to how long do
you spend time on searching and browsing health information through WeChat each time.
Connectivity refers to what kinds of health-related WeChat public accounts you often go
to. Stickiness refers to how many WeChat public accounts you’ve visited for the last time
you search/browse/use health information. In this section, the researcher used nominal
and ordinal scale format to design the questions. The demographic items could be
founded in section A of Appendix 1.
B. Gratification Sought about health information via WeChat
This section was consisted of 15 questions. The second section of questionnaire
consisted of questions designed to measure respondents’ gratification sought about health
information via WeChat. The information processing was measured with 5-factor and 15-
item version of the Uses and Gratifications Scale profiled by Whiting and William (2013).
58
The Cronbach alpha of the original scale was 0.959, which is considered reliable. Based
on Whiting and William’s Use and Gratification Scale (2013), the researcher used a 5–
point–likert scale format to design the response ranging from (1) strongly disagree to
with the statement, (2) disagree with the statement, (3) neither agree nor disagree with the
statement, (4) agree with the statement, and (5) strongly agree with the statement. The
higher score the respondents selected, the stronger gratifications they want to seek. The
gratification sought items could be founded in section B of Appendix 1.

59
Table 1: Uses and Gratifications Scale Gratification Sought: 5 factors and 15 items
15 Items 5 Factors
1. I use WeChat health information to access current issues in
health information and events.
2. I use WeChat health information so that I will not be surprised General information
by unexpected health diseases that might happen in my life. seeking
3. I use WeChat health information, because I trust the information
they give me.
4. I use WeChat health information, because doctors and health
experts gave me a human-like quality service about the health
information.
5. I use WeChat health information to compare my own ideas to Parasocial interaction
what doctors and health experts said.
6. I use WeChat health information, because doctors and health
expert are like people I knew.
7. I used WeChat to find out what kind of health information are
important nowadays.
8. I use WeChat health information to help me make up my mind
Decision utility
about the important issues of the day.
9. I use WeChat health information to find out about health issues
affecting people like myself.
10. I use WeChat health information to support my viewpoints to
other people.
11. I use WeChat health information so I can pass the information Interpersonal utility
on to other people.
12. I use WeChat health to give me interesting things to talk about.
13. I use WeChat health information, because it is often
entertaining.
Entertainment
14. I use WeChat health information, because it is stimulating.
15. I use WeChat health information, because it is exciting.
C. Gratification Obtained about health information via WeChat
The third section of questionnaire consisted of questions designed to measure
respondents’ gratification obtained about health information via WeChat. The
information processing was measured with 5-factor and 15-item version of the Uses and
60
Gratifications Scale profiled by Whiting and William (2013). This section was consisted
of 15 questions. The Cronbach alpha of the original scale was 0.946, which is considered
reliable. Based on Whiting and William’s Use and Gratification Scale (2013), the
researcher used a 5–point–likert scale format to design the response ranging from (1)
strongly disagree to with the statement, (2) disagree with the statement, (3) neither agree
nor disagree with the statement, (4) agree with the statement, and (5) strongly agree with
the statement. The higher score the respondents selected, the stronger gratifications they
got. The gratification obtained items are founded in section C of Appendix 1.

61
Table 2: Uses and Gratifications Scale Gratification Obtained: 5 factors and 15 items
15 Items 5 Factors
1. I got accurate information about current issues in
health information and events in WeChat health
subscription.
General information
2. I was not surprised by unexpected health disease seeking
that might happen in my life.
3. I believe that the health information in WeChat
are trustworthy and reliable.
4. I perceived that health information provided by
doctors and health experts in WeChat health
information are real and human-like.
5. I compared my own ideas to what doctors and Parasocial interaction
health experts say.
6. I perceived that doctors and health experts in
WeChat are like people I knew.
7. I learnt about what kind of health information is
important to me nowadays from WeChat health
information.
Decision utility
8. WeChat health information help me make up my
mind about the important issues of the day.
9. I found out about health issues affecting my life.
10. WeChat health information supports my
viewpoints to other people.
11.I can pass the health information on to other
Interpersonal utility
people.
12.WeChat health provides me interesting things to
talk about with other people.
13.WeChat health information entertain me.
14.WeChat health information stimulate my interest
in health issue. Entertainment
15.WeChat health information provide exciting
information that I don’t know before.
62
D. Degree of relational satisfaction in using WeChat among Chinese Elderly
about the small group communication about health in WeChat
The fourth section of questionnaire consisted of questions designed to measure
the degree of relational satisfactions in using WeChat among Chinese Elderly about their
own health. Relational satisfaction was defined as “the building and maintaining of
member relationships during communicative processes and practices throughout the life
span of the group” (Anderson, Martin, & Riddle, 2001). Relational satisfaction in small
groups was characterized by feelings of affection, inclusion, liking, trust, friendship,
freedom to communicate, involvement, and getting to know each other, among others
(Anderson, et al., 2001). Relational satisfaction was positively correlated with
respondents’ attitudes about group work, assertiveness, responsiveness, and perceptions
of feedback in small groups (Anderson, et al., 2001). The researcher used the small group
RSS to measure the members’ satisfaction with relationships and relational
communication in WeChat health information group, because the researcher is interested
in the relational side of groups, not simply group performance processes and outcomes.
In this section, the researcher used a 5–point–likert scale format to design the response
ranging from (1) strongly disagree to with the statement, (2) disagree with the statement,
(3) neither agree nor disagree with the statement, (4) agree with the statement, (5)
strongly agree with the statement. All of these items are founded in section D of
Appendix 1.
63
Table 3: Relational satisfaction of small group communication: 1 factors and 12 items
12 Items 1 Factors
1. The doctors and health experts in WeChat spend
time getting to know me.
2. The members in WeChat health information make
me feel a part of the group.
3. I look forward to joining the group meeting every
day.
4. I do not feel part of the group in WeChat health
information.
5. The members in WeChat health information make
feel liked.
6. My absence would not matter to the group in
WeChat health information. Small group relational
7. I can trust doctors and health experts in WeChat satisfaction
health information.
8. We can say anything in this group “WeChat
health information” without worrying.
9. I prefer not to spend time with
members of the group “WeChat health information”.
10. The members in this group “WeChat health
information” made me feel involved in the group.
11. Some of the group members could become my
friends.
12. The group atmosphere in WeChat health
information is comfortable.
3.3.1 Interpretation of the Uses and Gratification and Relational Satisfaction
Table 3.1: Analyzing the opinion of respondents toward their gratification sought and
obtained for WeChat and relational satisfaction toward group communication
in WeChat
64
Opinion toward the statement Score Criteria Meaning

Strongly agree with the statement 5 4.21 – 5.00 Strongly agree
Agree with the statement 4 3.41 – 4.20 Agree
Neutral with the statement 3 2.61 – 3.40 Neutral
Disagree with the statement 2 1.81 – 2.60 Disagree
Strongly Disagree with the statement 1 1.00 – 1.80 Strongly disagree
Table 3.1.1: Analyzing the degree of gratification sought and obtained for WeChat
Criteria Meaning
3.68 – 5.00 High level
2.34 – 3.67 Medium level
1.00 – 2.33 Low level
3.4 Instrument Pretest
Firstly, the questionnaire with four sections was translated into Chinese. The
Chinese questionnaire was then back translation into English to check the validity of the
questionnaire. And then, the questionnaires were distributed to 30 respondents as a
pretest to ensure that all the statements were clearly understood by the respondents.
Based on the reliability report, the researcher has adjusted unclear words or phrases in the
statements. After making those adjustments in the survey questionnaire, the researcher
ent the corrected questionnaire to the 30 respondents by email. Nunnaly (1978, as cited in
Hong, 2005) considered 0.7 as an acceptable reliability coefficient. In this research, all
scales of gratification sought, gratification obtained from WeChat health information, and
small group relational satisfaction were higher than .70, which is considered acceptable
65
(Nunnaly, 1978 as cited in Hong, 2005). No statement has been deleted from the original
scale. Cronbach's alpha coefficient to assess the reliability of the instrument was
presented as follow in Table 3.2 and Table 3.3:
Table 3.2: The reliability of instrument

Variables Cronbach's Alpha
The overall of Gratification Sought about health information via
0.959
WeChat
Gratification sought: General information seeking 0.831
1. I use WeChat health information to access current issues in health
0.763
information and events.
2. I use WeChat health information so that I will not be surprised by
0.697
unexpected health diseases that might happen in my life.
3. I use WeChat health information, because I trust the information they
0.839
give me.
Gratification sought: Parasocial interaction 0.851
1. I use WeChat health information, because doctors and health experts
0.828
gave me a human-like quality service about the health information.
2. I use WeChat health information to compare my own ideas to what
0.771
doctors and health experts said.
3. I use WeChat health information, because doctors and health expert
0.771
are like people I knew.
Gratification sought: Decision utility 0.893
1. I use WeChat health information to help me make up my mind about
0.854
the important issues of the day.
2. I used WeChat to find out what kind of health information are
0.885
important nowadays.
3. I use WeChat health information to find out about health issues
0.801
affecting people like myself.
Gratification sought: Interpersonal utility 0.921
1. I use WeChat health information to support my viewpoints to other
0.884
people.
2. I use WeChat health information so I can pass the information on to
0.849
other people.
3. I use WeChat health to give me interesting things to talk about. 0.917
Gratification sought: Entertainment 0.924
1. I use WeChat health information, because it is often entertaining. 0.892
2. I use WeChat health information, because it is stimulating. 0.89
(Continued)
66
Table 3.2 (Continued): The reliability of instrument

3. I use WeChat health information, because it is exciting. 0.89
The overall of Gratification Obtained about health information via
0.946
WeChat
Gratification obtained: General information seeking 0.713
1. I got accurate information about current issues in health information
0.554
and events in WeChat health subscription.
2. I were not surprised by unexpected health disease that might happen
0.882
in my life.
3. I believe that the health information in WeChat are trustworthy and
0.322
reliable.
Gratification obtained: Parasocial interaction 0.576
1. I perceived that health information provided by doctors and health
0.357
experts in WeChat health information are real and human-like.
2. I compared my own ideas to what doctors and health experts say. 0.622
3. I perceived that doctors and health experts in WeChat are like people
0.403
I knew.
Gratification obtained: Decision utility 0.791
1. I learnt about what kind of health information is important to me
0.661
nowadays from WeChat health information.
2. WeChat health information help me make up my mind about the
0.859
important issues of the day.
3. I found out about health issues affecting my life. 0.627
Gratification obtained: Interpersonal utility 0.89
1. WeChat health information supports my viewpoints to other people. 0.82
2. I can pass the health information on to other people. 0.846
3. WeChat health provides me interesting things to talk about with other
0.865
people.
Gratification obtained: Entertainment 0.907
1. WeChat health information entertain me. 0.863
2. WeChat health information stimulate my interest in health issue. 0.869
3. WeChat health information provide exciting information that I don’t
0.871
know before.
The overall of small group relational satisfaction about health
0.904
information via WeChat
1.The doctors and health experts in WeChat spend time getting to know
0.896
me.
2. The members in WeChat health information make me feel a part of
0.892
the group.
3. I look forward to joining the group meeting every day. 0.891
(Continued)
67

4. I do not feel part of the group in WeChat health information. 0.92
5. The members in WeChat health information make feel liked. 0.885
6. My absence would not matter to the group in WeChat health
0.91
information.
7. I can trust doctors and health experts in WeChat health information. 0.888
8. We can say anything in this group “WeChat health information”
0.891
without worrying.
9. I prefer not to spend time with members of the group “WeChat health
0.908
information”
10. The members in this group “WeChat health information” made me
0.89
feel involved in the group.
11. Some of the group members could become my friends. 0.892
12. The group atmosphere in WeChat health information is comfortable. 0.888
Table 3.3: The Comparison of Cronbach’s alpha

Sample
Sample 30
NO. of NO. of 200
Cronbach's
item item Cronbach's
Alpha
Alpha
1. The overall of gratification sought about
15 0.959 5 0.976
health information via WeChat
Gratification sought: General information
3 0.831 3 0.887
seeking
Gratification sought: Parasocial interaction 3 0.851 3 0.889
Gratification sought: Decision utility 3 0.893 3 0.914
Gratification sought: Interpersonal utility 3 0.921 3

0.88
Gratification sought: Entertainment 3 0.924 3 0.926
2. The overall of gratification obtained about
15 0.946 5 0.976
health information via WeChat
Gratification obtained: General information
3 0.713 3 0.894
seeking
Gratification obtained: Parasocial interaction 3 0.576 3 0.891
Gratification obtained: Decision utility 3 0.791 3 0.914
Gratification obtained: Interpersonal utility 3 0.89 3 0.87
Gratification obtained: Entertainment 3 0.907 3 0.926
3.The overall of small group relational
satisfaction about health information via 12 0.904 12 0.965
WeChat
68
As shown in Table 3.3, the questionnaires were pretested with 30 respondents.
The total result of gratification sought (α = .976) and gratification obtained (α = .976)
about health information via WeChat were considered acceptable, because the
Cronbach’s Alpha is higher than 0.7 which is higher than the standard level set of the
reliability test. Nunnaly (1978, as cited in Hong, 2005) considered 0.7 as an acceptable
reliability coefficient. As shown in Table 3.3, the results showed that Cronbach’s Alpha
of gratification sought about health information via WeChat toward all dimensions were
higher than .70, including gratification sought for general information seeking (α = .887),
parasocial interaction (α = .889), decision utility (α = .914), interpersonal utility (α = .880)
and gratification sought entertainment (α = .926). As shown in Table 3.3, the results
showed that Cronbach’s Alpha of gratification obtained about health information via
WeChat were higher than .70, including gratification obtained for general information
seeking (α = .894), parasocial interaction (α = .891), decision utility (α = .914),
interpersonal utility (α = .870) and entertainment (α = .926). The results showed that the
small group relational satisfaction about health information via WeChat is also acceptable
(α = 0.965).
3.5 Data Collection Procedure
Before distributing the questionnaires to the respondents, the researcher had it
translated into Chinese by using the method of back translation. The English
questionnaire was translated into Chinese and then translated back into English by
69
Chinese person who is fluent in English. The two version of the original were
crosschecked for adequacy in translation. The discrepancies between the two versions
suggested to the researcher that further translation was required. When no discrepancies
between the two versions could be found, questionnaires were pretested to 30
respondents who are exposing to WeChat health information in the past two years period.
During the pre – test process, any error detected would be corrected as appropriate. The
process of data collection took around one month to gather the result of the questionnaire
sent to the WeChat health information users. The researcher was required to extract the
results of the questionnaire in the form of excel for the data analysis purpose from
Google.
3.6 Data Analysis
Independent variables: Gender (Nominal Scale)
Dependent variables: Gratification sought about health information (Likert Scale)

70
Statistics: Independent Sample T-test
Independent variables: Age (Ordinal Scale)
Statistics: One-Way ANOVA
Independent variables: Personal income per month (Ordinal Scale)
Independent variables: Educational background (Ordinal Scale)

71
Independent variables: Frequency of using WeChat health information (Ordinal
Scale)
via WeChat.
Independent variables: Stickiness to WeChat health information (Ordinal Scale)
significantly different gratification obtained about health information via WeChat.

72
Independent variables: Gender (Nominal Scale)
Dependent variables: different gratification obtained about health information
(Likert Scale)
Independent variables: Age (Ordinal Scale)
Dependent variables: Gratification obtained about health information (Likert
Scale)
will have significantly different gratification obtained about health information via
WeChat.
Independent variables: Personal income per month (Ordinal Scale)
Scale)
have significantly different gratification obtained about health information via WeChat.
73
Independent variables: Educational background (Ordinal Scale)
Scale)
health information will have significantly different gratification obtained about health
Independent variables: Frequency of using WeChat health information (Ordinal
Scale)
Dependent variables: different gratification obtained about health information
(Likert Scale)
information will have significantly different gratification obtained about health
Independent variables: Stickiness to WeChat health information (Ordinal Scale)
Scale)

74
Hypothesis 3: Gratification sought and gratification obtained for health information via
WeChat among Chinese elderly were positively correlated.
Independent variables: gratification sought for health information (gratification
obtained for health information) (Likert scale)
Dependent variables: gratification obtained for health information (gratification
sought for health information) (Likert scale)
Statistics: Spearman Rank Correlation
Independent variables: gratification sought and gratification obtained about
health information
Dependent variables: relational satisfaction toward the small group
communication (Likert scale)
Statistics: Multiple Regression.
3.7 Demographic Data of the Samples
3.7.1 Summary on Descriptive Findings

75
This part focuses on the demographic profile of 200 samples responding to the
questionnaire questions, which include gender, age, monthly income, education
background, health condition, frequency of using WeChat health information, stickiness
to WeChat health information, kinds of health-related WeChat public accounts and
number of public accounts. The data are summarized and presented in frequency and
percentage as shown in Table.
The descriptive findings indicated that majority of the sample were female (55.5%,
n = 111), majority of the sample were aged 55-59 years old (22%, n= 44), earned less
than 4,000 yuan per month (54.5%, n= 109), obtained high school (44%, n = 88), felt
good about their health condition (40.5%, n=81), and were serious about keeping healthy
in their daily work, diet, and exercise (39%, N=78). In addition, majority of the sample
used WeChat for health information 1-2 times per day (28.5%, n=57), spent less than 30
minutes for each searching and browsing WeChat health information (39.5%, n=79),
often joined government owned health WeChat public accounts (22%, n=44), and visited
four to five WeChat public accounts for the last time and they search/browse/use health
information (26%, n=52).
As shown in Table 3.7.1, the descriptive findings indicated that majority of the
sample were female (55.5%, n = 111), male (44.5%, n = 89).
based on the gender

76
Demographic profile Frequency Percent %

Gender
Male 89 44.5
Female 111 55.5
Total 200 100
sample were aged 55-59 years old (22%, n= 44), followed by samples aged 60-64 years
old (20.5%, n= 41), 65-69 years old (19%, n= 38), more than 79 years old (14%, n= 28),
75-79 years old (13.5%, n= 27) and 70-74 years old (11%, n= 22), respectively.
based on the Age

Age
55-59 years old 44 22
60-64 years old 41 20.5
65-69 years old 38 19
70-74 years old 22 11
75-79 years old 27 13.5
More than 79
28 14
years old
Total 200 100
sample earned less than 4,000 yuan per month (54.5%, n= 109), followed by those who
earned 4,001 yuan-10,000 yuan per month (30.5%, n= 61), 10,001-16,000 yuan per
77
month (5.5%, n= 11), 16,001-22,000 yuan per month (5%, n= 10), higher than 26,000
yuan per month (2.5%, n= 5), and 22,001-26,000 yuan per month (2%, n= 4),
respectively.
Table 3.7.3: Sum and percentage of the sample’s Chinese elderly WeChat users
based on the monthly income

Monthly income
Less than 4,000 yuan 109 54.5
4,001 - 10,000 yuan 61 30.5
10,001- 16,000 yuan 11 5.5
16,001 - 22,000 yuan 10 5
22,001- 26,000 yuan 4 2
Higher than 26,000
5 2.5
yuan
Total 200 100
As shown in Table 3.7.4, descriptive findings indicated that majority of the
sample obtained high school (44%, n = 88), vocational School (21.5%, n =43), bachelor’s
degree (21%, n = 42), master’s degree or higher (12%, n = 24) and others (1.5%, n =3),
respectively.
78
based on the Education Background

Education Background
High School 88 44
Vocational
43 21.5
School
Bachelor degree 42 21
Master degree 21 10.5
Doctoral degree 3 1.5
Others 3 1.5
Total 200 100
samples felt good about their health condition (40.5%, n=81), followed by those who felt
very good (25%, n=50), felt neither good nor bad (20.5%, n=41), felt bad (8%, n=16) and
felt very bad (6%, n=12), respectively.
The descriptive findings indicated that majority of the samples were serious about
keeping healthy in their daily work, diet, and exercise (39%, N=78), followed by those
who were very serious (32.5%, n=65), fair (13%, n=26), not very serious (9%, n=18) and
not at all (6.5%, n=13), respectively.

79
based on the Health Condition
How do you feel about your health condition now?

Health Condition
Very bad 12 6
Bad 16 8
Neither good nor bad 41 20.5
Good 81 40.5
Very good 50 25
Total 200 100
Are you serious about keeping healthy in your daily work, diet, and exercise?

Health Condition
Not at all 13 6.5
Not very serious 18 9
Fair 26 13
Serious 78 39
Very serious 65 32.5
Total 200 100
sample use WeChat for health information 1-2 times per day (28.5%, n=57), followed by
those who use WeChat for health information 4-5 times per day (24.5%, n=49), 3-4 times
per day (21%, n=42), more than 5 times per day (21%, n=42) and never use WeChat for
health information (5%, n=10), respectively.

80
based on the Frequency of Using WeChat Health Information
How often do you use WeChat for health information in a daily life?
Frequenc Percent
Demographic profile
y %
Frequency
Never (None per day) 10 5
Seldom (1-2 times per day) 57 28.5
Sometimes (3-4 times per day) 42 21
Often (4-5 times per day) 49 24.5
Always (More than 5 per day) 42 21
Total 200 100
As shown in Table 3.7.7, the descriptive findings indicated that there were 200
Chinese elderly WeChat users of stickiness to WeChat health information, the majority of
the sample spent less than 30 minutes for each searching and browsing WeChat health
information (39.5%, n=79), followed by those who spent more than 30 minutes to 1 hour
for each searching and browsing (34.5%, n=69), more than 1 hour to 2 hours for each
searching and browsing (9%, n=18), more than 4 hours or more for each searching and
browsing (9%, n=18) and more than 3 hours for each searching and browsing (8%, n=16),
respectively.
81
based on the Stickiness to WeChat Health Information
How long do you spend time on searching and browsing health information through
WeChat each time?
Demographic
Frequency Percent %
profile
Stickiness
Less than 30 minutes for each searching and
79 39.5
browsing (Very low stickiness)
More than 30 minutes to 1 hour for each
69 34.5
searching and browsing (Low stickiness)
More than 1 hour to 2 hours for each
18 9
searching and browsing (Medium stickiness)
More than 3 hours for each searching and
16 8
browsing (Stickiness)
More than 4 hours or more for each searching
18 9
and browsing (Very high stickiness)
Total 200 100
As shown in Table 3.7.8, the descriptive findings indicated that there were 200
Chinese elderly WeChat users of health-related WeChat public accounts, majority of the
sample often join government owned health WeChat public accounts (22%, n=44),
followed by those who join medical associations and health-related social organization
WeChat public accounts (16.5%, n=33), health-related sub-sections of comprehensive
WeChat public accounts (16%, n=32), hospital and medical research institutional WeChat
public accounts (15.5%, n=31), health care and medicine corporations’ WeChat public
82
accounts (13.5%, n=27), individual health WeChat public accounts (12%, n=24) and
others (4.5%, n=9), respectively.
based on the Health-Related WeChat Public Accounts that the
Respondents Often join in the Past One-Year Period
What kinds of health-related WeChat public accounts you often join in the past one-
year period?

Kinds
Government owned health WeChat
44 22
public accounts
Hospital and medical research
31 15.5
institutional WeChat public accounts
Health care and medicine corporations’
27 13.5
WeChat public accounts
Health-related sub-sections of
32 16
comprehensive WeChat public accounts
Medical associations and health-related
social organization WeChat public 33 16.5
accounts
Individual health WeChat public
24 12
accounts
Others 9 4.5
Total 200 100
As shown in Table 3.7.9, descriptive findings indicated that there were 200
Chinese elderly WeChat users of the numbers about WeChat public accounts the
83
respondents visited for the last time, the majority of the sample visited four to five
WeChat public accounts for the last time they search/browse/use health information (26%,
n=52), followed by those who visited two to three (19%, n=38), twenty or more (17%,
n=34), one (16%, n=32), six to ten (15.5%, n=31) and cannot remember (6.5%, n=13),
respectively.
based on How Many WeChat Public Accounts the Respondents Visited for
the Last Time Search/Browse/Use Health Information
How many WeChat public accounts you’ve visited for the last time you
search/browse/use health information?

Number
Twenty or more 34 17
Six to ten 31 15.5
Four to five 52 26
Two to three 38 19
One 32 16
Cannot remember 13 6.5
Total 200 100
85
CHAPTER 4
FINDINGS
This chapter presented data analysis and data interpretation on the relationship
among the four variables, including demographic characteristic of WeChat users,
gratification sought about health information via WeChat, gratification obtained about
health information via WeChat, and their satisfaction toward the small group in WeChat.
The data gathered from 200 respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics such
as sum, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and inferential statistics such as Analysis
of Variance (One-Way ANOVA), Spearman Correlation, and Linear Regression. The
findings presented in this chapter are divided into two parts. The first part provides the
descriptive statistics such as sum, mean, and percentage of dependent and independent
variables. The second part discusses the hypotheses testing of the study.
The topics encompassed the details of this chapter:
4.1 Summary of Descriptive Findings
4.2 Hypotheses Testing

86
4. 1 Summary of Descriptive Findings
To interpret the descriptive findings of this study, the mean range was classified
into 3 levels as follows in Table 4.1.1:
Table 4.1.1: Data Analysis for gratification sought about health information via WeChat

Table 4.1.1.1: Analyzing the degree of gratification sought for WeChat
Criteria Meaning
1.00 – 2.33 Low level
As shown in Table 4.1.2, the descriptive findings found that majority of the
respondents agreed with the statements (Mean = 3.58, SD = 0.95). When examining each
statement, respondents agreed with the statement “ I use WeChat health information so
that I will not be surprised by unexpected health diseases that might happen in my life
with the highest mean (Mean = 3.73,SD, 1.02), followed by the statement “I use WeChat
health information to access current issues in health information and event “ (Mean =
87
3.54, SD= 0.97), and “ I use WeChat health information, because I trust the information
they give me .” (Mean = 3.47, SD+ 1.16), respectively.
When examining the levels of gratification sought for general information seeking,
majority of the respondents had medium level of gratification sought for general
information seeking (Mean = 3.58, SD= 0.95). Respondents perceived the statement“ I
use WeChat health information so that I will not be surprised by unexpected health
diseases that might happen in my life” (Mean = 3.73,SD, 1.02) at the high level, followed
by other statements in the medium levels, including ““I use WeChat health information to
access current issues in health information and event “ (Mean = 3.54, SD= 0.97), and “ I
use WeChat health information, because I trust the information they give me .” (Mean =
3.47, SD+ 1.16), respectively.
Table 4.1.2: Means and standard deviation on the samples’ gratification sought General
information seeking about health information via WeChat
Gratification sought about health information Std.

Mean Interpretation
via WeChat Deviation
Gratification sought for General information seeking
1. I use WeChat health information to access
current issues in health information and events. 3.54 0.976 Medium level
2. I use WeChat health information so that I

will not be surprised by unexpected health
3.73 1.026 High level
diseases that might happen in my life.
3. I use WeChat health information, because I

trust the information they give me. 3.47 1.16 Medium level
Total 3.582 0.95458 Medium level

88
As shown in Table 4.1.3 the descriptive analysis found that majority of the
respondents agreed with the statements (Mean= 3.567, SD= 0.9575). When examining
each statement, respondents agree with the statement, “I use WeChat health information
to compare my own ideas to what doctors and health experts said” with the highest mean
(Mean= 3.73, SD= 0.944), followed by the statement, “I use WeChat health information,
because doctors and health expert are like people I knew” (Mean= 3.56, SD= 1.205) and
“I use WeChat health information, because doctors and health experts gave me a human-
like quality service about the health information” (Mean= 3.4, SD= 1.008), respectively.
When examining the levels of gratification sought for parasocial interaction,
majority of the respondents had medium level of gratification sought for parasocial
interaction (Mean= 3.567, SD= 0.9575). Respondents perceived the statement “I use
WeChat health information to compare my own ideas to what doctors and health experts
said” (Mean= 3.73, SD= 0.944) at the high level, followed by other statements in the
medium levels, including “I use WeChat health information, because doctors and health
expert are like people I knew” (Mean= 3.56, SD= 1.205), and “I use WeChat health
information, because doctors and health experts gave me a human-like quality service
about the health information” (Mean= 3.4, SD= 1.008), respectively.

89
Table 4.1.3: Means and standard deviation on the samples’ gratification sought for
Parasocial interaction about health information via WeChat
Gratification sought about health information Std.

Mean Interpretation
via WeChat Deviation
Gratification sought for Parasocial interaction
1. I use WeChat health information, because
doctors and health experts gave me a human-
like quality service about the health 3.40 1.008 Medium level
information.
2. I use WeChat health information to

compare my own ideas to what doctors and
health experts said.
3. I use WeChat health information, because

doctors and health expert are like people I
3.56 1.205 Medium level
knew.
each statement, respondents agree with the statement, “I use WeChat health information
to help me make up my mind about the important issues of the day” with the highest
mean (Mean= 3.82, SD= 1.282), followed by the statement, “I use WeChat health
information to find out about health issues affecting people like myself” (Mean= 3.67,
SD= 1.169) and “I used WeChat to find out what kind of health information are important
nowadays” (Mean= 3.62, SD= 1.328), respectively.

90
When examining the levels of gratification sought for decision utility, majority of
the respondents had high level of gratification sought for decision utility (Mean= 3.707,
SD= 1.16556). Respondents perceived the statement “I use WeChat health information to
help me make up my mind about the important issues of the day” (Mean= 3.82, SD=
1.282) at the high level, followed by other statements in the medium levels, including “I
use WeChat health information to find out about health issues affecting people like
myself” (Mean= 3.67, SD= 1.169), and “I used WeChat to find out what kind of health
information are important nowadays” (Mean= 3.62, SD= 1.328), respectively.
Decision utility about health information via WeChat
Gratification sought about health Std. Interpretatio

Mean
information via WeChat Deviation n
Gratification sought for Decision utility
1. I used WeChat to find out what
kind of health information are Medium
3.62 1.328
important nowadays. level

help me make up my mind about the

find out about health issues affecting Medium
3.67 1.169
people like myself. level
Total 3.707 1.16556 High level
91
each statement, respondents agree with the statement, “I use WeChat health to give me
interesting things to talk about”with the highest mean (Mean= 3.7, SD= 1.066), followed
by the statement,“I use WeChat health information to support my viewpoints to other
people” (Mean= 3.62, SD= 1.083) and “I use WeChat health information so I can pass
the information on to other people” (Mean= 3.35, SD= 1.313), respectively.
When examining the levels of gratification sought for interpersonal utility,
majority of the respondents had medium level of gratification sought for interpersonal
utility (Mean= 3.553, SD= 1.041). Respondents perceived the statement “I use WeChat
health to give me interesting things to talk about” (Mean= 3.7, SD= 1.066) at the high
level, followed by other statements in the medium levels, including“I use WeChat health
information to support my viewpoints to other people” (Mean= 3.62, SD= 1.083), and “I
use WeChat health information so I can pass the information on to other people”(Mean=
3.35, SD= 1.313), respectively.

92
Interpersonal utility about health information via WeChat
Gratification sought about health Std.

Mean Interpretation
information via WeChat Deviation
Gratification sought for Interpersonal utility
support my viewpoints to other people. 3.62 1.083 Medium level
2. I use WeChat health information so I

can pass the information on to other
people.
3. I use WeChat health to give me

interesting things to talk about. 3.7 1.066 High level
each statement, respondents agree with the statement, “I use WeChat health information,
because it is stimulating” with the highest mean (Mean= 3.65, SD=1.163), followed by
the statement, “I use WeChat health information, because it is often entertaining” (Mean=
3.52, SD= 1.19) and “I use WeChat health information, because it is exciting” (Mean=
When examining the levels of gratification sought for entertainment, majority of
the respondents had medium level of gratification sought for entertainment (Mean= 3.528,
SD= 1.12396). Respondents perceived the statement “I use WeChat health information,
because it is stimulating” (Mean= 3.65, SD=1.163), “I use WeChat health information,

93
because it is often entertaining” (Mean= 3.52, SD= 1.19) and “I use WeChat health
information, because it is exciting” (Mean= 3.41, SD= 1.257) at the medium level,
respectively.
entertainment about health information via WeChat
Gratification sought about health Std.

Mean Interpretation
Gratification sought for Entertainment
1. I use WeChat health information,
because it is often entertaining. 3.52 1.19 Medium level

because it is stimulating. 3.65 1.163 Medium level

because it is exciting.
Medium level
Total 3.528 1.12396
agree
each statement, respondents agree with the statement, “decision utility” with the highest
mean (Mean= 3.707, SD= 1.16556), followed byt “general information seeking” (Mean=
3.582, SD= 0.95458), “parasocial interaction” (Mean= 3.567, SD= 0.9575),
“interpersonal utility” (Mean= 3.553, SD= 1.041) and “entertainment” (Mean= 3.528,
SD= 1.12396), respectively.

94
When examining the levels of gratification sought, majority of the respondents
had medium level of gratification sought (Mean= 3.587, SD= 0.99462). Respondents
perceived the statement “decision utility” (Mean= 3.707, SD= 1.16556) at the high level,
followed by other statements in the medium levels, including “general information
seeking” (Mean= 3.582, SD= 0.95458), “parasocial interaction” (Mean= 3.567, SD=
0.9575), “interpersonal utility” (Mean= 3.553, SD= 1.041) and “entertainment” (Mean=
about health information via WeChat
Gratification sought about health

Mean Std. Deviation Interpretation
Medium
Total mean of Gratification sought 3.587 0.99462
level
Medium
General information seeking 3.582 0.95458
level
Medium
Parasocial interaction 3.567 0.9575
level
Decision utility 3.707 1.16556 High level
Medium
Interpersonal utility 3.553 1.041
level
Medium
Entertainment 3.528 1.12396
level
To analyze the mean of gratification obtained about health information via
WeChat among Chinese elderly, the mean range was divided into 3 levels as follows:
95
Table 4.1.8: Data Analysis for gratification obtained about health information via
WeChat

Table 4.1.8.1: Analyzing the degree of gratification obtained for WeChat
Criteria Meaning
1.00 – 2.33 Low level
each statement, respondents agreed with the statement, “I were not surprised by
unexpected health disease that might happen in my life” with the highest mean (Mean=
3.89, SD= 0.984), followed by statement, “I got accurate information about current issues
in health information and events in WeChat health subscription” (Mean= 3.58, SD=
1.053) and “I believe that the health information in WeChat are trustworthy and reliable”
(Mean= 3.58, SD= 1.1), respectively.

96
When examining the levels of gratification obtained for general information
seeking, majority of the respondents had high level of gratification obtained for general
information seeking (Mean= 3.685, SD= 0.95059). Respondents perceived the statement,
“I were not surprised by unexpected health disease that might happen in my life” (Mean=
3.89, SD= 0.984) at the high level, followed by other statements in the medium levels,
including “I got accurate information about current issues in health information and
events in WeChat health subscription” (Mean= 3.58, SD= 1.053) and “I believe that the
health information in WeChat are trustworthy and reliable” (Mean= 3.58, SD= 1.1),
respectively.
97
Table 4.1.9: Means and standard deviation on the samples’ gratification obtained for
general information seeking about health information via WeChat
Gratification obtained about health Std.

Mean Interpretation
Gratification obtained for General information seeking
1. I got accurate information about
current issues in health information and Medium
3.58 1.053
events in WeChat health subscription. level
2. I were not surprised by unexpected

health disease that might happen in my
life.
3. I believe that the health information

Medium
in WeChat are trustworthy and reliable. 3.58 1.1
level
each statement, respondents agree with the statement, “I compared my own ideas to what
doctors and health experts say” with the highest mean (Mean= 3.77, SD= 0.921),
followed by the statement, “I perceived that doctors and health experts in WeChat are
like people I knew” (Mean= 3.62, SD= 1.189) and“I perceived that health information
provided by doctors and health experts in WeChat health information are real and human-
like” (Mean= 3.52, SD= 1.089), respectively.
When examining the levels of gratification obtained for parasocial interaction,
majority of the respondents had medium level of gratification obtained for parasocial
98
interaction (Mean= 3.6367, SD= 0.9715). Respondents perceived the statement “I
compared my own ideas to what doctors and health experts say” (Mean= 3.77, SD= 0.921)
at the high level, followed by other statements in the medium levels, including “I
perceived that doctors and health experts in WeChat are like people I knew” (Mean= 3.62,
SD= 1.189) and “I perceived that health information provided by doctors and health
experts in WeChat health information are real and human-like” (Mean= 3.52, SD= 1.089),
respectively.
parasocial interaction about health information via WeChat

Mean Interpretation
Gratification obtained for Parasocial interaction
1. I perceived that health
information provided by doctors
and health experts in WeChat Medium
3.52 1.089
health information are real and level
human-like.
2. I compared my own ideas to

what doctors and health experts
say.
3. I perceived that doctors and

health experts in WeChat are like Medium
3.62 1.189
people I knew. level
Medium
Total 3.6367 0.9715
level
99
each statement, respondents agree with the statement, “I learnt about what kind of health
information is important to me nowadays from WeChat health information” with the
highest mean (Mean= 3.78, SD= 1.37), followed by the statement, “WeChat health
information help me make up my mind about the important issues of the day” (Mean=
3.77, SD= 1.26) and “I found out about health issues affecting my life” (Mean= 3.67,
When examining the levels of gratification obtained for decision utility, majority
of the respondents had high level of gratification obtained for decision utility (Mean=
3.74, SD= 1.16105). Respondents perceived the statements “I learnt about what kind of
health information is important to me nowadays from WeChat health information”
(Mean= 3.78, SD= 1.37) and “WeChat health information help me make up my mind
about the important issues of the day” (Mean= 3.77, SD= 1.26) at the high level, followed
by other statement in the medium levels, including “I found out about health issues
affecting my life” (Mean= 3.67, SD= 1.157), respectively.

100
decision utility about health information via WeChat

Mean Interpretation
Gratification obtained for Decision utility
1. I learnt about what kind of health
information is important to me
nowadays from WeChat health 3.78 1.37 High level
information.
2. WeChat health information help

me make up my mind about the
3. I found out about health issues

Medium
affecting my life. 3.67 1.157
level
each statement, respondents agree with the statement, “WeChat health information
supports my viewpoints to other people” with the highest mean (Mean= 3.72, SD= 1.166),
followed by the statement, “WeChat health provides me interesting things to talk about
with other people” (Mean= 3.66, SD= 1.086) and “WeChat health information supports
my viewpoints to other people” (Mean= 3.4, SD= 1.215), respectively.
When examining the levels of gratification obtained for interpersonal utility,
majority of the respondents had medium level of gratification obtained for interpersonal
utility (Mean= 3.59, SD= 1.03091). Respondents perceived the statements “WeChat
101
health information supports my viewpoints to other people” (Mean= 3.72, SD= 1.166) at
the high level, followed by other statements in the medium levels, including “WeChat
health provides me interesting things to talk about with other people” (Mean= 3.66, SD=
1.086) and “WeChat health information supports my viewpoints to other people” (Mean=
Interpersonal utility about health information via WeChat

Mean Interpretation
Gratification obtained for Interpersonal utility
1. WeChat health information
supports my viewpoints to other
people.
2. I can pass the health information

Medium
on to other people. 3.4 1.215
level
3. WeChat health provides me
interesting things to talk about with Medium
3.66 1.086
other people. level
Medium
Total 3.59 1.03091
level
each statement, respondents agree with the statement, “WeChat health information
stimulate my interest in health issue” with the highest mean (Mean= 3.66, SD= 1.132),
102
followed by the statement, “WeChat health information entertain me” (Mean= 3.61, SD=
1.264) and “WeChat health information provide exciting information that I don’t know
before” (Mean= 3.46, SD= 1.155), respectively.
When examining the levels of gratification obtained for entertainment, majority of
the respondents had medium level of gratification obtained for entertainment (Mean=
3.575, SD= 1.10627). Respondents perceived the statements “WeChat health information
stimulate my interest in health issue” (Mean= 3.66, SD= 1.132), “WeChat health
information entertain me” (Mean= 3.61, SD= 1.264) and “WeChat health information
provide exciting information that I don’t know before” (Mean= 3.46, SD= 1.155) at the
medium level, respectively.
Entertainment about health information via WeChat

Mean Interpretation
Gratification obtained for Entertainment
1. WeChat health information Medium

3.61 1.264
entertain me. level
Medium
stimulate my interest in health 3.66 1.132
level
issue.
Medium
provide exciting information that I 3.46 1.155
level
don’t know before.
Medium
Total 3.575 1.10627
level
103
each statement, respondents agree with the statement, “decision utility” with the highest
mean (Mean= 3.74, SD= 1.16105), followed by “general information seeking” (Mean=
When examining the levels of gratification obtained, majority of the respondents
had medium level of gratification obtained (Mean= 3.6453, SD= 0.99405). Respondents
perceived the statements “decision utility” (Mean= 3.74, SD= 1.16105) and “general
information seeking” (Mean= 3.685, SD= 0.95059), at the high level, followed by other
statements in the medium levels, including “parasocial interaction” (Mean= 3.6367, SD=
0.9715), “interpersonal utility” (Mean= 3.59, SD= 1.03091) and “entertainment” (Mean=

104
about health information via WeChat
Gratification obtained about Std.

Mean Interpretation
health information via WeChat Deviation
Total mean of Gratification Medium
3.6453 0.99405
obtained level
General information seeking 3.685 0.95059 High level
Medium
Parasocial interaction 3.6367 0.9715
level
Decision utility 3.74 1.16105 High level
Medium
Interpersonal utility 3.59 1.03091
level
Medium
Entertainment 3.575 1.10627
level
To analyze the mean of small group relational satisfaction after using WeChat
health information, the mean range was divided into 3 levels as follows:
Table 4.1.15: Data analysis for small group relational satisfaction about health

Table 4.1.15.1: Analyzing the degree of small group relational satisfaction about health

105
Criteria Meaning
1.00 – 2.33 Low level
each statement, respondents agreed with the statement, “We can say anything in this
group ‘WeChat health information’ without worrying” with the highest mean (Mean=
3.94, SD= 1.195), followed by the statements, “The members in WeChat health
information make me feel a part of the group” (Mean= 3.85, SD= 1.008) and “The
members in WeChat health information make feel liked” (Mean= 3.80, SD= 0.94),
respectively. The lowest mean of them is the statement “I do not feel part of the group in
WeChat health information” (Mean= 3.45, SD= 1.092), respectively.
When examining the levels of small group relational satisfaction, majority of the
respondents had high level of means and standard deviation on the samples’ small group
relational satisfaction (Mean= 3.7021, SD= 0.94). Respondents perceived the statements,
“We can say anything in this group ‘WeChat health information’ without worrying”
(Mean= 3.94, SD= 1.195), “The members in WeChat health information make me feel a
part of the group” (Mean= 3.85, SD= 1.008) and “The members in WeChat health
information make feel liked” (Mean= 3.80, SD= 0.94) at the high level, followed by other
statements in the medium levels, the lowest mean of them is the statement “I do not feel
106
part of the group in WeChat health information” (Mean= 3.45, SD= 1.092), respectively.
Table 4.1.16: Means and standard deviation on the samples’ Small group relational
satisfaction about health information via WeChat
Small group relational satisfaction Std.

