The impact of source credibility and information quality on healthcare consumers' attitudes: the moderating role of perceived severity.

ABSTRACT: In the context of market competition, the acceptance of a doctor's opinion by healthcare consumers depends on the source credibility and the information quality. In particular, differences in individual healthcare consumers' perceptions of their illnesses may affect the choice of trusting the source credibility or the content of the information, i.e., even for minor ailments, they may prefer to trust a doctor with authority, regardless of the quality of the content of the information. By enhancing the perceived authority of doctors and the trustworthiness of information quality, communication effectiveness can be targeted to reduce consumer anxiety and eliminate communication barriers or upsets within a limited consultation time. In order to explore the underlying mechanisms of the associa

SUBMITTER: Chen F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12711836 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature