Information-seeking Behavior of Iranian Young Adults (18-28 Years Old) Regarding HPV on Social Media: A Preventive Approach to HPV.

Background: Health information-seeking behavior refers to individuals' targeted actions to satisfy their health information needs and search for relevant disease-related information. Nowadays, social media platforms provide a great opportunity for meeting health information needs and delivering preventive education regarding human papillomavirus (HPV). The purpose of this study is the information-seeking behavior of Iranian young adults (18-28 years old) regarding HPV on social media, a preventive approach to HPV. Methods: The present descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2023 among Iranian boys and girls aged 18-28 years. A multistage cluster sampling method was used to select 3840 participants. The data collection tool was Longo's Health Information-Seeking Behavior Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS software. Results: The results showed that Iranian youth aged 18-28 were more inclined to seek information on social media about the transmission routes and preventive measures for HPV. The primary informational need regarding transmission was "I want to know the main route of HPV transmission is through vaginal and anal intercourse?", and regarding prevention, it was "Can condoms prevent HPV infection?" Additionally, the findings indicated that young individuals sought information about HPV after their first sexual encounter. Most of the information needs of the youth were fulfilled through YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp, mainly in video format. Approximately 85.10% of the youth were satisfied with the information obtained from social media. The results revealed a significant and positive relationship between the health information needs of young adults (18-28 years old) in the area of HPV and personal factors. Gender, age, marital status, education level, history of HPV infection, and engaging is unprotected extramarital sex were identified as significant influential factors on the level of information needs of young individuals, especially regarding HPV preventive measures (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Health authorities and disease control and prevention centers need to harness the potential of social media in meeting the informational needs of youth and providing education and awareness, especially concerning the transmission and prevention of HPV.

Information needs preferences of Chinese colorectal cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: A discrete choice experiment.

Objective: The study aims to investigate the information needs and preferences of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients undergoing chemotherapy using a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to optimize and improve the information support strategy for these patients. Methods: Between May and July 2023, 165 patients with CRC who were receiving chemotherapy at a single hospital in China completed the questionnaire. The survey instruments included a general information questionnaire, a DCE questionnaire, and the Brief Health Literacy Screening Scale. A conditional logit model was used with Stata 16.0 software to analyze patients' preferences. Results: A total of 159 valid questionnaires were collected, and the questionnaire response rate was 96.4%. All 7 included attributes had an impact on patients' information needs preference (P < 0.05). Among them, information providers, knowledge content, and social support had high relative importance, which were 12.16%, 7.57% and 2.25%, respectively. Patients showed a preference for attending doctors (ß = 1.9439, P < 0.05) and primary nurses (ß = 1.7985, P < 0.05). Providing knowledge related to disease basis, treatment, and health promotion also had a significant impact (ß = 1.6224, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Healthcare professionals should be the primary information source for patients and improve the accessibility of information by establishing professional information platforms or identifying reliable channels. It is recommended to provide continuous information on treatment and health promotion to CRC patients at various stages of chemotherapy. Attention should be paid to identifying and providing measures to alleviate the economic and psychological burden and to meet the social support needs of patients.

Quality Measurement of Consumer Health Questions: Content and Language Perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Health information consumers increasingly rely on question-and-answer (Q&A) communities to address their health concerns. However, the quality of questions posted significantly impacts the likelihood and relevance of received answers. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to improve our understanding of the quality of health questions within web-based Q&A communities. METHODS: We develop a novel framework for defining and measuring question quality within web-based health communities, incorporating content- and language-based variables. This framework leverages k-means clustering and establishes automated metrics to assess overall question quality. To validate our framework, we analyze questions related to kidney disease from expert-curated and community-based Q&A platforms. Expert evaluations confirm the validity of our quality construct, while regression analysis helps identify key variables. RESULTS: High-quality questions were more likely to include demographic and medical information than lower-quality questions (P<.001). In contrast, asking questions at the various stages of disease development was less likely to reflect high-quality questions (P<.001). Low-quality questions were generally shorter with lengthier sentences than high-quality questions (P<.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings empower consumers to formulate more effective health information questions, ultimately leading to better engagement and more valuable insights within web-based Q&A communities. Furthermore, our findings provide valuable insights for platform developers and moderators seeking to enhance the quality of user interactions and foster a more trustworthy and informative environment for health information exchange.

Medication management information priorities of people living with dementia and their carers: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: People living with dementia and their carers often experience difficulties in effectively managing medications and have indicated they lack necessary support, information and guidance. Recognising the medication management information needs of this population is an important first step in addressing these issues. OBJECTIVES: To identify the priorities for information on medication management expressed by people living with dementia and their carers. METHODS: A scoping review with systematic search was conducted from inception to 12 May 2023 for any original studies that reported the information needs of people living with dementia and their carers (informal, i.e. unpaid or within an existing relationship) regarding medication management. Two authors independently screened the abstracts, full-texts and extracted data. Study characteristics were described descriptively, and themes of information need were extracted using an iterative approach. RESULTS: Of the 11 367 records screened, 35 full-texts were included. All studies (n = 35) involved carers, with 17 also including people living with dementia. Most studies (n = 30) were conducted in the community and used qualitative methods (n = 32). Five major themes of information need were identified: critical medication information; medication effects; medication indication(s); disease progression and impact on medications; and safe and appropriate administration of medications. People living with dementia and their carers indicated they need more medication management information generally and want it simple, tailored and relevant. CONCLUSIONS: This review highlights the key medication information priorities for people living with dementia and their carers and will help guide the provision of medication management guidance and development of new information resources.

Information behaviours of people with type 2 diabetes in Kuwait: a grounded theory study.

BACKGROUND: Relative to country-specific epidemiological trends, Kuwait experiences a far greater burden of type 2 diabetes among its population. Information behaviours form a significant component of self-care management for patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, however this remains an understudied aspect of disease management. This study aims to investigate the information behaviours of patients with type 2 diabetes in Kuwait, and characterise the methods employed to manage their disease. METHODS: This qualitative study employed a grounded theory method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-seven participants over three phases of data collection in primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare settings across Kuwait. These were complemented by in-depth interviews to detail the information behaviours of these participants. The interviews were translated where appropriate, transcripts, and analysed through qualitative coding to synthesise the information behaviour patterns. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that living with type 2 diabetes involved a range of developmental and transformative stages, including changes to the patients' emotional state, reconstruction of their lifestyle and identity, and changes in the ways they find and use information. Living with the chronic condition was viewed as a dynamic and transitional process, where patients' information behaviours continually changed throughout the process across various identifiable stages. This dynamic pattern was reflected most prominently across the participants' behavioural needs, sources and information-seeking patterns. CONCLUSION: Patients with type 2 diabetes continuously adapted their information behaviours to optimise the self-management of their condition across a relatively predictable pattern. Greater understanding of these behaviours across a wider population would improve the provision of clinical care for patients with diabetes.

The predation relationship between online medical search and online medical consultation-empirical research based on Baidu platform data.

Introduction: This study investigates the mutual influence between online medical search and online medical consultation. It focuses on understanding the health information needs that drive these health information-seeking behaviors by utilizing insights from behavioral big data. Methods: We used actual behavioral data from Chinese internet users on Baidu platform's "Epidemic Index" from November 26, 2022, to January 25, 2023. Data modeling was conducted to ensure the reliability of the model. Drawing on the logistic model, we constructed a foundational model to quantify the evolutionary patterns of online medical search and online medical consultation. An impact function was defined to measure their mutual influence. Additionally, a pattern detection experiment was conducted to determine the structure of the impact function with maximum commonality through data fitting. Results: The analysis allowed us to build a mathematical model that quantifies the nonlinear correlation between online medical search and online medical consultation. Numerical analysis revealed a predation mechanism between online medical consultation and online medical search, highlighting the role of health information needs in this dynamic. Discussion: This study offers a novel practical approach to better meet the public's health information needs by understanding the interplay between online medical search and consultation. Additionally, the modeling method used here is broadly applicable, providing a framework for quantifying nonlinear correlations among different behaviors when appropriate data is available.

Information needs of people who have suffered a stroke or TIA and their preferred approaches of receiving health information: A scoping review.

PURPOSE: We aimed to synthesize the information needs of people with stroke (PwS) in recurrent stroke prevention. METHODS: In this scoping review we searched Medline (via PubMed), CINAHL, and PsycINFO from inception to June 5, 2023, to identify all studies describing the information needs of people 18 years and older who have suffered a stroke or transient ischemic attack within the past 5 years. We included qualitative and quantitative studies from developed countries published in German or English. Data analysis was performed following Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework for scoping reviews. FINDINGS: We screened 5822 records for eligibility and included 36 articles published between 1993 and 2023. None of the included studies used a comprehensive framework or defined information needs. Based on statements from PwS and their caregivers, PwS needed information on treatment, etiology, effects of stroke, prognosis, rehabilitation, discharge, life changes, care role, support options, information sources, and hospital procedures. The most frequently expressed needs were information on the treatment (77.8%) and stroke etiology (63.9%). The primary information source was healthcare professionals (85.7%), followed by written information (71.4%), family and friends (42.6%), and the internet (35.7%), with information provided directly by healthcare professionals being preferred. The timing of information transfer is often described as too early. CONCLUSION: PwS are primarily interested in clinical information about stroke, for example, treatment and etiology, and less often in information about daily life, for example, rehabilitation, the role of care, or lifestyle changes. PwS prefer to receive information directly from healthcare professionals. Developing a shared understanding of PwS's information needs is crucial to implement suitable strategies and programs for dealing with these needs in clinical practice.

Self-management and information needs of adults with seasonal allergic rhinitis in the Netherlands: A focus group study.

This focus group study explored the needs, preferences and beliefs of adults with seasonal allergic rhinitis regarding their self-management practices, and related information use and needs. Four focus groups were held, two online and two on location. The 20 participants (11 women); Mage = 39.0 years (range: 21-56 years) were reluctant to identify themselves as patients, trivializing their complaints while avoiding being confronted too much with their condition. Participants often expressed low trust in the effectiveness of medication and the ability of healthcare to alleviate their complaints. This resulted in relatively low openness to information such as personalized pollen predictions. Findings were synthesized under three interrelated themes: 'Being ill, but not a patient: it's bad, but you learn to live with it', 'Individual search for what does or doesn't work' and 'Information needs and sources'. Implications for communication supportive of self-management practices for seasonal allergic rhinitis are discussed.

Understanding Myeloma-Related Information Needs and Communication Preferences Within Black American Communities: An Exploratory Study.

Myeloma is the third most common blood cancer and one of the most complex and expensive cancers to treat. Black Americans face health disparities related to myeloma incidence, age at diagnosis, access to novel treatments, and mortality. To help reduce health disparities among Black Americans through education and outreach, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has implemented its Myeloma Link initiative. In 2022, a formative, qualitative evaluation was conducted across the 15 U.S. cities that implemented Myeloma Link to better understand the information and communication needs and preferences of three groups: patients, community members, and primary care providers (PCPs). Data collection included interviews with eight patients, two focus groups with a total of ten community members, and interviews with six PCPs. Patients expressed wanting information about treatment experiences, including clinical trials, and emotional and peer support services, particularly from other Black American patients. Community members were largely unfamiliar with myeloma and desired outreach via trusted community organizations about disease signs and symptoms. Both groups discussed the importance of self-advocacy within the current healthcare system and wanted actionable messaging, rather than messaging leading with disparities statistics. PCPs described systemic capacity and time challenges in the context of needing to address more frequently encountered health conditions; nonetheless, PCPs welcomed information and brief trainings about myeloma diagnosis and treatment options, referrals to specialists, and how to improve care, prognosis, and caregiver support. Findings underscore the importance of outreach initiatives such as Myeloma Link to help meet these needs and reduce health disparities.

Information Needs in Patients with Potentially Curable Gastroesophageal Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Gastroesophageal cancer patients' information needs remain understudied, despite their complex treatment trajectories. METHODS: This study examined the (i) information needs of patients with or without postoperative complications, (ii) information needs of male and female patients, and (iii) the association between information needs and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) following gastroesophageal cancer surgery. Patients completed the EORTC-QLQ-INFO25, QLQ-C30, and QLQ-OG25 questionnaires before and after curative surgery. Five information needs domains were investigated: information about the disease, about treatments, about medical tests, about things patients can do to help themselves, and overall helpfulness. Additionally, HR-QoL domains global health status, eating restrictions, and anxiety were explored. RESULTS: A total of 132 patients completed the questionnaires at baseline, 216 patients at 6-12 months, 184 patients at 18-24 months, and 163 patients at 3-5 years post-operation. There were no significant differences in information needs between patients with or without complications or between male and female patients. Patients with a higher global health status found the information more helpful at 6-12 months (p < 0.001), 18-24 months (p < 0.001), and 3-5 years (p < 0.001) postoperatively, as did patients who experienced more anxiety at 18-24 months (p = 0.009) and 3-5 years (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Gastroesophageal cancer patients, regardless of sex or postoperative complications, have consistent information needs, yet those with higher global health status and elevated anxiety levels find the information particularly helpful, emphasizing the importance of tailored communication strategies.