Mean Interpretation
about health information via WeChat Deviation
1. The doctors and health experts in
WeChat spend time getting to know me. 3.54 1.016 Medium level
2. The members in WeChat health

information make me feel a part of the
group.
3. I look forward to joining the group

meeting every day. 3.49 1.116 Medium level
4. I do not feel part of the group in

WeChat health information. 3.45 1.092 Medium level

information make feel liked. 3.8 0.94 High level
6. My absence would not matter to the

group in WeChat health information. 3.7 1.16 High level
7. I can trust doctors and health experts

in WeChat health information. 3.79 1.298 High level
8. We can say anything in this group

“WeChat health information” without
worrying.

members of the group “WeChat health
information”
10. The members in this group “WeChat

health information” made me feel
involved in the group.
(Continued)
107
Table 4.1.16 (Continued): Means and standard deviation on the samples’ Small group
relational satisfaction about health information via WeChat

11. Some of the group members could
become my friends. 3.65 1.189 Medium level
12. The group atmosphere in WeChat

health information is comfortable. 3.73 1.036 High level
4.2 Hypotheses Testing
information, stickiness to WeChat health information) will have significant different
One-Way ANOVA was conducted to examine whether personal data will have
significantly different gratification sought about health information via WeChat. The
findings indicated a significant relationship between educational background, frequency
of using WeChat health information and gratification sought about health information via
WeChat at statistical significance of .05 level and .01.

108
via WeChat.
As shown in Table 4.2.1, Analysis of Variance revealed that Chinese elderly who
have different educational background had significant gratification sought for
interpersonal utility about health information via WeChat (F (194, 5) = 2.350**, p< .05).
Analysis of Variance revealed that Chinese elderly who have different educational
background had significant different gratification sought for decision utility (F(194, 5) =
2.026***, p< .10) and entertainment (F (194, 5) = 1.981***, p< .10) about health
information via WeChat, respectively. However, the results revealed that educational
background did not significant influence general information seeking ((F (194, 5) = 1.839,
p >.05).), parasocial interaction (F (194, 5) = 1.137, p > .05).

109
Table 4.2.1: One-way ANOVA Analysis of the relationship between educational
background and gratification sought about health information via WeChat.
Gratification sought for WeChat Health Sum of Mean

df F Sig.
Information Squares Square
General Between Groups 8.204 5 1.641 1.839 0.107
information Within Groups 173.129 194 0.892
seeking Total 181.333 199
Between Groups 5.193 5 1.039 1.137 0.342
Parasocial
Within Groups 177.252 194 0.914
interaction
Total 182.444 199
Between Groups 13.134 5 2.627 1.981*** 0.083
Decision utility Within Groups 257.212 194 1.326
Total 270.347 199
Between Groups 12.313 5 2.463 2.350** 0.042
Interpersonal
Within Groups 203.34 194 1.048
utility
Total 215.653 199
Between Groups 12.478 5 2.496 2.026*** 0.077
Entertainment Within Groups 238.917 194 1.232
Total 251.395 199
Note: ** p < .01, *** p < .001
As shown in Table 4.2.2, Analysis of Variance revealed that Chinese elderly who
have different frequency of using WeChat health information had significant gratification
sought for entertainment about health information via WeChat (F (195, 4) = 2.977**, p< .05).
Analysis of Variance revealed that Chinese elderly who have different frequency of using
WeChat health information had significant gratification sought for decision utility (F (195, 4)
= 2.931**, p< .05) and interpersonal utility (F (195, 4) = 2.589**, p< .05) about health
information via WeChat, respectively. However, the results revealed that frequency of
using WeChat health information did not significant influence general information
110
seeking (F (195, 4) = 1.458, p >.05), parasocial interaction (F (195, 4) = 1.149, p > .05). Thus,
hypothesis H1 was partially accepted.
WeChat health information and gratification sought about health
Gratification sought for WeChat Sum of Mean

df F Sig.
Health Information Squares Square
General Between Groups 5.267 4 1.317 1.458 0.216
Between Groups 4.2 4 1.05 1.149 0.335
Parasocial
Within Groups 178.245 195 0.914
interaction
Total 182.444 199
Between Groups 15.333 4 3.833 2.931** 0.022
Decision Within Groups 255.014 195 1.308
utility
Total 270.347 199
Between Groups 10.877 4 2.719 2.589** 0.038
Interpersonal Within Groups 204.777 195 1.05
utility
Total 215.653 199
Between Groups 14.47 4 3.618 2.977** 0.02
Total 251.395 199
Note: ** p < .01, *** p < .001
information, stickiness to WeChat health information) will have significant different
One-Way ANOVA was conducted to examine which personal data will have
significant different gratification obtained about health information via WeChat. The
111
findings indicated a significant relationship between age, frequency of using WeChat
health information and gratification obtained about health information via WeChat at
statistical significance of .05 level and .10.
Hypothesis 2.1: Chinese elderly who have different gender will have significant
Hypothesis 2.2: Chinese elderly who have different age will have significant
will have significant different gratification obtained about health information via WeChat.
have significant different gratification obtained about health information via WeChat.
health information will have significant different gratification obtained about health
information will have significant different gratification obtained about health information
via WeChat.
As shown in Table 4.2.3, One-way ANOVA Analysis revealed that Chinese
elderly who have different age had significant gratification obtained for general
information seeking about health information via WeChat (F (194, 5) = 2.801**, p< .05).
112
Analysis of Variance revealed that Chinese elderly who have different age had significant
gratification obtained for entertainment (F (194, 5) = 2.507**, p< .05) about health
information via WeChat. However, the results revealed that age did not significant
influence parasocial interaction (F (194, 5) = 1.853, p > .05), decision utility (F (194, 5) = 1.843,
p > .05), interpersonal utility (F (194, 5) = 1.626, p > .05).
Table 4.2.3: One-way ANOVA Analysis of the relationship between age and gratification
obtained about health information via WeChat.
Gratification obtained for WeChat Sum of Mean

df F Sig.
Health Information Squares Square
Between
12.107 5 2.421 2.801** 0.018
Groups
General information
seeking Within Groups 167.715 194 0.865
Total 179.822 199
Between
8.56 5 1.712 1.853 0.104
Parasocial Groups
interaction Within Groups 179.26 194 0.924
Total 187.82 199
Between
12.166 5 2.433 1.843 0.106
Groups
Decision utility
Within Groups 256.092 194 1.32
Total 268.258 199
Between
8.508 5 1.702 1.626 0.155
Groups
Within Groups 202.983 194 1.046
Total 211.491 199
Between
14.78 5 2.956 2.507** 0.032
Groups
Entertainment
Within Groups 228.762 194 1.179
Total 243.542 199
Note: ** p < .01, *** p <.001
113
As shown in Table 4.2.4, One-way ANOVA Analysis revealed that Chinese
elderly who have different frequency of using WeChat health information had significant
gratification obtained for general information seeking about health information via
WeChat (F (195, 4) = 2.984**, p< .05). Analysis of Variance revealed that Chinese elderly
who have different frequency of using WeChat health information had significant
gratification obtained for decision utility (F (194, 5) = 2.110**, p< .10) about health
information via WeChat. However, the results revealed that frequency of using WeChat
health information did not significant influence interpersonal utility (F (195, 4) = 1.666,
p >.05), entertainment (F (195, 4) = 1.522, p >.05), parasocial interaction (F (195, 4) = 1.171,
p >.05).
WeChat health information and gratification obtained about health
Gratification obtained for WeChat Mean

Sum of Squares df F Sig.
Health Information Square
General Between Groups 10.372 4 2.593 2.984** 0.02
Between Groups 4.406 4 1.101 1.171 0.325
Parasocial
interaction Within Groups 183.414 195 0.941
Total 187.82 199
Between Groups 11.13 4 2.783 2.110*** 0.081
Decision
Within Groups 257.128 195 1.319
utility
Total 268.258 199
(Continued)
114
Table 4.2.4 (Continued): One-way ANOVA Analysis of the relationship between frequency
of using WeChat health information and gratification obtained
about health information via WeChat.
Between Groups 6.99 4 1.748 1.666 0.159
Interpersonal
Within Groups 204.501 195 1.049
utility
Total 211.491 199
Between Groups 7.375 4 1.844 1.522 0.197
Total 243.542 199
Note: ** p < .01, *** p < .001
LSD analysis in Table 4.2.5 found that Chinese elderly WeChat users who spent
less than 30 minutes for each searching and browsing (very low stickiness) didn’t have
significant different gratification obtained for general information seeking from those
who have low stickiness (I-J = .11466, p> .05), medium stickiness (I-J = -.21707, p> .05),
stickiness (I-J = .08386, p> .05) and very high stickiness (I-J = -.03188, p> .05). Chinese
elderly WeChat users who spent more than 30 minutes to 1 hour for each searching and
browsing (Low stickiness) didn’t have significant different gratification obtained for
general information seeking from those who have very low stickiness (I-J = -.11466,
p> .05), medium stickiness (I-J = -.33172, p> .05), stickiness (I-J = -.03080, p> .05) and
very high stickiness (I-J = -.14654, p> .05). Chinese elderly WeChat users who spent
more than 1 hour to 2 hours for each searching and browsing (medium stickiness) didn’t
have significant different gratification obtained for general information seeking from
those who have very low stickiness (I-J = .21707, p> .05), low stickiness (I-J = .33172,
p> .05), stickiness (I-J = .30093, p> .05) and very high stickiness (I-J = .18519, p> .05).
Chinese elderly WeChat users who spent more than 3 hours for each searching and
115
browsing (stickiness) didn’t have significant different gratification obtained for general
information seeking from those who have very low stickiness (I-J = -.08386, p> .05), low
stickiness (I-J = .03080, p> .05), medium stickiness (I-J = -.30093, p> .05) and very high
stickiness (I-J = -.11574, p> .05). Chinese elderly WeChat users who spent more than 4
hours or more for each searching and browsing (very high stickiness) didn’t have
significant different gratification obtained for general information seeking from those
who have very low stickiness (I-J = .03188, p> .05), low stickiness (I-J = .14654, p> .05),
medium stickiness (I-J = -.18519, p> .05) and stickiness (I-J = .11574, p> .05).
116
gratification obtained for general information seeking about health
information via WeChat among Chinese elderly
(I) How long do

you spend time on (J) How long do you spend
Mean
Dependent searching and time on searching and Std.
Difference p
Variable browsing health browsing health information Error
(I-J)
information through through WeChat each time?
WeChat each time?
Low stickiness 0.11466 0.15745 0.467
Medium stickiness -0.21707 0.24957 0.385
Very low stickiness
Stickiness 0.08386 0.26196 0.749
Very high stickiness -0.03188 0.24957 0.898
Very low stickiness -0.11466 0.15745 0.467
Low stickiness
Stickiness -0.0308 0.26514 0.908
Gratification Very low stickiness 0.21707 0.24957 0.385
obtained Low stickiness 0.33172 0.2529 0.191
General Medium stickiness
Stickiness 0.30093 0.32832 0.361
information
seeking Very high stickiness 0.18519 0.31852 0.562
Very low stickiness -0.08386 0.26196 0.749
Low stickiness 0.0308 0.26514 0.908
Stickiness
Very low stickiness 0.03188 0.24957 0.898
Very high Low stickiness 0.14654 0.2529 0.563
stickiness Medium stickiness -0.18519 0.31852 0.562
Stickiness 0.11574 0.32832 0.725
LSD analysis in Table 4.2.6 found that Chinese elderly WeChat users who spent
less than 30 minutes for each searching and browsing (very low stickiness) didn’t have
117
significant different gratification obtained for decision utility from those who have low
stickiness (I-J = -.03565, p> .05), medium stickiness (I-J = -.24660, p> .05), stickiness (I-
J = -.13318, p> .05) and very high stickiness (I-J = -.17253, p> .05). Chinese elderly
WeChat users who spent more than 30 minutes to 1 hour for each searching and browsing
(low stickiness) didn’t have significant different gratification obtained for decision utility
from those who have very low stickiness (I-J = .03565, p> .05), medium stickiness (I-J
= .21095, p> .05), stickiness (I-J = .11343, p> .05) and very high stickiness (I-J = .07407,
p> .05). Chinese elderly WeChat users who spent more than 1 hour to 2 hours for each
searching and browsing (medium stickiness) didn’t have significant different gratification
obtained for decision utility from those who have very low stickiness (I-J = .24660,
p> .05), low stickiness (I-J = .21095, p> .05), stickiness (I-J = .11343, p> .05) and very
high stickiness (I-J = .11343, p> .05). Chinese elderly WeChat users who spent more than
3 hours for each searching and browsing (stickiness) didn’t have significant different
gratification obtained for decision utility from those who have very low stickiness (I-J
= .13318, p> .05), low stickiness (I-J = .09752, p> .05), medium stickiness (I-J = -.11343,
p> .05) and very high stickiness (I-J = -.03935, p> .05). Chinese elderly WeChat users
who spent more than 4 hours or more for each searching and browsing (very high
stickiness) didn’t have significant different gratification obtained for decision utility from
those who have very low stickiness (I-J = .17253, p> .05), low stickiness (I-J = .13688,
p> .05), medium stickiness (I-J = -.07407, p> .05) and stickiness (I-J = .03935, p> .05).
gratification obtained for decision utility about health information via

118
WeChat among Chinese elderly
(I) How long do

(J) How long do you
you spend time
spend time on
on searching and Mean
Dependent searching and Std.
browsing health Differenc p
Variable browsing health Error
information e (I-J)
information through
through WeChat
WeChat each time?
each time?
Low stickiness -0.03565 0.19281 0.853
Very low Medium stickiness -0.2466 0.30561 0.421
stickiness Stickiness -0.13318 0.32079 0.678
Low stickiness
Stickiness -0.09752 0.32468 0.764
Gratificatio Very low stickiness 0.2466 0.30561 0.421
n obtained Medium Low stickiness 0.21095 0.30969 0.497
Decision stickiness Stickiness 0.11343 0.40205 0.778
utility Very high stickiness 0.07407 0.39004 0.85
Low stickiness 0.09752 0.32468 0.764
Stickiness
Very high Low stickiness 0.13688 0.30969 0.659
stickiness Medium stickiness -0.07407 0.39004 0.85
Stickiness 0.03935 0.40205 0.922
To test Hypothesis 3, the analysis of Spearman’s Rank Correlation in Table 4.2.7
showed that gratification sought and gratification obtained for health information via
WeChat among Chinese elderly were not positively correlated. Correlation between
gratification sought and gratification obtained in the low level (r= .096, p> .05). The
119
analysis of Spearman’s Rank Correlation in Table 4.2.8 showed that gratification sought
and gratification obtained for health information via WeChat among Chinese elderly
were not positively correlated. Hypothesis 3 was not established.
Table 4.2.7: Nonparametric correlations between gratification sought and gratification
obtained
Gratification sought Gratification obtained
Gratification sought 1 0.096
Gratification obtained 0.096 1
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level.

