Influence of type and source of electronic word-of-mouth on consumers’ health care-seeking decisions

• Xiaohong Chen

  The First Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University

• Ming Chen

  Nanjing University of Finance and Economics

• Shih-Heng Yu

  National United University

• Yinxia Wu

  Shaoxing University

• Anqian Tao

  Shaoxing University

We examined the influence of the type (positive vs. negative) and source (patients’ online community vs. general online community) of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on consumers’ health care-seeking decisions. Participants in this 2 × 2 between-subjects study comprised 160 patients who had sought medical advice at a large Tier 3, Class A hospital in China in 2019. The results show that negative (vs. positive) eWOM had a greater influence on consumers’ health care-seeking decisions, with similar results for the patients’ (vs. general) online community. In addition, positive eWOM from the patients’ (vs. general) online community had a greater influence on participants’ health care-seeking decisions but the result was not significant for negative eWOM. Credibility of eWOM also mediated the relationship between eWOM and health care-seeking decision. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.

1. Xiaohong Chen, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University
   Department of Pediatrics
2. Ming Chen, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics
   School of Marketing and Logistics Management
3. Shih-Heng Yu, National United University
   Department of Business Management
4. Yinxia Wu, Shaoxing University
   School of Medicine
5. Anqian Tao, Shaoxing University
   School of Medicine

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