Mind the gap: Comparing parents' information needs about impending preterm birth to current clinical practices using a mixed methods approach.

Objective: To identify parents' information needs about impending very preterm birth and compare these needs to current information practices in the Netherlands. Methods: Step 1: We surveyed N = 203 parents of preterm infants to assess their information needs. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Step 2a: We collected information resources from hospitals (N = 9 NICUs) and via an online search. These materials were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. Step 2b: We compared findings from Steps 1-2a. Results: We identified four themes pertaining to parents' information needs: (1) participation in care, (2) emotional wellbeing, (3) experience/success stories, and (4) practical information about prematurity. Clinicians' communicative skills and time were considered prerequisites for optimal information-provision. Notably, hospital resources provided mainly medical information about prematurity with some emphasis on participation in care, while parent associations mainly focused on emotional wellbeing and experience/success stories. Conclusion: While parents demonstrate clear information needs about impending very preterm birth, current information resources satisfy these partially. Innovation: Our multidisciplinary research team included both scholars and veteran NICU parents. As such, we identified parents' information needs bottom-up. These parent-driven insights will be used to design an innovative, tailored information platform for parents about impending very preterm birth.

Design and validation of a preliminary instrument to contextualize interactions through information technologies of health professionals.

The communication of e-Health has been transformed with the advancement of information technologies, therefore it is feasible to carry out studies in the context of health professionals' interactions. Objective: This study aimed to design and validate a preliminary questionnaire to investigate the context of the communications of health professionals through information technologies considering three significant dimensions. Method: The stages provided by Hernández Sampieri guided the building, validation through Cronbach's alpha and factorial analysis. The questionnaire was applied to 43 participants who simulated health professionals. Results: We obtained an instrument that includes a demographic data section and 20 items distributed into three factors. Internal consistency reliability with Cronbach's alpha values generally of 0.848 and higher than 0.811 was obtained in each dimension. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin's measure of sampling adequacy was regular, with 0.781, and Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: It is necessary to apply in real-world environments to reaffirm the results obtained.

Community health information needs assessment in the mid-south region of the United States indicates new roles for public libraries.

BACKGROUND: Libraries provide public access to information that may be used to inform healthcare decisions. Exploring the health information needs of library-users could improve community health outcomes, especially during times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify the health information needs of library-users to explore the potential role of libraries in advancing community health. METHODS: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional survey was employed. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty participants in the (Memphis) Tennessee metropolitan area, ranging from 18 to 84 years of age, completed the survey between September 2020 and April 2021. Most respondents reported seeking physical and mental health-related information from libraries. In addition, nearly half of respondents reported delaying medical care due to risk of exposure to COVID-19, cost or appointment issues. DISCUSSION: Study results indicated that there were urgent health information needs among library-users in this community, that COVID-19 further limited or delayed access to information, and that library-users accessed health information during library visits. CONCLUSION: Public libraries have the potential to serve as information hubs to improve community health outcomes. Additional research should be conducted to collect qualitative community health information needs and the ways in which public library systems can address them.

Exploring Preoperative Experiences and Informational Needs Among Chinese School-Age Children Undergoing Elective Surgery: A Qualitative Study.

AIM: To understand preoperative experiences and information needs of Chinese school-aged children undergoing elective surgery to design standardized preoperative education programs to alleviate preoperative anxiety. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews combined with drawing, writing, and telling techniques were conducted in 12 children. The paintings were interpreted alongside children's verbal expressions. All data were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three themes emerged: Origins of Surgical Knowledge: Proximity-based knowledge, media exposure, past personal medical experiences, ward-mate interactions, healthcare staff education; Pre-Surgery Experiences: Anticipation of pain, post-op sensations and impact on life, fantasizing about the operation, being aware of risks, demonstrating psychological resilience, being curious about anesthesia experience, enjoying a break; Preoperative Informational Needs: 55 identified. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of standardized preoperative education creates a gap between children's knowledge and actual surgical experiences. Developing preoperative education tailored to individualized informational needs and developmental level helps fill their gaps, alleviate preoperative anxiety and improve health outcomes.