120
Table 4.2.8: Spearman correlation between gratification sought and gratification
obtained
Gratification sought Gratification obtained

Genera
Genera
l Paraso Deci Paraso
Interper l Deci Interper
inform cial sion Entertain cial
sonal inform sion sonal Entertain
ation intera utilit ment intera
utility ation utilit utility ment
seekin ction y ction
seekin y
g
g
General
informat .650*
1.000 .814** * .630** .732** .049 .033 .030 .058 -.008
ion
seeking
Parasoci
al .673*
.814** 1.000 * .679** .762** .007 .004 .036 .080 -.026
Gratific interacti
ation on
sought Decision 1.00
.650** .673** .840** .774** .029 .048 .057 .054 -.007
utility 0
Interpers
.840*
onal .630** .679** * 1.000 .777** .000 .009 .010 .085 .005
utility
Entertain .774*
.732** .762** * .777** 1.000 .079 .074 .077 .107 .056
ment
General
informat .587*
.049 .007 .029 .000 .079 1.000 .725** * .623** .710**
ion
seeking
Parasoci
al .697*
Gratific .033 .004 .048 .009 .074 .725** 1.000 * .699** .805**
interacti
ation
on
obtaine
Decision 1.00
d .030 .036 .057 .010 .077 .587** .697** .859** .704**
utility 0
Interpers
.859*
onal .058 .080 .054 .085 .107 .623** .699** * 1.000 .762**
utility
Entertain .704*
-.008 -.026 -.007 .005 .056 .710** .805** * .762** 1.000
ment
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level.

121
As shown in table 4.2.9, Multiple Regression model indicated that gratification
sought for WeChat health information are significant predictors of the relational
satisfaction of small group communication in WeChat (F = 5.735, p < 0.05); however,
gratification obtained for WeChat health information was not significant predictor of
Chinese elderly’s relational satisfaction of small group communication in WeChat (F =
1.421, p > 0.05). When examining the key constructs of gratification sought, Multiple
Regression analysis found that Chinese elderly’s gratification sought for decision utility
(Beta= .575**, p< .05) and entertainment (Beta= -.411, p< .05) about health information
via WeChat among Chinese elderly are significant predictors of their relational
satisfaction toward the small group communication in WeChat health communication.
Table 4.2.9: Multiple Regression Model on the degree of relational satisfaction toward
the small group in WeChat as perceived by Chinese Elderly about health
communication
ANOVAa
Sum of Mean
Model df F Sig.
Squares Square
Regression 6.258 1 6.258 7.297 .008b
1 Residual 169.831 198 0.858
Total 176.089 199
Regression 9.689 2 4.844 5.735 .004c
2 Residual 166.401 197 0.845
Total 176.089 199
a. Dependent Variable: Small group relational satisfaction
b. Predictors: (Constant), Gratification sought for decision utility
c. Predictors: (Constant), Gratification sought decision utility,
Gratification sought Entertainment
122
Coefficientsa
Unstandardized Standardized
Model Coefficients Coefficients t Sig.
B Std. Error Beta
(Constant) 3.138 0.219 14.341 0
Gratification
1
sought Decision 0.152 0.056 0.189 2.701 0.008
utility
(Constant) 3.195 0.219 14.591 0
Gratification
sought Decision 0.464 0.165 0.575 2.82 0.005
2 utility
Gratification
-
sought 0.171 -0.411 -2.015 0.045
0.344
Entertainment
ANOVAa
Sum of Mean
Model df F Sig.
Squares Square
Regression 6.221 5 1.244 1.421 .218b
1 Residual 169.869 194 0.876
Total 176.089 199
b. Predictors: (Constant), Gratification obtained for Entertainment,
Gratification obtained for general information seeking,
Gratification obtained for Decision utility, Gratification obtained
for parasocial interaction, Gratification obtained for Interpersonal
utility
123
Coefficientsa
Unstandardized Standardized
Coefficients Coefficients
Model t Sig.
Std.
B Beta
Error
(Constant) 3.351 0.3 11.177 0
Gratification obtained General
0.23 0.145 0.233 1.586 0.114
information seeking
Gratification obtained Parasocial
0.063 0.204 0.065 0.308 0.759
interaction
1 Gratification obtained Decision
0.181 0.183 0.223 0.992 0.323
utility
Gratification obtained
-0.219 0.213 -0.24 -1.026 0.306
Gratification obtained
-0.173 0.234 -0.203 -0.738 0.461
Entertainment
124
CHAPTER 5
DISCUSSION
This chapter summarized the descriptive findings, hypotheses testing, and
discussion on the findings of the study. In addition, this chapter provided the limitations
of the study, and recommendations for application and for future research. The summary
of the chapter is as follows:
5.1 Summary of Descriptive Findings and Discussion
5.2 Summary of Hypothesis Testing and Discussion
5.3 Conclusion of the Research
5.4 Recommendations for Future Application
5.5 Recommendations for Future Research
5.6 Limitations of the Study

125
5.1 Summary of Descriptive Findings and Discussion
With the continuous improvement of the quality of life, more and more elderly
people in China actively learn to use WeChat in the process of social development. This
is not only related to their well-being, but also to the future development of relevant
industries.
Data from 200 participants who completed the survey were used. The descriptive
findings indicated that majority of the sample were female (55.5%, n = 111), followed by
samples male (44.5%, n = 89).
Majority of the sample were aged 55-59 years old (22%, n= 44), followed by
samples aged 60-64 years old (20.5%, n= 41), 65-69 years old (19%, n=38), more than 79
years old (14%, n=28), 75-79 years old (13.5%, n=27) and 70-74 years old (11%, n=22),
respectively.
Majority of the sample earned less than 4,000 yuan per month (54.5%, n= 109),
followed by those who earned 4,001 yuan-10,000 yuan per month (30.5%, n= 61),
10,001-16,000 yuan per month (5.5%, n=11), 16,001-22,000 yuan per month (5%, n=10),
higher than 26,000 yuan per month (2.5%, n=5), and 22,001-26,000 yuan per month (2%,
n= 4), respectively.
Majority of the sample obtained high school (44%, n = 88), vocational School
(21.5%, n =43), bachelor’s degree (21%, n = 42), master’s degree or higher (12%, n = 24)
and others (1.5%, n =3).

126
Majority of the samples felt good about their health condition (40.5%, n=81),
followed by those who felt very good (25%, n=50), felt neither good nor bad (20.5%,
n=41), felt bad (8%, n=16) and felt very bad (6%, n=12), respectively.
Majority of the samples were serious about keeping healthy in their daily work,
diet, and exercise (39%, N=78), followed by those who were very serious (32.5%, n=65),
fair (13%, n=26), not very serious (9%, n=18) and not at all (6.5%, n=13), respectively.
Majority of the sample use WeChat for health information 1-2 times per day
(28.5%, n=57), followed by those who use WeChat for health information 4-5 times per
day (24.5%, n=49), 3-4 times per day (21%, n=42), more than 5 times per day (21%,
n=42) and never use WeChat for health information (5%, n=10), respectively.
There were 200 Chinese elderly WeChat users of stickiness to WeChat health
information. Majority of the sample spent less than 30 minutes for each searching and
browsing WeChat health information (39.5%, n=79), followed by those who spent more
than 30 minutes to 1 hour for each searching and browsing (34.5%, n=69), more than 1
hour to 2 hours for each searching and browsing (9%, n=18), more than 4 hours or more
for each searching and browsing (9%, n=18) and more than 3 hours for each searching
and browsing (8%, n=16), respectively.
There were 200 Chinese elderly WeChat users of health-related WeChat public
accounts, the majority of the sample often join government owned health WeChat public
accounts (22%, n=44), followed by those who join medical associations and health-
related social organization WeChat public accounts (16.5%, n=33), health-related sub-
127
sections of comprehensive WeChat public accounts (16%, n=32), hospital and medical
research institutional WeChat public accounts (15.5%, n=31), health care and medicine
corporations’ WeChat public accounts (13.5%, n=27), individual health WeChat public
accounts (12%, n=24) and others (4.5%, n=9), respectively.
There were 200 Chinese elderly WeChat users of the numbers about WeChat
public accounts the respondents visited for the last time, the majority of the sample
visited four to five WeChat public accounts for the last time they search/browse/use
health information (26%, n=52), followed by those who visited two to three (19%, n=38),
twenty or more (17%, n=34), one (16%, n=32), six to ten (15.5%, n=31) and cannot
remember (6.5%, n=13), respectively.
The descriptive findings found that majority of the respondents had medium level
of gratification sought (Mean= 3.587, SD= 0.99462). When examining the level of
gratification sought for each dimension, the results found that they had high level of
gratification sought for “decision utility” (Mean= 3.707, SD= 1.16556), followed by
other statements in the medium levels, including “general information seeking” (Mean=
The descriptive findings found that majority of the respondents had medium level
of gratification obtained (Mean= 3.6453, SD= 0.99405). When examining the level of
gratification obtained for each dimension, the results found that they had high level of
128
gratification obtained for “decision utility” (Mean= 3.74, SD= 1.16105) and “general
information seeking” (Mean= 3.685, SD= 0.95059), followed by other statements in the
medium levels, including “parasocial interaction” (Mean= 3.6367, SD= 0.9715),
The descriptive findings found that majority of the respondents had high level of
small group relational satisfaction (Mean= 3.7021, SD= 0.94). When examining the level
of gratification obtained for each dimension, the results found that they had high level of
small group relational satisfaction for “We can say anything in this group ‘WeChat health
information’ without worrying” (Mean= 3.94, SD= 1.195), “The members in WeChat
health information make me feel a part of the group” (Mean= 3.85, SD= 1.008) and “The
members in WeChat health information make feel liked” (Mean= 3.80, SD= 0.94),
followed by other statements in the medium levels, the lowest mean of them is the
statement “I do not feel part of the group in WeChat health information” (Mean= 3.45,
The descriptive findings indicated that majority of the sample were female,
majority of the sample were aged 55-59 years old. The results coincided with Susannah
(2006), which found that women and middle-aged people would like to use Internet for
searching health information.
The study pointed that, Chinese elderly who have different personal data will
have significant different gratification sought about health information via WeChat,
129
especially in “frequency of using WeChat health information” and “educational
background”, which means Chinese elderly who have different frequency of using
WeChat health information and educational background will have significant different
gratification sought about health information via WeChat. Gratifications sought (GS)
represent motives for media exposure and are based on expectations about media content.
(Palmgreen, Wenner, & Rayburn, 1980). The results coincided with the uses and
gratifications theory (UGT), originated by Katz in 1970 (as cited in Katz, Blumler, &
Gurevitch, 1974), stated that people seek out the specific content from each media outlet
in order to satisfy a particular need. The results also coincided with Maslow (1998),
which found that people actively seek to satisfy a hierarchy of needs. Once the goals of
one level of hierarchy are achieved, people will progress onto the next level.
The study also pointed that Chinese elderly who have different personal data will
have significant different gratification obtained about health information via WeChat,
especially in “age” and “frequency of using WeChat health information”, which means
Chinese elderly who have different age and frequency of using WeChat health
information will have significant different gratification obtained about health information
via WeChat. Gratifications obtained (GO), are perceived personal outcomes, they are,
therefore, sensitive to media content and feedback to influence content expectations
(Palmgreen, Wenner, & Rayburn, 1980). The results coincided with Yang (2004), which
found that there is a significant correlation between the frequency of use on checking
health reports on Internet and the frequency of physical examinations and the degree of
concerns on users’ health conditions.

130
The result shows that gratification sought and gratification obtained for health
information via WeChat among Chinese elderly were not positively correlated, which
means Chinese elderly’s gratification sought for health information via WeChat didn’t
have positive correlation with gratification obtained for health information via WeChat.
Gratifications sought (GS) represent motives for media exposure and are based on
expectations about media content. Gratifications obtained (GO), on the other hand, are
perceived personal outcomes, they are, therefore, sensitive to media content and feedback
to influence content expectations (Palmgreen, Wenner, & Rayburn, 1980). The results
coincided with McQuail, Blumler, and Brown (1972), which found that Media content
cannot be used to predict patterns of gratification accurately.
The result shows that gratification sought for WeChat health information are
significant predictors of the relational satisfaction of small group communication in
WeChat, but gratification obtained for WeChat health information was not significant
predictor of Chinese elderly’s relational satisfaction of small group communication in
WeChat. The results coincided with McQuail, Blumler, and Brown (1972), which found
that Media content cannot be used to predict patterns of gratification accurately. The
results coincided with Anderson et al. (2001), which found that relational satisfaction was
positively correlated with respondents’ attitudes about group work, assertiveness,
responsiveness, and perceptions of feedback in small groups.
5.2 Summary of Hypothesis Testing and Discussion

131
The survey instrument tested four major hypotheses:
Hypothesis 1: Chinese elderly who have different personal data (gender, age,
personal income per month, educational background, frequency of using WeChat
health information, stickiness to WeChat health information) will have significant
Hypothesis 1 was analyzed by One-Way ANOVA revealed that the samples’
different personal data had significant influence gratification sought about health
information via WeChat. The significance level was set at Alpha (α) 0.05 or 0.1. The
results confirmed that Chinese elderly users’ frequency of using WeChat health
information and educational background had significant different gratification sought
about health information via WeChat, but gender, age, personal income per month and
stickiness to WeChat health information did not have significant different gratification
sought about health information via WeChat.
Analysis of Variance revealed that Chinese elderly who have different
educational background had significant gratification sought for interpersonal utility,
decision utility and entertainment about health information via WeChat. Analysis of
Variance revealed that Chinese elderly who have different frequency of using WeChat
health information had significant gratification sought for entertainment, decision utility
and interpersonal utility about health information via WeChat.
Hypothesis 1 results coincided with Katz, Gurevitch and Haas (1973, cited in
Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch, 1974), which found that the mass media as a means by
132
which individuals connect or disconnect themselves with others. They developed 35
needs taken from the largely speculative literature on the social and psychological
functions of the mass media and put them into five categories: (1) Cognitive needs—
Acquiring information, knowledge and understanding; (2) Affective needs—Emotion,
pleasure, feelings; (3) Personal integrative needs—Credibility, stability, status; (4) Social
integrative needs—Family and friends; and (5) Tension release needs—Escape and
diversion.
The results supported the Uses and Gratifications theory, which posited that
members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting and
integrating media into their own lives. This study suggested that people use the media to
fulfill specific gratifications. The study found Chinese elderly users were using WeChat
health information to sought gratifications about interpersonal utility, decision utility and
entertainment.
Hypothesis 1 results underscored the importance of educational background in
shaping their expectation for WeChat health toward their decision utility and
entertainment. In addition, the result showed that their frequency of using WeChat health
information also influenced their expectation on entertainment, decision utility,
interpersonal utility, respectively.
Hypothesis 2: Chinese elderly who have different personal data (gender, age,
personal income per month, educational background, frequency of using WeChat

133
health information, stickiness to WeChat health information) will have significant
Hypothesis 2 was analyzed by One-Way ANOVA revealed that the samples’
different personal data had significant influence gratification obtained about health
information via WeChat. The significance level was set at Alpha (α) 0.05 or 0.1. The
results confirmed that Chinese elderly who have different age and frequency of using
WeChat health information will have significant different gratification obtained about
health information via WeChat, but who have different gender, personal income per
month educational background and stickiness to WeChat health information will not have
significant different gratification obtained about health information via WeChat.
Analysis revealed that Chinese elderly who have different age had significant
gratification obtained for general information seeking and entertainment about health
information via WeChat. Analysis revealed that Chinese elderly who have different
frequency of using WeChat health information had significant gratification obtained for
general information seeking and decision utility about health information via WeChat.
Hypothesis 2 results coincided with Katz, Blumler and Gurevitch (1974), which
found that the social and psychological origins of needs which generate expectations of
mass media or other sources, which lead to differential patterns of media exposure (or
engagement in other activities), resulting in need gratifications and other consequences,
perhaps mostly unintended ones.

134
The results supported the Uses and Gratifications theory, which posited that the
notion of active audience has conflated an extraordinary range of meanings, including
utility, intentionality, selectivity and imperviousness to influence. This study suggested
that audiences holds responsible for choosing media to meet their needs. The study found
Chinese elderly users were using WeChat health information to obtained gratifications
about general information seeking, entertainment and decision utility.
Hypothesis 2 results underscored the age influenced their gratification obtained
for general information seeking and entertainment but no significant effect on their
gratification obtained for parasocial interaction, decision utility, and interpersonal utility.
Hypothesis 3: Gratification sought and gratification obtained for health information
via WeChat among Chinese elderly were positively correlated.
The analysis of Spearman’s Rank Correlation showed that gratification sought
and gratification obtained for health information via WeChat among Chinese elderly
were not positively correlated. Hypothesis 3 was not supported.
Hypothesis 3 results coincided with Littlejohn (1978), which found that people
will become more dependent on media that meet a number of their needs than on media
that touch only a few ones. The results supported the Uses and Gratifications theory,
which posited that dependency on a certain medium is influenced by the number sources
open to an individual. Individuals are usually more dependent on available media if their
access to media alternatives is limited. The more alternatives there are for an individual,
the lesser is the dependency on and influence of a specific medium. This study suggested
135
that WeChat health information should try to meet the needs and gratifications of the
Chinese elderly WeChat users and improve the importance of WeChat health information
to them. Despite of the previous literatures, this study found that there is none
significantly between the gratification sought and gratification obtained for health
information via WeChat among Chinese elderly.
gratification obtained about health information via WeChat among Chinese elderly
are significant predictors of their relational satisfaction toward the small group
Multiple Regression model indicated that gratification sought for WeChat health
information are significant predictors of the relational satisfaction of small group
communication in WeChat; however, gratification obtained for WeChat health
information was not significant predictor of Chinese elderly’s relational satisfaction of
small group communication in WeChat. When examining the key constructs of
gratification sought, Multiple Regression analysis found that Chinese elderly’s
gratification sought for decision utility and entertainment about health information via
WeChat among Chinese elderly are significant predictors of their relational satisfaction
toward the small group communication in WeChat health communication.
Hypothesis 4 results coincided with Anderson et al. (2001), which found that
relational satisfaction was positively correlated with respondents’ attitudes about group
work, assertiveness, responsiveness, and perceptions of feedback in small groups. The

136
results supported the Relational Satisfaction in Small Group Communication theory,
which posited that Relational satisfaction in small groups was characterized by feelings
of affection, inclusion, liking, trust, friendship, freedom to communicate, involvement,
and getting to know each other, among others (Anderson, Martin & Riddle, 2001). This
study suggested that researchers interested in the relational side of groups, not simply
group performance processes and outcomes, may find the small group RSS useful. The
RSS has not yet been used widely, perhaps owing to its recent publication. However, it
has been shown to be reliable when utilized (Anderson, Martin & Riddle, 2001). The
study found that Chinese elderly’s gratification sought for decision utility and
entertainment about health information via WeChat among Chinese elderly are
communication in WeChat health communication. Despite of the previous literatures, this
study found that there is none significantly between the sample’s gratification obtained
for WeChat health information and Chinese elderly’s relational satisfaction of small
group communication in WeChat.
5.3 Conclusion of the Research
Through the findings and discussion parts of this study, it showed that there was a
relationship between the samples’ personal data and gratification sought or gratification
obtained about health information via WeChat. It also showed that there was a
relationship between the samples’ gratification sought for WeChat health information and
137
relational satisfaction of small group communication in WeChat. This study sought to
contribute to the current body of knowledge about the influence of social media impact
toward WeChat health information as well as further current theory-driven strategic
communication research by using an experimental design to test gratification sought
about health information via WeChat, gratification obtained about health information via
WeChat and relational satisfaction of small group communication in WeChat. These
findings contributed to the WeChat health information literature and support views of
researchers, such as uses and gratifications (U&G) is an audience-centered approach to
mass communication, which holds that understanding why people use media helps
explain media choices and consequences. According to this approach, gratifications
sought (GS) represent motives for media exposure and are based on expectations about
media content. Gratifications obtained (GO), on the other hand, are perceived personal
outcomes, they are, therefore, sensitive to media content and feedback to influence
content expectations (Palmgreen, Wenner, & Rayburn, 1980). Palmgreen et al. (1980)
developed two 15-item scales to measure the GS and GO. The items measured five GS
and GO dimensions: General Information Seeking, Decisional Utility, Entertainment,
Interpersonal Utility, and Parasocial Interaction. Relational satisfaction in small groups
was characterized by feelings of affection, inclusion, liking, trust, friendship, freedom to
communicate, involvement, and getting to know each other, among others. Researchers
interested in the relational side of groups, not simply group performance processes and
outcomes, may find the small group RSS useful. The RSS has not yet been used widely,
perhaps owing to its recent publication. However, it has been shown to be reliable when
138
utilized (Anderson, Martin & Riddle, 2001). The findings of this study are relevant to
both gratification sought, gratification obtained and relational satisfaction of small group
communication in WeChat. The result confirmed the relationship between personal data,
gratification sought about health information via WeChat, gratification obtained about
health information via WeChat and relational satisfaction of small group communication
in WeChat. This model provides a roadmap for study in which personal data had
significant different gratification sought and gratification obtained about health
Results from Hypothesis 1 to Hypothesis 3 supported the Uses and Gratifications
theory, which suggested that people use the media to fulfill specific gratifications and
audiences holds responsible for choosing media to meet their needs. Other theory that it
supported was Relational Satisfaction in Small Group Communication theory, which
posited relational satisfaction in small groups was characterized by feelings of affection,
inclusion, liking, trust, friendship, freedom to communicate, involvement, and getting to
know each other, among others (Anderson, Martin & Riddle, 2001). The findings
suggested that 1) Chinese elderly users were using WeChat health information to sought
gratifications about interpersonal utility, decision utility and entertainment; 2) Chinese
elderly users were using WeChat health information to obtained gratifications about
general information seeking, entertainment and decision utility; 3) Chinese elderly’s
gratification sought for decision utility and entertainment about health information via
WeChat among Chinese elderly are significant predictors of their relational satisfaction
toward the small group communication in WeChat health communication. WeChat health
139
information should try to meet the needs and gratifications of the Chinese elderly
WeChat users and improve the importance of WeChat health information to them.
5.4 Recommendations for Future Application
1. WeChat health information should provide health-related to increase their
decision utility and entertainment and try to reach Chinese elderly who have higher
education extensively in the bachelor or higher level—not target only high school or
vocational level--because health-related contents are very issue for all. Sixty-five
percents of the sample in this survey completed only high school (44%) and vocational
level (21.5%). Health information provided in WeChat should give more academic
advices to enable to make their personal decision about health issues and also provide
more entertaining contents to persuade them read the health contents with more
enthusiasm and giving a joyful experience rather than a boring moment while reading the
WeChat health information.
2. Majority of Chinese elderly age 55-64 years (42.5%, n = 85) were exposed to
the Wechat health information but those who were 70-79 and higher were exposed at the
low rate. These age groups really need health information to take care of their own health,
because they in the late aging period. Health information will be risk factor if they did not
have sufficient information available for them. Hence, WeChat should plan a
communication program to reach these age groups to meet their immediate needs.
140
5.5 Recommendations for Future Research
1. A similar study can be conducted in other places rather than Shanghai that there
has a number of viewers in that provincial areas. There are other cultural values
that might have relationship with gratification sought and gratification obtained
about health information via WeChat. Therefore, the result may be different when
studying in other areas.
2. This kind of study, moreover, can be conducted in both qualitative and
quantitative methodology in order to get more details in the needs and perceptions
of WeChat users because interview in qualitative methodology can help this
research to get deeper in their gratification sought and gratification obtained about
health information via WeChat. Thus, the study can help predict the WeChat users’
3. The researchers who want to conduct this topic of research have to extend this
research by examining in other areas of WeChat users’ gratifications and gain a
deeper understanding of the impact of WeChat health information on WeChat
users.
5.6 Limitations of the Study
1. The limitation in sampling procedure – researcher examined only the Chinese
residents who live in Shanghai Metropolitan area. Thus, the findings may not
141
represent the Chinese residents in other province since the background and
lifestyle factors might be different.
2. Limitation in getting the information of samples through using different languages
in the research instruments, which is developed in English and later on, was
translated into Chinese language. Therefore, there might be discrepancy between
English and Chinese, which can affect the accuracy of the results. However,
researcher has reduced this translation discrepancy by conducting back translation
to verify the face validity of the research.
3. The limitation of instrument because the questionnaire consists 4 parts, which
may be too lengthy for the samples to answer. Moreover, some parts of the
questions are about the gratification sought and gratification obtained about
WeChat health information that might be too confusing and difficult of
understanding for respondents. As a result, they might not pay full attention to
this questionnaire. This may affect and distort the result of the study.
142
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Alejandro, J. (2010). Journalism in the age of social media. Unpublished master’s thesis,
University of Oxford, Oxford.
Al-Menayes, J. J. (2015). Motivations for using social media: An exploratory factor
analysis. International Journal of Psychological Studies, 7 (1), 43-50.doi:
10.5539/ijps.v7n1p43.
Amanda, L. (2000). Tracking Online Life. Retrieved from
http://www.pewinternet.org/2000/05/10/tracking-online-life.
Amanda, L., Jones, S., & Macgill, A. (2008). About the Pew research center’s Internet &
American life project. Retrieved from
http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/12/07/about-the-pew-research-centers-internet-
american-life-project.
Anderson, C. M., Martin, M. M., & Riddle, B. L. (2001). Small group relational
satisfaction scale: Development, reliability, and validity. Communication Studies,
52, 220-223.
Anderson, I. K. (2011). The uses and gratifications of online care pages: A study of
caring bridge. Health Communication, 26, 546-

143
599.doi:10.1080/10410236.2011.558335.
Atwater, T., Heeter, C., & Brown, N. (1985). Foreshadowing the electronic publishing
age: First exposures to Viewtron. Journalism Quarterly, 62, 807-815.
Babrow, A. S., & Swanson, D. L. (1988). Disentangling antecedents of audience
exposure levels: Extending expectancy-value analyses of gratifications sought
from television news. Communication Monographs, 55, 1-21.
Barbara, K. (2002). Online and in the Know: Uses and Gratifications of the Web for
Political Information. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 32, 54-71.
Basilisco, R., & Kyung Jin, C. (2015). Uses and gratification motivation for using
facebook and the impact of facebook usage on social capital and life satisfaction
among Filipino users. International Journal of Software Engineering and Its
Applications, 9 (4), 181-194.doi: 10.14257/ijseia.2015.9.4.19
Bernhardt, J. M., (2002). Internet-based health communication on human genetics.
Journal of Health Communication, 7 (4), 40.
Blumler, J. (1979). The Role of Theory in Uses and Gratifications Studies. Leeds,
England: The University of Leeds, Centre for Television Research and Reader in
Mass Communications.
Carolyn A. L. (2002). Perceived gratifications of online media service use among

144
potential users. Telematics and Informatics,19 (1), 3-19.
Che, Y. M. (2001). Evaluation of Health Care Websites in Taiwan. National Yang
Unpublished master’s thesis, Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chen, Y. C. (2001). Internet Medical Treatment New Era. Medhope, 34, 62-72.
China Internet Network Information Center. (2014, August). Research report on Chinese
netizens' search behavior in 2014. Retrieved from
http://www.cnnic.cn/hlwfzyj/hlwxzbg/201410/P020150104459023035664.pdf
China Internet Network Information Center. (2017, July). Research report on Chinese
netizens' search behavior in 2016. Retrieved from
http://www.cnnic.cn/hlwfzyj/hlwxzbg/ssbg/201801/P020180109484661983457.p
df
Chou, C., & Hsiao, M. (2000). Internet addiction, usage, gratification, and pleasure
experience: The Taiwan college students’ case. Computer & Education, 35 (1),
65-80. doi.org/10.1016/S0360-1315(00)00019-1.
Clavio, G., & Kian, T. M. (2010). Uses and gratifications of a retired female athlete’s
Twitter followers. International Journal of Sport Communication, 3, 485-500.
Dimmick, J., Chen, Y., & Li, Z., (2004) Competition between the Internet and traditional
news media: The gratification-opportunities niche dimension. The Journal of

145
Media Economics, 17 (1), 19-33.
Dobos, J., & Dimmiek, J. (1988). Factor analysis and gratification constructs. Journal of
Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 32, 335-350.
Eastin, M. (2002). From Internet use to the unique Internet user: Assessing information,
entertainment and social cognitive models of Internet use. Proceeding presented
to the National Communication Association, New Orleans, L.A.
Elliott, B. J., & Polkinhorn, J. S. (1994). Provision of Consumer Health Information in
General Practice. British Medical Journal, 308(6927), 509-510.
Gao, Y. J. (2001). Analysis of medical health websites development. Chinese
Health Quality Management, 1, 56-58.
Goodman, R. 1. (1990). Television news viewing by older adults. Journalism Quarterly,
67, 137-141.
Grant, A. E., (1998). Dependency and control. Paper presented to the Annual Convention
of the Association of Educators in Journalism and Mass Communications,
Baltimore, Maryland.
Hong, J. (2005). Conflict management in an age of globalization: A comparison of
intracultural and intercultural conflict management strategies between Koreans