Caregiving information needs of family caregivers of adolescent patients with suicide attempts: a qualitative study in China.

BACKGROUND: In the cultural milieu of China, family caregivers assume a pivotal role in the post-adolescent suicide attempt recovery journey. Nevertheless, they frequently encounter a dearth of requisite knowledge and information pertaining to the appropriate caregiving protocols for these adolescents. Notwithstanding, scholarly investigation into the informational requisites of this demographic concerning caregiving remains significantly constrained. METHODS: Between September and December 2023, a phenomenological approach was applied in qualitative research. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 15 family caregivers of adolescents who had experienced suicide attempts. The amassed data underwent systematic organization and analysis through the utilization of the Colaizzi method. RESULTS: Four primary themes were identified: (1) negative emotional encounters; (2) requirements for addressing dilemmas; (3) addressing the needs of the unknown; and (4) insufficient access to support. CONCLUSIONS: Family caregivers experience complex negative emotions upon learning about a teenager's suicide attempt. Throughout the caregiving process, they face numerous challenges, with apparent lack of external support, leading to an increased urgent need for caregiving information. Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, should actively identify and respond to the informational needs of family caregivers when caring for adolescents who have attempted suicide. This includes providing education on various coping mechanisms and support strategies, as well as assisting them in better understanding how to effectively manage the stress and challenges of caregiving. By doing so, healthcare professionals can help alleviate the psychological and emotional burden on family caregivers, thereby enhancing their caregiving abilities and overall well-being.

Analyzing online forums to identify information needs and knowledge gaps in patients with left ventricular assist devices: a qualitative study.

AIM: To explore the knowledge and unmet informational needs of candidates for left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), as well as of patients, caregivers, and family members, by analyzing social media data from the MyLVAD.com website. METHODS AND RESULTS: A qualitative content analysis method was employed, systematically examining and categorizing forum posts and comments published on the MyLVAD.com website from March 2015 to February 2023. The data was collected using an automated script to retrieve threads from MyLVAD.com, focusing on genuine questions reflecting information and knowledge gaps. The study received approval from an ethics committee. The research team developed and continuously updated categorization matrices to organize information into categories and subcategories systematically. From 856 posts and comments analyzed, 435 contained questions representing informational needs, of which six main categories were identified: clothing, complications/adverse effects, LVAD pros and cons, self-care, therapy, and recent LVAD implantation. The self-care category, which includes managing the driveline site and understanding equipment functionality, was the most prominent, reflecting nearly half of the questions. Other significant areas of inquiry included complications/adverse effects and the pros and cons of LVAD. CONCLUSION: The analysis of social media data from MyLVAD.com reveals significant unmet informational needs among LVAD candidates, patients, and their support networks. Unlike traditional data, this social media-based research provides an unbiased view of patient conversations, offering valuable insights into their real-world concerns and knowledge gaps. The findings underscore the importance of tailored educational resources to address these unmet needs, potentially enhancing LVAD patient care.

Assessing patient information needs for new antidiabetic medications to inform shared decision-making: A best-worst scaling experiment in China.

BACKGROUND: Shared decision-making (SDM) is a patient-centred approach to improve the quality of care. An essential requirement for the SDM process is to be fully aware of patient information needs. OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to assess patient information needs for new antidiabetic medications using the best-worst scaling (BWS) experiment. METHODS: BWS tasks were developed according to a literature review and the focus group discussion. We used a balanced incomplete block design and blocking techniques to generate choice sets. The final BWS contains 11 attributes, with 6-choice scenarios in each block. The one-to-one, face-to-face BWS survey was conducted among type 2 diabetic patients in Jiangsu Province. Results were analyzed using count-based analysis and modelling approaches. We also conducted a subgroup analysis to observe preference heterogeneity. RESULTS: Data from 539 patients were available for analysis. The most desired information domain was the comparative effectiveness of new antidiabetic medications. It consists of the incidence of macrovascular complications, the length of extended life years, changes in health-related quality of life, the incidence of microvascular complications, and the control of glycated haemoglobin. Of all the attributes, the incidence of macrovascular complications was the primary concern. Patients' glycemic control and whether they had diabetes complications exerted a significant influence on their information needs. CONCLUSIONS: Information on health benefits is of critical significance for diabetic patients. Patients have different information needs as their disease progresses. Personalized patient decision aids that integrate patient information needs and provide evidence of new antidiabetic medications are worthy of being established. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Before data collection, a pilot survey was carried out among diabetic patients to provide feedback on the acceptability and intelligibility of the attributes.