146
and Americans. Journal of Global Media, 6, 4-5.
Huang, E. (2008). Use and gratification in e-consumers. Internet Research, 18 (4), 405
426.doi: 10.1108/10662240810897817.
Huang, G. Y. (2005). Use of Web Health Information among Taiwan College Student.
Unpublished master’s thesis, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung,
Taiwan.
Huang, H. (2012). Social media addiction among adolescents in urban China: An
examination of sociopsychological traits, uses and gratifications, academic
performance, and social capital. (Doctoral thesis). Available from ProQuest
Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 3514530).
Hwang, H. (2009, May). Predictors of instant messaging: Gratifications sought,
gratifications obtained, and social presence. Proceedings presented at the
International Communication Association, New York City, NY.
Infante, D., Rancer, A., & Womack, D. (1993). Building Communication Theory. Long
Grove, IL: Waveland.
iResearch. (2016, March 31). 2016 China’s Online Health Care Report. Retrieved
from http://www.iresearchchina.com/content/details8_20915.html
147
Jackson, S. (1992). Messages Effects Research: Principles of Design and Analysis.
New York, NY: Guilford.
Johnson, P. & Yang, S. (2009). Uses and Gratifications of Twitter: An Examination of
User Motives and Satisfaction of Twitter Use. Proceedings presented at the
annual Association for Education in Journalism and Mass
Communication, Sheraton Boston, Boston.
Katz, E. (1987). Communications Research Since Lazarsfeld. Pennsylvania, PA:
University of Pennsylvania.
Katz, E. (1959). Mass communication research and the study of culture. Studies in Public
Communication, 2, 1-6.
Katz, E., Blumler, J., & Gurevitch, M. (1974). Utilization of mass communication by the
individual. In J. G. Blumler, & E. Katz (Eds.), The uses of mass
communications: Current perspectives on gratifications research (pp. 19-31).
Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Katz, E., Gurevitch, M., & Haas, H. (1973). On the use of the mass media for important
things. American Sociological Review, 38 (2), 164-181. Retrieved from
http://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers/267.
148
Kaye, B. K., & Johnson, T. J. (2004). A web for all reasons: Uses and gratifications of
Internet resources for political information. Telenzatics and Informatics, 21 (3),
197-223.
Keyton, J. (1999). Relational communication in groups. In L. R. Frey, D. S. Gouran, &
M. S. Poole (Eds.), Handbook of group communication theory and research (pp.
192-224). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Keyton, J. (2000). Introduction: The relational side of groups. Small Group Research, 30,
491-518.
Kreps, G. L., Bonaguro, E.W., & Query, J. L. (1998). Health communication research:
A guide to development and directions. Westport: Greenwood.
LaRose, R., & Eastin, M. S. (2004). A social cognitive theory of Internet uses and
gratifications: Toward a new model of media attendance. Journal of Broadcasting
& Electronic Media, 48 (3), 358-377.doi: 10.1207/s15506878jobem48032.
Lazarsfeld, P. F. (1940). Radio and the Printed Page. New York, NY: Duell, Sloan and
Pearce.
Leung, L., & Wei, R. (2000). More than just talk on the move: Uses and Gratifications of
the cellular phone. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 77 (2), 308-
321.
149
Lev, M. (2001). New Media and Remix Culture. The language of New Media. London,
England: The MIT Press Cambridge.
Levy, M. R., & Windahl, S. (1984). Audience activity and gratifications: A conceptual
clarification and exploration. Communication Research, 11, 51-78.
Li, W. F. (2014). The characteristics and application of healthy communication in
WeChat era. Journalism Bimonthly, 6, 149-154.
Lin, Q. Y. (2005). The Consumer Health Information on Internet Use Research of
College Students - A Case Study of Tamkang University. Unpublished master’s
thesis, Tamkang University, Xinpei, Taiwan.
Littlejohn, S. W. (1978). Theories of human communication. Chicago, IL: Waveland.
Lu, S. (2017). Health rumor propagation research based on WeChat platform.
Unpublished master’s thesis, Inner Mongolia University, Inner Mongolia, China.
Lucas, K., & Sherry, J. L. (2004). Sex differences in video game play: A communication
Based explanation. Communication Research, 13(5), 499-523.
doi:10.1177/0093650204267930.
Lv, Z. Z. (1998). Health Education and Health Promotion (2nd ed.). Beijing: Beijing
Medical University.
150
Ma, L. J. (2016). The impact of new media on the life of middle-aged and elderly people
from WeChat. Journal of News Research, 21, 34-77.
Maslow, A. H. (1998). Maslow on management. New York: Wiley & Sons.
McQuail, D. (1983). With Benefits to Hindsight: Reflections on Uses and Gratifications
Research. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
McQuail, D. (1994). Mass Communication: An Introduction (3rd ed.,). London, Thousand
Oaks, New Delhi: Sage.
McQuail, D., Blumler, J. G., & Brown, J. R. (1972). The television audience. A revised
perspective. In P. McQuail (Eds.), pp. 135-165. Harmondsworth, England:
Penguin Books.
Mi, G. M. & Wang, G. R. (1996). Health Communication Theory and Practice.
Changsha: Hunan Science and Technology.
Mo, H. Z. Y. (2017). Discussion on the use behavior of WeChat in elderly group -- based
on the theory of "uses and gratifications". Today’s Mass Media, 24-26 (11).
Palmgreen, P., & Rayburn, J. (1979). Uses and gratiﬁcations and exposure to public
television. Communication Research, 6 (2), 155-180.
Palmgreen, P., & Rayburn, J. D. (1982). Gratifications sought and media exposure:
151
An expectancy value model. Communication Research, 9, 561-580.
Palmgreen, P. & Rayburn, J.D. (1985a). A comparison of gratification models of
media satisfaction. Communication Monographs, 52, 334-346.
Palmgreen, P., & Rayburn J. D. (1985b). An expectancy-value approach to media
gratifications, In K. E. Rosengren, L. A. Wenner, & P. Palmgreen (Eds.), Media
Gratifications Research: Current perspectives (pp. 61-72). Beverly Hills, CA:
Sage.
Palmgreen, P., Wenner, L. A., & Rayburn, J. D., II. (1980). Relations between
gratifications sought and obtained: A study of television news. Communication
Research, 7, 161-192.
Palmgreen, P., Wenner, L. A., & Rayburn, J. D., II. (1981). Gratification discrepancies
and news program choice. Communication Research, 8, 451-478.
Palmgren, P., Wenner L., & Rosengren, K. E. (1985). Media Gratifications Research:
Current Perspectives. Beverly Hills: Sage.
Papacharissi, Z., & Rubin, A. M. (2000). Predictors of Internet use. Journal of
Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 44 (2), 175-196.
Park, N., Kee, K. F., & Valenzuela, S. (2009). Being immersed in social networking
environment: Facebook groups, uses and gratifications, and social outcomes.

152
CyberPsychology & Behavior, 12 (6), 729-733.doi: 10.1089/cpb.2009.0003.
Que, R. W., (2000). The Exploratory Study on the Behavior of Health Website Users in
Taiwan. Journal of National Yang Ming University, 3, 9-19.
Rainie, L., & Fox, S. (2000). The Online Health Care Revolution: How the Web Helps
Americans Take Better Care of Themselves. Retrieved from
http://www.pewinternet.org/2000/11/26/the-online-health-care-revolution/
Rayburn, J. D., Palmgreen, P., & Acker, T. (1984). Media gratifications and choosing
a morning news program. Journalism Quarterly, 61, 149-156.
Sauter, T. (2013). ‘What’s on your mind?’ Writing on Facebook as a tool for self
formation. New Media & Society. doi 10.1177/1461444813495160.
Rogers, E. M. (1994). A History of Communication Study: A biographical Approach.
New York, NY: Free.
Rosengren, K. E., & Windahl, S. (1972). Mass media consumption as a functional
alternative. In D. McQuail (Eds.), Sociology of mass communications: Selected
readings (pp. 119–134). Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Rubin, A. M., & Windahl, S. (1982). Mass media uses and dependency: A social systems
approach to uses and gratifications. Paper presented at the meeting of the

153
International Communication Association, Boston, MA.
Rubin, R. B., Palmgreen, P., & Sypher, H. E. (1994). Gratifications Sought and Obtained
Scales. Communication Research Measures, 67, 173-177.
Severin, W. J., & Tankard, J. W. (1997). Communication Theories: Origins, Methods,
and Uses in the Mass Media (4th ed.). New York, NY: Longman.
Snyder, J. (2007). How Different Generation Use Online Health Research. Forrester
Research Inc, 11(7), 1-7. Cambridge, MA.
Stephen D. & Burning, (1994). A Uses and Gratifications Approach to Examining
Electronic Mail Use. Annual Meeting of the Central States Communication
Association (Oklahoma City, OK). 29.
Susannah Fox (2006). Online Health Search. Retrieved from
http://www.pewinternet.org/files/old-media/Files/Reports/2006/PIP_Online_Heal
th_2006.pdf.pdf.
Swanson, D. L. (1977). The uses and misuses of uses and gratifications. Human
Communication Research, 3, 214-221.
Swanson, D. L. (1987). Gratification seeking, media exposure, and audience
interpretations. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 31(3), 237–254.

154
Tencent, inc. (2017, November 9). 2017 WeChat data report. Retrieved from
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?src=11&timestamp=1524916091&ver=844&signatur
e=z8zu7GXEMGfTP2pbLiky8UrdguOV3jQ4R*l2PV7CE98cUtgIOQoQuTGGG
wskuG*ZeuCCSsOuRdYOUQbYTAxdRVTdgg9IE6tKcN45ABL63TvG8esAUJ
GfSs84ADfEzvM9&new=1
Wang, L. (2016). Research on the health spread of WeChat public subscription.
Unpublished master’s thesis, Inner Mongolia University, Inner Mongolia, China.
Wang, Y. E., Li, S. Y., & Wang, X. Z. (2009). Study of relations between physical
exercising and health satisfaction degree. Journal of Physical Education, 8, 44-47.
Warner, D. (2007). Women Seeking Health Information: Distinguishing the Web
User. Journal of Health Communication, 12 (8), 787-814.
Wei, Y. T. (2006). An Exploratory Study of Blog Interactive Functions: Using
Behaviors, Motivations and Gratification perspectives. Journal of Tainan
University of Technology, 3, 27-155.
West, R. L., & Lynn H. T. (2010). "Uses and Gratifications Theory. "Introducing
Communication Theory: Analysis and Application (pp. 392-401). Boston, MA:
McGraw-Hill.
Whiting, A., & Williams, D. (2013). "Why people use social media: a uses and
155
gratifications approach?", Qualitative. Clayton State University.
Wolf, L. & Sangel, A. (1996). Role of Consumer Information in Today’s Health Care
System. Health Care Financing Review, 18 (1), 1-8
Wu, X. L. (2017). A brief analysis on the health communication of WeChat. Journal of
News Research, 1, 279-280.
Xu, T. D. (2015). Exploration and research on the communication characteristics of
WeChat. Unpublished master’s thesis, Jilin University, Jilin, China.
Yang, Y. H. (2000). The Analysis of the Information for Health Care Choice on the
Internet and a Survey on the Potential Users. Journal of National Taiwan
University, 1, 33-71.
You, Z. W. (2001). Studies on Internet Uses and Gratifications Theory. Journal of
National Chung Cheng University, 4, 28-76.
Victoria Rideout (2001). How Young People Use the Internet. Retrieved from
https://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2001/11/3202-genrx-
report.pdf.
Zeng, S. F., & Zhang, L.M. (1997). The Development and Application of Alternative
Medical Treatment Behavior Mode. Information Technology and Social

156
Transformation Seminar, China: Academia Sinica.
Zhang, Z. L. (2005). What Does Heath Communication Study? -- Nine Research
Fields of Health Communication. Journal of Hangzhou Teachers College, 5,
45-50.
Zhao, J. (2017). The equirement of media using, scene analysis, and media
dependency: A research on the usage of WeChat of the elders in Beijing.
Unpublished master’s thesis, Sichuan International Studies University, Sichuan,
China.
Zhou, Y. H. (2014). The current situation and predicament of the fusion of traditional
media and new media. Youth Journalist, 28, 56-57.