The information needs of relatives of childhood cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review of quantitative evidence.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to: (1) summarize the quantitative evidence on the information needs of relatives of childhood cancer patients, survivors, and children deceased from cancer; and (2) identify factors associated with these needs. METHODS: PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and CINAHL were systematically searched. The methodological quality of all included publications was assessed, and the extracted data were analyzed using narrative synthesis. RESULTS: Of 5810 identified articles, 45 were included. Information needs were classified as unmet, met (satisfied), and unspecified and categorized into five domains: medical information, cancer-related consequences, lifestyle, family, and support. Most unmet information needs concerned cancer-related consequences (e.g., late effects), while information needs on support were generally met. Migrant background and higher education were associated with higher information needs among parents. Siblings had lower information needs than parents. CONCLUSION: This systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of the information needs of relatives in the context of childhood cancer, showing that information on cancer-related consequences is needed most often. The socioeconomic background of the relatives needs continued consideration throughout the cancer trajectory. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our findings suggest the need for personalized information. Healthcare professionals should adapt their communication strategies to respond to the different and evolving needs of all affected relatives.

Information needs of caregivers of adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in India.

Many families of adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in India experience difficulty in accessing services/supports, due to lack of awareness/knowledge of disability rights/laws and available services, and in accessing the services. There remains insufficient research on the information needs of these caregivers and on designing interventions that aim to increase their awareness/knowledge about human rights and supports/services. A strengths-based mixed methods needs assessment was conducted to understand the information needs of these family caregivers. Results showed that caregivers ≥50 years had significantly higher information needs than younger caregivers. Specifically, caregivers with no proficiency in English needed more information on the available services for the care recipients (n = 100). Qualitative results showed that very few caregivers had any awareness or access to information on human rights, disability-related laws/policies or available supports/services (n = 15). Study findings underscore the government's role in improving awareness-raising initiatives and imparting the information in multiple Indian languages.

Identifying gaps in healthcare: a qualitative study of Ukrainian refugee experiences in the German system, uncovering differences, information and support needs.

BACKGROUND: The 5.8 million Ukrainian refugees arriving in European countries must navigate varying healthcare systems and different and often unknown languages in their respective host countries. To date, there has been little exploration of the experiences, perceived differences, information and support needs of these refugees regarding the use of healthcare in Germany. METHODS: We conducted ten qualitative interviews with Ukrainian refugees living in Germany from February to May 2023, using Ukrainian, English and German language. The transcribed interviews were analysed using the qualitative content analysis method according to Kuckartz and Rädiker with the MAXQDA software. RESULTS: In general, participants consistently had a positive experience of the German healthcare system, particularly regarding the quality of treatments and insurance. Differences have been reported in the structure of the healthcare systems. The Ukrainian healthcare system is divided into private and state sectors, with no mandatory insurance and frequent out-of-pocket payments. Pathways differ and tend to focus more on clinics and private doctors. General practitioners, often working in less well-equipped offices, have only recently gained prominence due to healthcare system reforms. Initiating contact with doctors is often easier, with much shorter waiting times compared to Germany. Interviewees often found the prescription requirements for many medications in Germany to be unusual. However, the mentioned differences in healthcare result in unmet information needs among the refugees, especially related to communication, navigating the healthcare system, health insurance, waiting times and medication access. These needs were often addressed through personal internet research and informal (social media) networks because of lacking official information provided during or after their arrival. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the positive experiences of Ukrainian refugees in the German healthcare system, differences in the systems and language barriers led to barriers using healthcare and information needs among refugees. The dissemination of information regarding characteristics of the German health care system is crucial for successful integration but is currently lacking. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00030942, date of registration: 29.12.2022.