157
APPENDIX
158
APPENDIX 1
Questionnaire in English
This questionnaire is a partial fulfillment for the course ICA 701 Independent
Study in the Master’s Degree Program in Global Communication, Bangkok University.
This survey aims to examine the relationship among the demographic characteristic and
health condition of WeChat users, their gratification sought and gratification obtained,
and degree of relational satisfaction toward the small group in WeChat. Please choose
the answer that best represents your opinion. Your responses will remain anonymous.
Thank you in advance for your time and effort. Your answers will be treated
confidentially, for the researcher will be using the results of the surveys for educational
purpose only.
Section A: Personal Data and health condition
Please choose the only one answer that best represents you.
1. Gender of respondent:
1. Male 2. Female
2. Age of respondents:
1. 55-59 years old 2. 60-64 years old 3. 65-69 years old
4. 70-74 years old 5. 75-79 years old 6. More than 79 years

old
3. Monthly Income per month:

159
1. Less than 4,000 yuan
2. 4,001 - 10,000 yuan
3. 10,001- 16,000 yuan
4. 16,001 - 22,000 yuan
5. 22,001- 26,000 yuan
6. Higher than 26,000 yuan
4. Educational background
1. High School
2. Vocational School
3. Bachelor degree
4. Master degree
5. Doctoral degree
6. Others (please specify):………………………………………….
5. Health Condition:
5.1 How do you feel about your health condition now?
1. Very bad 2. Bad
3. Neither good nor bad 4. Good 5. Very good
5.2 Are you serious about keeping healthy in your daily work, diet, and
exercise?
1. Not at all 2. Not very serious
3. Fair 4. Serious
5. Very serious
160
6. How often do you use WeChat for health information in a daily life?
1. Never (None per day)
2. Seldom (1-2 times per day)
3. Sometimes (3-4 times per day)
4. Often (5-6 times per day)
5. Always (More than 6 per day)
7. How long do you spend time on searching and browsing health information
through WeChat each time?
1. Less than 30 minutes for each searching and browsing (Very low stickiness)
2. More than 30 minutes to 1 hour for each searching and browsing (Low
stickiness)
3. More than 1 hour to 2 hours for each searching and browsing (Medium
stickiness)
4. More than 3 hours for each searching and browsing (Stickiness)
5. More than 4 hours or more for each searching and browsing (Very high
stickiness)
8. What kinds of health-related WeChat public accounts you often join in the past
one year period?
1. Government owned health WeChat public accounts
2. Hospital and medical research institutional WeChat public accounts
3. Health care and medicine corporations’ WeChat public accounts
4. Health-related sub-sections of comprehensive WeChat public accounts

161
5. Medical associations and health-related social organization WeChat public

accounts
6. Individual health WeChat public accounts
7. Others (please specify_________________)
9. How many WeChat public accounts you’ve visited for the last time you
search/browse/use health information?
1. Twenty or more 2. Six to ten 3. Four to five
4. Two to three 5. One 6. Cannot remember

162
Section B: Gratification Sought about health information via WeChat (GS)
According to yourself, do you agree or disagree of the following statements about

your gratifications sought about the health-related information provided in WeChat social
networking? Use the following scale to describe your opinion on the statements:
1. Strongly disagree with the statement
2. Disagree with the statement
3. Neither agree nor disagree with the statement
4. Agree with the statement
5. Strongly agree with the statement
Gratifications sought 5 4 3 2 1
about health
information via
WeChat
General 1. I use WeChat health

information information to access
seeking current issues in health
information and
events.
2. I use WeChat health

information so that I
will not be surprised
by unexpected health
diseases that might
happen in my life.
163

information, because I
trust the information
they give me.
Parasocial 4. I use WeChat health

interaction information, because
doctors and health
experts gave me a
human-like quality
service about the
health information.

information to
compare my own ideas
to what doctors and
health experts said.

information, because
doctors and health
expert are like people I
knew.
Decision 7. I used WeChat to

utility find out what kind of
health information are
important nowadays.
164

information to help me
make up my mind
about the important
issues of the day.

information to find out
about health issues
affecting people like
myself.
Interpersonal 10. I use WeChat

utility health information to
support my viewpoints
to other people.
11. I use WeChat

health information so I
can pass the
information on to
other people.
12. I use WeChat

health to give me
interesting things to
talk about.
Entertainment 13. I use WeChat

health information,
because it is often
entertaining.
165
14. I use WeChat

health information,
because it is
stimulating.
15. I use WeChat

health information,
because it is exciting.
166
Section C: Gratification Obtained about health information via WeChat (GO)
Do you agree or disagree with following statements about your gratifications

obtained about health-related information provided in WeChat? Use the following scale
to describe your opinion on the statements:
Gratifications 5 4 3 2 1
obtained about health
information via
WeChat
General 1. I got accurate

information information about
seeking current issues in health
information and events
in WeChat health
subscription.
2. I were not surprised

by unexpected health
disease that might
happen in my life.
3. I believe that the

health information in
167
WeChat are trustworthy

and reliable.
Parasocial 4. I perceived that

interaction health information
provided by doctors
and health experts in
WeChat health
information are real
and human-like.
5. I compared my own
ideas to what doctors
and health experts say.
6. I perceived that
doctors and health
experts in WeChat are
like people I knew.
Decision 7. I learnt about what

utility kind of health
information is
important to me
nowadays from
WeChat health
information.
8. WeChat health
information help me
make up my mind
about the important
168
issues of the day.
9. I found out about

health issues affecting
my life.
Interpersonal 10. WeChat health

utility information supports
my viewpoints to other
people.
11. I can pass the health

information on to other
people.
12. WeChat health

provides me interesting
things to talk about
with other people.
Entertainment 13. WeChat health

information entertain
me.
14. WeChat health

information stimulate
my interest in health
issue.
15. WeChat health

information provide
exciting information
that I don’t know
169
before.
170
Section D: Small group relational satisfaction
Instructions: This part aims to measure your perception of satisfaction while

engaging in WeChat health information network. Please use the following scale:
5 4 3 2 1
1. The doctors and health experts in

WeChat spend time getting to know
me.

information make me feel a part of the
group.
3. I look forward to joining the group

meeting every day.
4. I do not feel part of the group in

WeChat health information.

information make feel liked.
6. My absence would not matter to the

group in WeChat health information.
171
7. I can trust doctors and health

experts in WeChat health information.
8. We can say anything in this group

“WeChat health information” without
worrying.
members of the group “WeChat

health information”
10. The members in this group

“WeChat health information” made
me feel involved in the group.
11. Some of the group members could

become my friends.
12. The group atmosphere in WeChat

health information is comfortable.
Thank you for your genuine cooperation in answering this survey.

172
附录 1
本问卷是为满足曼谷大学全球传播硕士学位课程 ICA 701 独立研究课程部分而实
施。本研究旨在调查微信使用者的人口特征与健康状况之间的关系、寻求和获得的
满足感、以及对 WeChat 小团体的关系满意度。请选择最能代表您的意见的答案。
您的回复将是匿名的。提前感谢您的时间和精力。您的答案将被保密处理，研究者
只将调查结果用作教育目的。
第一部分：人口特征与健康状况
请选择一个最能代表您意见的答案。
1. 被调查者性别:
男性女性
2. 被调查者年龄:
-59 周岁 -64 周岁 -69 周岁
-74 周岁 -79 周岁大于 74 周岁
3. 月收入:
低于 4,000 元
- 10,000 元
173
- 16,000 元
- 22,000 元
- 26,000 元
高于 26,000 元
4. 教育背景
高中
职业学校
大学
硕士
博士
其他 (请详细说明):………………………………………….
5. 健康状况:
5.1 您认为自己现在的健康状况如何？
非常糟糕糟糕
不好不坏良好非常好
174
5.2 在日常生活中您是否认真通过每日工作，饮食，运动锻炼来维持健康状
态?
完全不不是很认真
一般认真
非常认真
6.在日常生活中，您多久使用微信获取一次健康信息 ?
从来没有 (一天都没有)
很少 (1-2 次每天)
有时(3-4 次每天)
经常 (4-5 次每天)
总是 (超过 5 次每天)
7. 您每次花多长时间通过微信搜索和浏览健康信息？?
1. 每次搜索和浏览少于 30 分钟（非常低吸引度）
. 每次搜索和浏览超过 30 分钟至 1 小时（低吸引度）
. 每次搜索和浏览超过 1 小时至 2 小时（中等吸引度）
. 每次搜索和浏览超过 3 小时（具有吸引度）
175
. 每次搜索和浏览超过 4 小时（非常高的吸引度）
8. 过去一年中您经常关注哪些与健康相关的微信公众账号？
1. 官方卫生保健公众账号
2. 医院与医疗科研机构微信公众账号
3. 医药卫生企业微信公众账号
4. 综合类微信公众账号的健康相关子栏目
5. 医疗协会和与健康相关的社会组织微信公众账号
6. 个人健康微信公众账号
7. 其他（请注明）:………………………………………….
9. 您在上一次搜索/浏览/使用健康信息时访问过多少个微信公众帐户？
1. 二十个或更多六至十个四至五个
4. 两到三个一个 6. 不记得了
176
第二部分: 通过微信寻找健康信息的满意度
根据您自己，您是否同意或不同意下列说法关于微信社交网络中为您提供的与健康
相关的信息是否满足了您的需求？用下面的程度选项来描述您对这些陈述的看法：
1. 强烈反对该说法
2. 不同意这种说法
3. 不同意也不反对这一说法
4. 同意说法
5. 强烈同意这种说法
通过微信寻找健康 5 4 3 2 1
信息的满意度
一般信息征 1. 我使用微信来访
求
问健康信息和事件
中的当前问题。
2. 我使用微信健康
信息，这样我就不
177
会对生命中可能发
生的意外健康疾病
感到惊讶。
信息，因为我相信
他们提供给我的信
息。
准社会互动 4. 我使用微信健康
信息，因为医生和
健康专家给了我关
于健康信息的人性
化的优质服务。
信息中医生和健康
专家的说法来和我
自己的想法进行比
较。
信息，是因为医生
178
和健康专家就像现
实生活中我认识的
人一样。
决策效用 7. 我用微信来了解
现在什么样的健康
信息是很重要的。
8. 我用微信的健康
信息来帮助我决定
当天的重要问题。
信息来了解影响像
我这类的人的健康
问题。
人际效用 10. 在与他人交流
时，我用微信健康
信息来支持我的观
点。
信息，所以我可以
179
把信息传递给其他
人。
12. 我用微信健康给
我自己提供一些有
趣的话题来与他人
谈论。
娱乐消遣 13. 我使用微信健康
信息，因为它经常
是有趣的。
信息，因为它是激
励性的。
信息，因为它是令
人兴奋的。
第三部分：通过微信获得健康信息的满意度
您是否同意或不同意下列说法关于您从微信社交网络中获得的与健康相关的
信息是否满足了您的需求？用下面的程度选项来描述您对这些陈述的看法：
180
4. 同意说法
通过微信获得健康信 5 4 3 2 1
息的满意度
一般信息征 1. 我在微信健康订阅
求中获得了关于当前健
康信息和事件的准确
信息。
2. 我对我生命中可能
发生的意外疾病并不
感到惊讶。
181
3. 我相信微信中的健
康信息是值得信赖和
可靠的。
准社会互动 4. 我知道医生和健康
专家在微信健康信息
中提供的健康信息是
真实的。
5. 我把我自己的想法
和医生和健康专家说
的意见进行对比。
6. 我感觉到微信的医
生和健康专家就像我
认识的真人一样。
决策效用 7. 我从微信健康信息
中学到了什么样的健
康信息对我现在来说
很重要。
182
8. 微信健康信息帮助
我决定当天的重要问
题。
9. 我发现了影响我生
活的健康问题。
人际效用 10. 在与他人交流
时，我用微信健康信
息来支持我的观点。
11.我可以把微信健康
信息传递给其他人。
12. 我用微信健康给
我自己提供一些有趣
的事情来与他人谈
论。
娱乐消遣 13. 微信健康信息使
我产生兴趣。
14. 微信健康信息激
发了我对健康问题的
兴趣。
183
15. 微信健康信息提
供给我了一些之前不
知道的兴奋的信息。
第四部分：微信小团体的关系满意度
说明：本部分旨在测量微信健康信息网络的满意度。请选择以下的程度选项：
4. 同意说法
5 4 3 2 1
1. 微信中的医生和健康专家花费
了时间来了解我。
184
2. 微信健康信息的成员让我感觉
到了自己像是这个群体中的一部
分。
3. 我期待着每天参加小组的讨
论。
4. 我没有感觉到自己是小组中的
一部分。
5. 微信健康中的成员让人感觉喜
欢。
6. 我的缺席对微信健康信息中的
小组不会有影响。
7. 我可以相信微信健康信息中的
医生与专家。
8. 我们可以不用担心的在“微信健
康信息小组”中发表任何意见。
9. 我倾向于不花费时间去和“微信
健康信息小组”中的成员去相处。
185
10. “微信健康信息小组”中的成员
使我感受到了参与感。
11. 一些小组中的成员可以成为我
的朋友。
12. 微信健康信息小组中的气氛是
令人感到舒适的。
感谢您的配合！
186
BIODATA
Name – Surname: Xuanle Zhu
Address: 4004/28 Rama4 Road, Phra Khanong Klongtoey Bangkok 10110
Contact Number: 08-6397-0087
E-mail: xuanle.zhu@bumail.net
Educational Background: Master of Communication Arts, Bangkok University, Bangkok,
Thailand. Major: Global Communication.
Work Experience:
June 2013-October 2014
Beijing Youdao Qianyuan Media Investment Co., Ltd., Assistant to the. General Manager
November 2014-April 2017
Shanghai Yuanxuan Investment Co., Ltd.

Pandadadada 1.14 Final

Uploaded by

Document Informationclick to expand document information

Document Informationclick to expand document information

Copyright:

Available Formats

Pandadadada 1.14 Final

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Pandadadada 1.14 Final

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

WECHAT USES AND GRATIFICATIONS FOR HEALTH INFORMATION AMONG

CHINESE ELDERLY USERS

CHINESE ELDERLY USERS

This Independent Study Manuscript Presented to

The Graduate School of Bangkok University

of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Communication Arts

All Rights Reserved

School, Bangkok University

The Relationships Among Chinese Elderly WeChat Users in Gratification Sought,

Gratification Obtained, Relational Satisfaction toward the Small Group Communication

in WeChat Health Communication. (187 pp.)

Advisor: Asst. Prof. Pacharaporn Kesaprakorn, Ph.D.

and 0.10. The findings as following:

1. Chinese elderly who have different frequency of using WeChat health

information and educational background had significant different gratification sought

different gratification sought about health information via WeChat.

background and stickiness to WeChat health information had no significant different

gratification obtained about health information via WeChat.

3. Gratification sought and gratification obtained for health information via

WeChat among Chinese elderly were not positively correlated.

4. Gratification sought for WeChat health information are significant predictors of

the relational satisfaction of small group communication in WeChat; however,

Chinese elderly’s relational satisfaction of small group communication in WeChat.

Keywords: WeChat, Uses and Gratifications, Health Information, Chinese Elderly

of my adviser. I would like to express my gratitude to Asst. Prof. Dr. Pacharaporn

Kesaprakorn, my adviser, as a non-Thai student, she provided me suggestions and

Study can be completed successfully.

encouragement to further my Master’s degree study. As well as suggestions and supports

LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................. xvii

1.1 Problem Statement and Rationale......................................................... 1

1.2 Objectives of Study............................................................................... 8

1.3 Scope of Study...................................................................................... 9

1.4 Research Questions............................................................................... 10

1.5 Significance of the Study...................................................................... 11

1.6 Definitions of Terms............................................................................. 12

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................... 16

2.1 Related past studies in Uses and Gratifications in Internet Health

2.2 Concepts of Uses and Gratifications Theory and Related Theory…… 26

2.3 Definition of Health Information…………………………………….. 32

TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW (Continued)

2.4 Internet Health Information………………………………………….. 33

2.5 Concepts of Health Communication…………………………………. 37

2.6 Theories, Research orientations and Approaches of Health

2.7 The Impact of New Media on Health Communication……………... 40

2.8 WeChat and Its Propagation Characteristics……………………….. 41

2.9 The Impact of WeChat on Health Communication…………………. 43

2.10 Concept and assumption of Relational Satisfaction in Small Group

2.11 Theoretical Framework……………………………………………. 48

2.12 Research Hypothesis………………………………………………. 49

3.1 Research Design……………………………………………………. 53

3.2 Population and Sampling Method………………………………….. 54

TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY (Continued)

3.3 Research Instrument………………………………………………... 56

3.4 Instrument Pretest…………………………………………………... 64

3.5 Data Collection Procedure…………………………………………. 68